Why are the first three years critical in brain development?
During your baby’s first three years, her brain will grow dramatically, producing billions of cells and hundreds of trillions of connections between those cells. Amazingly, by age 3, her brain will have grown to about 80% of adult size.
What can you do to stimulate brain development?
Stimulating your baby’s brain is as simple as talking, cooing, cuddling, and making those funny noises only you and she understand. These simple, day-to-day interactions help her brain develop.
Colors, sounds, and movement also stimulate her brain. Simple infant toys, such as crib mobiles, are ideal for brain development. And when she’s older, her brain will be stimulated by toys and activities that are colorful, have texture, and make sounds, including balls, blocks, and books. Goodnight Moon, anyone?
What role does nutrition play in brain development?
Whether you breastfeed or formula feed your baby, you’ll want to provide her the nutrients she needs for brain development. Breast milk contains two key ingredients — DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid) — that support IQ, vocabulary development, and visual acuity.
These same ingredients also are available in most formulas. Similac® formulas have DHA and ARA, ingredients shown to help baby's brain and eyes develop.
If you choose to supplement her nutrition, you can trust the Similac brand to provide a formula to meet your baby's nutritional needs.
How can you make sure your premature baby grows strong and healthy?
One of the best ways to help your preemie grow strong is to give her proper nutrition. Similac® NeoSure® provides preemies more protein, vitamins, and minerals than formulas made for full-term babies.
How can you make sure your toddler's nutrition is adequate?
When your baby starts eating solid foods, you may be surprised to learn she’s actually getting fewer nutrients, especially if she’s a picky eater.
Data from a food survey* has shown that many older babies aren’t getting the recommended amount† of key nutrients necessary for strong growth. It showed that 20% of older babies aren’t getting the recommended amount of calcium; 26% aren’t getting enough iron, and more than 75% aren’t getting enough Vitamin E.
By supplementing your baby’s diet with Similac® Go & Grow™, you can help ensure she gets the recommended daily amount of key nutrients she needs to have a strong beginning in life.
