PSANZ Early Life Nutrition ‘First 1,000 Days’ booklet

Discover how you can influence your baby’s lifelong health by following simple advice,
from preconception through to toddlerhood.

 

This period – known as the First 1,000 Days – provides a window of opportunity where a healthy environment, particularly good nutrition, can positively influence lifelong health by reducing the risk of allergy, obesity and related diseases. 

 Find out about:

• Changing nutrient requirements (including iodine, folic acid, iron, omega-3 and vitamin D) from preconception to breastfeeding
• Healthy weight gain during pregnancy to reduce your baby’s risk of obesity
• Foods to eat during pregnancy to reduce your baby’s risk of allergy
• The benefits of breastfeeding, including reducing your baby’s risk of obesity
• Introducing solid foods to support development and help protect against allergy
• Establishing healthy patterns of eating and physical activity for your toddler

The PSANZ Early Life Nutrition sub-committee is an affiliation of professional, academic, advocacy and healthcare groups working to advocate for policy and practice that promotes the importance of optimal Early Life Nutrition.

Key areas of focus include: maternal nutrition before, during and after pregnancy; paternal health and diet; promoting the importance of breastfeeding for as long as possible; introducing solids, including known allergens, at around six months; and positive nutritional role modelling by parents and caregivers, health care professionals, society and policy makers.