1.a. Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is essential to give the unborn child the best beginning in life. A critical factor, to producing a healthy child, is an adequate intake of calories and protein. Poor nutrition in late pregnancy affects the child's growth and weight. In early pregnancy, a severe lack of calories and protein affects the development of the fetus and its ability to survive (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 100). In Great Britain during World War II, pregnant women were made a priority during the rationing of food and birth outcomes did not change as they did in much of Europe (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 100).
Neural-tube defects can be minimized by supplementing the diet during pregnancy with 5 mg of folic acid (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 132). Vitamin B6 supplementation can help a pregnant woman control her nausea, as well as, increase the apgar scores of her newborn (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 134). A multivitamin/mineral supplement is good insurance for delivering a healthy child. Vitamin supplementation has been shown to decrease the incidence of cleft lip/cleft palate in children (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 135). Including iron in the supplement can reduce anemia in the mother and the unborn child. A mother's weight should be maintained within acceptable norms. Both over-weight and under-weight women experience increased risk for problems themselves and for their children. Underweight women can lessen the problems by gaining weight before or during their pregnancy.
1.b. In early infancy, between 0 and 6 months of age, a baby's nutritional needs are usually best met by human breast milk. After the baby's birth, the mother produces the ideal first food--colostrum. This may help establish the "bifidus flora" in the child's digestive tract (Worthington-Roberts and Williams 349). It can also provide some protective antibodies against gastrointestinal infections. Fo...