DHA in toddler's diet

Entry ni adalah kesinambungan dari entry "Freshmilk for baby" http://ourlovestory-7777.blogspot.com/2009/03/freshmilk-for-baby.html
Tuh dia, punya laa lama ambil masa nak post entry ni...

Ketika entry di atas tu ditulis, Rafiqh masih on bf-ing, dan dah mula di-top up dengan freshmilk. We have choices either to give him freshmilk or formula milk, both ada pro dan kontra, unlike breastmilk yang 100% lengkap dan bagus untuk baby/toddler. I have my own reasons why I chose freshmilk instead, but I tak kata formula tu tak bagus ok. Cumanya bila bercakap pasal freshmilk, bagi sesetengah ibu mereka akan terfikir pasal DHA and etc. Memang sangat munasabah untuk mempertimbangkan soal ni cause DHA (DocosaHexaenoic Acid) is a brain food. Fats make up 60% of the brain and the nerves that run every system in the body. So, it stands to reason that the better the fat in the diet, the better the brain.

Kalaulah Allah masih izinkan I menyusu Rafiqh hingga ke saat ni, tak ada laa I rasa serba salah dan gundah gulana nak fikir tentang keperluan nutrisi harian dia. Tapi memandangkan nasib tak menyebelahi kami, bagi memuaskan hati sendiri dan meyakinkan diri I terpaksalah bertanya dan menyelidik sana sini untuk pastikan freshmilk dah dikira ok buat Rafiqh. This entry will explain why DHA is important and how to get it from daily diet in case your baby is no longer on bf-ing.

The body needs two kinds of fat to manufacture healthy brain cells (the message senders) and prostaglandins (the messengers). These are omega 6 fatty acids (found in many oils, such as safflower, sunflower, corn, and sesame oils) and omega 3 fatty acids (found in flax, pumpkin seeds and walnuts, and coldwater fish, such as salmon and tuna).

It has been scientifically proven that breastfeeding increases a child's intelligence, and that one of the key nutrients responsible for that is DHA. Standard infant formulas don't have but minuscule amounts of DHA. DHA is crucial to the optimal development of the brain in infancy and childhood. That's the main reason why the babies should be nursing for at least 1 year.

The DHA levels of breast milk vary a lot according to the diet of the mother. Breastmilk can have a big amount of DHA - if the mother herself eats things rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Children who don't nurse anymore, can get DHA from fatty cold-water fish like salmon, trout, and sardines (mackerel can have too high levels of mercury). Low-fat fish have only small amounts of DHA. Another source is omega-3 fortified eggs from chickens that have been fed flax seed or fish meal. Paed recommends 1-2 yolks from these kind of eggs for children under two to get the daily 250 mg of omega-3 fatty acids that breastmilk might contain.

As long as the babies eat balance diet everyday, insyaAllah they will get all the nutrients they need... Kesimpulannya, either freshmilk or formula milk, mana2 pun ok untuk budak 1tahun++, apapun breastmilk is still the no. 1 !