Feeding time for a baby can become a point of concern for many parents, as they want to make sure that their baby is getting all the right nutrients from the milk its drinking so that they can grow. The aspects of growth are weight, size, and brain development. The more advanced a baby is, the stronger it is. In 1983, proteins in babies were studied and the research showed that many babies were iron-deficient. This means that babies with an iron-deficiency may be less physically active and may develop more slowly, which may affect the child later on in life.
But, how could it be possible for a baby to be iron-deficient so early on in its life? When a baby is inside its mother’s womb, it receives all the iron it needs because the mother’s womb is stockpiled with iron. However, the transfer of iron to the fetus becomes difficult in mothers that have high blood pressure or diabetes, or who smoke. To see if babies had issues with cognitive skills from being iron deficient, an EGG (electroencephalogram) experiment was performed in order to measure the electrical activity that comes from the brain. A baby needs to be able to recognize its own mother’s voice.
With the baby wearing an EEG net, a recording of the mother’s voice played, repeating the word, “baby” over and over again. Then, a “stranger’s” voice played, repeating the word “baby” over and over again. Researchers then analyzed the EEG patterns and the results were astounding. In an iron sufficient baby, they were able to memorize and differentiate between the two voices, which meant that the baby had a great memory. The iron-deficient baby, on the other hand, wasn’t able to distinguish the difference between the two voices, which meant that the baby’s hippocampus, the part of the brain involved with learning, was not functioning adequately. However, micronutrient deficiencies are quite common.
Therefore, expectant mothers need to make sure they are as healthy as they can be during pregnancy and make sure they are eating the right types of food so that the baby can also receive those nutrients. If these issues could be resolved, it is estimated that the world’s IQ could shift positively by 10 points.
