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Whenever pregnancy and childbirth come up, it's impossible not to discuss the importance of essential fatty acids, which are key to the health of both mother and baby. Good levels of essential fatty acids - especially a type of Omega-3 called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), found in fatty fish - are needed for the development and maintenance of the brain, eyes, immune system, heart, skin, cognition, behavior, nervous system and more.
Evolutionarily speaking, the growth in brain size in humans and their more recent ancestors led to a greater capacity for enhanced cognition, more complex behavior, thought and reasoning. And it's Omega-3 that makes this growth possible. Why?
The human brain is made up of about 60% fatty tissue, and DHA is found mainly in the gray matter, which includes the areas of the brain responsible for sensory perception and intelligence. That's why Omega-3 is so important for raising healthy children, and it's valuable not only after birth but during pregnancy as well. Here are some important things you should know about Omega-3 and your baby's health, whether you're pregnant or have recently given birth:
How does DHA support the development of babies and infants?
Omega-3 is required for tissue development in the body - especially for the development and maintenance of the central nervous system and brain, including the growth of nerve cells and the myelin sheath that insulates the nerves. This nutrient is also needed for building blood vessels and for the development of the eyes and vision.
Where can we get Omega-3 and how do we make sure we're getting enough?
To answer that, we first need to understand some differences between the types of essential fatty acids, as well as the different types of Omega-3 fats.
Essential fatty acids include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. In a typical diet, we tend to get far more Omega-6 than Omega-3, since Omega-6 is found in vegetable oils such as sunflower and corn oil, which are commonly used for cooking. This means that for most people, increasing Omega-3 intake is beneficial for restoring the balance.
There are different types and sources of Omega-3 fats. One of them is fatty fish. It provides the body with a good amount of Omega-3 and is best eaten regularly. However, if you don't like fish, or your child can't stand the smell, fish oil supplements are an excellent substitute for fatty fish.
The other main source of Omega-3 is seeds and nuts - especially flaxseed and chia seeds. But here we find a different type of Omega-3, called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). It isn't used by the body the same way as EPA and DHA, and has to be converted in several steps. If we picture this as a road system, consuming fish oil gives a direct route to EPA and DHA fatty acids - like a smooth highway drive that gets you to your destination quickly and easily.
By contrast, getting ALA from nuts and seeds or their oils means the body has to work much harder, dealing with detours, indirect routes and annoying roundabouts to reach the beneficial compounds. The body can complete this process effectively, but in some cases - especially during pregnancy, and in infants and young children - only a very small fraction of ALA is converted into EPA and DHA (some studies show less than 1%).
That's why the fetus and young child need DHA in its "ready-made" form. They get this from the mother during pregnancy and through breast milk while nursing. That's why it's important for the mother to consume Omega-3 from fish or fish oil throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. Unfortunately, there's also the issue of mercury contamination in fish, but there's a good solution for that too.
Quality fish oil is purified to remove all heavy metals and contaminants and is completely safe for daily use.
Omega-3 in the last trimester
The last trimester of pregnancy (from week 28 onward) is an especially important time for the fetal brain - it grows by an astonishing 260% during this trimester. For this reason, it's particularly important for the mother to get an adequate amount of Omega-3 during this time. This raises another question: what happens if the baby is born prematurely?
The growing child and Omega-3
After the baby is born, the brain continues to grow very quickly. During the first year of life it grows by another 175%, and during the second year by another 18%. After age 2, changes and growth slow down, with total brain size increasing by only another 21%. This shows that regular DHA intake is especially important for babies during the first two years of life.
There are countless studies showing that babies' development improves with optimal levels of Omega-3 fatty acid intake. Fish oil is a key component of „brain“ nutrition.
What happens if the baby isn't breastfed?
We've already seen that the baby continues to get DHA through breast milk, so breastfeeding mothers should keep up their intake. If breastfeeding isn't preferred or possible, then the baby should get adequate essential fatty acids through infant formula and later through the food it eats, as well as in the form of supplements. Liquid fish oil is a great solution in this case.
Mothers should keep taking Omega-3 after pregnancy too
Mothers are advised to maintain a good intake of essential fatty acids, including EPA and DHA, after pregnancy too, even if they aren't breastfeeding. Essential fatty acids matter for many aspects of health - and remember, they're called “essential” because the body can't produce them on its own.
For women who are planning to become pregnant or might become pregnant again, it's especially important to replenish their Omega-3 stores between pregnancies, so they have enough nutrients on hand for the next baby.
