Would you like to give your unborn baby, infant, toddler… a million dollars without it costing you a dime? That’s right and the time to start is right now. Of course the earlier the better—even before birth and by the time he/she is in the twenties, they may very well have attracted a million dollars or more with daily affirmations for baby.

Daily affirmations can be used for baby, toddler, or child. You might wonder how an unborn child will benefit from positive affirmations and the answer is vibrations. What are affirmations? An affirmation is a statement with a specific vibration. It’s your job, mommy, to use the affirmations for prosperity and abundance; however, you might find yourself reacting to some of the prosperity affirmations. For instance, the basic affirmation, “I am prosperous.” Simple as it is, you might say, “but I’m not prosperous—we have trouble paying the rent or mortgage. I can’t lie to myself.

Four important things you need to know:

1. Affirmations are not about lying to your self. They are about choosing to own words and vibrations. You can choose to own any word or vibration that you want. As you choose to own the phrase, “I am prosperous,” you own the vibration. Look at affirmations as a direction and feel the vibration as a manifestation of the words you own.

2. Every affirmation for baby has a vibration.

3. All beliefs are practiced vibrations. 

If you choose to write your own affirmations, start with phrases like:

• My baby is
• My labor is
• you know
• My bady knows

Asking for what you want. The goal is to be more general rather than specific. You could desire a new automobile which may take the form of any one of different makes or models for which you can be very pleased and happy. 

You can use index cards to write your affirmations and place them in locations to remind you to say them.

Email: artukidding@gmail.com

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The brain and the gut are among the most important organs in the body. These organs develop throughout the early years, so optimum nourishment should be provided for infants and toddlers.

The brain

Brain growth occurs throughout childhood, but most of it happens during the first few years. At birth the brain weighs 300 to 350g. The brain weight accounts for about 2% of body weight. Your brain uses 20% of your body’s oxygen and 20% to 30% of your body’s energy.

During the first 18 months of life, myelination takes place in the brain. Myelination is the process by which brain cells are covered by a fatty sheath. The fatty sheath insulates cells in the nervous system, letting brain cells function better and permitting increasingly precise control of the arms, legs and torso of the child.

By age 4 years, it would have grown to a weight of 1200 to 1500g – 80% of the weight of a typical adult brain. This is often called the ‘brain growth spurt’.

In the first 6 years the brain weight triples!

Researchers have shown that good nutrition helps in optimum development of the brain. This may affect the child’s ability to learn.

The gut

All the food that we eat must be broken down to be used by the body effectively. Much of this breakdown takes place in the gut. The small intestine uses its many enzymes in the digestive juices to break down the food. The millions of microbes in the large intestine determine the health of the gut..

The gut is considered the most metabolically active organ of the body. This is partly because of the colon, which is home to a host of beneficial bacteria, also called probiotics. Without the gut microflora the human body would not be able to digest some fibres and resistant starches.

Gut microflora also has an effect on the body’s overall immunity system. The ‘good’ gut microbes promotes the early development of the gut immune system, which in turn fights harmful bacteria and may help prevent allergies.

To support the development of ‘good’ gut microflora, beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria should be included in a child’s diet (and adult diets too). These good bacteria can be found in yoghurts.

Good bacteria help by

• Restoring the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, reducing the growth and activity of bad bacteria
• Improving digestion
• Producing certain vitamins in the body
• Enhancing the gut immune system
• Reducing the tendency to develop allergies
• Limiting the incidence of certain infections
• Preventing and treating diarrhoea caused by rotavirus or antibiotic treatments

Bacteria numbers can be changed

• Increasing or decreasing the number of bacteria is possible with nutrition.
• Certain foods promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and others contain the bacteria in its live form.

‘Gut friendly’ ingredients can function as prebiotics and probiotics. Together they are referred to as synbiotics and helps maintain digestive health.

Given early in life, synbiotics may

• Produce digestive enzymes
• Improve digestion
• Inhibit rotavirus infection
• Reduce diarrhoea
• Have a positive effect on antibiotic-associated diarrhoea
• Restore gut flora after antibiotic therapy

Given later in life, synbiotics may

• Reduce up to 29% sick days in underweight children ages 3 to 5
• Improve natural defences in children
• Increase natural resistance to infectious diseases of the intestinal tract
• Reduce incidence of food allergies
• Alleviate symptoms of lactose malabsorption
• Stimulate gastrointestinal immunity

Nutrients and the brain

The brain needs certain nutrients to function optimally.

Essential fats: During the first 2 years of life, the brain needs nutritious fat to grow and develop. Fats are major components of brain cell membranes and the myelin sheath around each nerve. The essential fatty acids such as omega-3 (especially DHA) and omega-6 fatty acids obtained from fish oils, flaxseed oils and soy oils are important for human brain development.

Phospholipids: These are unique fats important to brain cell membranes. As the name implies, phospholipids are made of the combination of lipids (fats) and the mineral, phosphorus. Phospholipids are found in high concentrations in the lining of practically every cell of the body, including brain cells. They help brain cells to communicate and also influence brain cell function. Although phospholipids are present in many foods, soy, eggs and meat are good sources. The richest dietary sources are egg yolks and organ meats.

Amino acids: Certain essential amino acids obtained from proteins are used to make neurotransmitters that allow your brain cells to network and communicate. Amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine help your brain perform well. Fish and meat, fowl and eggs, cheese and yoghurt are complete proteins that provide essential amino acids.

Vitamins and minerals:

• Specific vitamins and minerals, especially the vitamin B group help the metabolism of the brain.
• Vitamin B6 deficiency may cause hyperirritability and fatigue.
• Vitamin B12 is vital to maintaining healthy myelin, the tissue that covers and insulates nerves.
• Vitamin C is required by the brain to make neurotransmitters.
• Folic acid deficiency may affect neurotransmitter function, which may result in symptoms associated with depression.
• Deficiency of important minerals such as iron may lead to increased irritability and diminished mental alertness and learning.
• Calcium is important to growing bones.

Taurine, choline and essential fatty acids are known to support brain development in children and should be included in the diet.

Taurine: An amino acid that plays a significant role in brain and retinal development. Taurine is found in animal products like meat, seafood and poultry. It is virtually absent in plant products.

Choline: A precursor of the molecules that send signals in the nerve cells including the brain. Good sources of choline are animal products especially egg and milk.

Fatty acids: Essential fatty acids need to be supplemented in the diet as they cannot be synthesised in the body. Two common types of fatty acids are omega-3 and omega-6.

• Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid. The body converts some ALA to another omega-3 fatty acid called DHA.
• Linoleic acid (LA) is an essential omega-6 fatty acid. The body converts some LA to another omega-6 fatty acid called AA.

DHA and AA: These are both required for optimal brain function.

• DHA is a major component of the brain tissue. It is found primarily in fish oils but also in some vegetable oils (eg, flaxseed oil, soy oil and canola oils). AA is present in the membranes of the body cells and is also abundant in the brain.
• AA is found mainly in shellfish, butterfat and meat.

Cognitive development in infants refers to development in the way a baby thinks. This includes his language, communication and exploration skills. Examples of cognitive activities include learning to talk, interacting with toys, identifying faces and socializing with other people. Babies need to be stimulated and challenged in order to grow and develop on a cognitive level. Specific activities, practiced on a regular basis, stimulate an infant’s cognitive growth.

• Step 1

  Place the baby in front of you, either on the floor or in a high chair or other seat. Clear all distractions, such as other toys, from the area so that the baby is able to focus on you.

• Step 2

  Open the book and face the pictures toward the baby. Read her the story or point to the different items in the pictures and repeat the names of these items several times. Speak clearly and with an energetic tone. Turn the page or change voices or objects often to keep the baby’s attention. If the baby tries to say the words you are saying, clap and give him verbal praise. Repeat the sounds she is making and then the actual words.

• Step 3

  Sing along with CDs and clap your hands or do hand motions. Hold the baby’s hands and help her to clap along with the tempo of the song. Smile, laugh and show the baby how fun it is to sing. Repeat the song two or three times, or try a different one. Clap and praise the baby when he makes noises or tries to clap along with the song.

• Step 4

  Place the toy stackable cups in front of the baby and let him play with them for a few minutes. Take opportunities to point to each cup and identify its color several times in a clear voice and with an energetic tone. Show the baby how to stack the cups, demonstrating the motion several times and then helping her repeat it. Clap and praise him when he does it by himself.

• Step 5
  Use the bandana or cloth to play peek-a-boo with the baby. Smile and call her name, and then hold the bandana in front of you so that it hides your face. Wait a few seconds in silence, and then drop the bandana and say “peek-a-boo.” Repeat this several times and with variations such as putting the bandana in front of the baby’s face or calling his name when it is in front of yours. Always smile and laugh when you lower the bandana so that she knows you are playing a fun game and are happy to see her.

Play is an activity or activities done for enjoyment. Play in infants not only is important to their development, but it helps them build a bond with their parents or caregiver.There are several areas in which play in infants has the most impact.

Infants undergo the greatest rate of physical development in the first year of their lives. Simple activities for infants improve their physical development while providing entertainment and bonding time for parents. Infant physical development includes gross motor skills, grasping, coordination, balance and movement. The physical skills that infants master serve as the base for larger physical achievements as they enter the toddler and preschool years.

1. Step 1

   Engage your baby in a variety of activities. Show her around the house. Take her out for a walk. Let her play with different objects to introduce her to different shapes, textures and colors–but make sure they are safe and won’t choke her.

2. Step 2

   Read children’s books to your baby. Introduce him to different concepts, as this will help to develop his language skills. Don’t worry if he doesn’t seem interested in the stories–your voice is a treat, and the earlier you introduce your child to reading, the better.

3. Step 3

   Introduce your infant to other children. Join a playgroup, go out to the park at regular times, or just get together with family members, friends and neighbors who have kids. Let your child play with the kids, as this will help develop her social skills.

4. Step 4

   Talk to your baby whenever you can. For instance, when you feed or change him, explain what you’re doing and talk to him about the process. Respond to his reactions in full sentences as much as possible, and avoid excessive baby talk. This will help him learn to interact with people, and encourage communication at an earlier age.

5. Step 5

   Give her toys that stimulate brain activities, such as building blocks or push and pull toys. Learn about what your baby likes and does not like, and encourage her to play using her imagination. Have fun with your baby, and she will have fun too.

6. Step 6

   Decorate the nursery with a lot of images and colors. Visual stimulation improves brain development through enhanced curiosity and concentration. Hang pictures and lay out colorful blankets, for example, to introduce your children to art and colors.

7. Step 7

   Learn about what your baby likes and does not like.

At birth, the brain contains almost all the neurons it will ever have. However, neural pathways continue to form and synapses are pruned throughout early development. If the proper growth and pruning of these pathways is disrupted, problems can occur in brain development.

Prenatal Problems

1. Maternal drug use, poor nutrition, lack of oxygen, and exposure to diseases and toxins can cause babies to be born with abnormal or underdeveloped brains.

Malnutrition

2. An infant must have proper nutrition. Whether a child is breast-fed or formula-fed, a pediatrician should monitor his health throughout infancy to ensure he is getting the proper nutrition.

Disease

3. Many common diseases, such as the flu, can alter brain development in infants. Any disease that causes a high fever can affect an infant’s brain dramatically.

Maternal Drug Use

4. Even after birth, infants can be exposed to drugs through breastmilk. Babies’ brain development can be stunted by these drugs. Infants can also become addicted, which will have a dramatic affect on brain growth as well.

Environmental Toxins

5. Toxins, such as lead and carbon dioxide, may be present in a home or childcare facility. These poisons can cause severe, permanent neurological damage, or even death. Parents and caregivers must be proactive in preventing infant exposure to these toxins.

Neglect/Lack of Stimulation

6. Babies who are not talked to, cuddled, changed regularly or given adequate attention can suffer many damaging effects, including mental retardation, speech/language deficits and other developmental delays.

1. Step1

   Breastfeed. Studies indicate that children who receive breastmilk do better on intelligence measures later on in life.

2. Step2

   Hold your infant close to your body as much as you can. You can not spoil an infant by holding him/her a lot. A feeling of security is one of the best things a mother can offer her child.

3. Step3

   Talk to your baby. A LOT. Not just in baby talk but in real grown-up language too. The important thing is for your baby to start hearing language. As you are doing chores around the house have your baby in the room with you and just narrate what you’re doing. Make sure to use your grown-up vocabulary. Do not try to dumb down your narrations to make them simple enough for your baby. Babies have incredible processing power.

4. Step4

   Make sure to engage all of your child’s senses. Babies like to see bold prints and colors and lots of contrast. Give it to them. Also, take them places, make sure they are around people other than you. Family members and close friends will love to help you out with this. Make sure your baby gets to experience the feel of different materials and textures and smells different scents.

5. Step5

   Read to your baby. In as many languages as you know. Make it a daily ritual to read together before bed. Make sure to involve your child in the reading activity by encouraging discussion about the story, about the pictures in the book, or just about anything that comes up by free association.

6. Step6

   Spend time with your child. Make sure to bestow on him your full attention. Play games that would stimulate your child. Puzzles, look&finds, building blocks, pretend play, and all kinds of silly made up verbal games. I had to make up a game one day to keep my son engaged in the car (I had an hour long commute with him in the back seat and I had forgotten his backpack that had his books and toys). I asked him what he wanted to be and then depending on the answer I came up with reasons why he could or could not. He was a little over 2 at the time and the first time I asked he said he wanted to be a cat. I asked him if he had whiskers. He said no and I told him he then could not be a cat because cats have whiskers and he does not. He just loves this game ever since. He tells me he wants to be anything and everything he can think of and I just go along. It does not even have to make sense. He tells me he wants to be a sweater and I tell him I would wear him if he were a sweater. What is even greater is that after a month or so he started initiating the game by asking me what I wanted to be. And then he answers me in a few sentences with his own reasons and/or comments.

7. Step7

   Make sure your child receives proper nutrition and care. This is very important. A healthy diet, a good amount of exercise & play time and enough sleep is very very important for little children.

8. Step8

   Interest your child in the world. Do this by exposing him to the wonders of nature: animals, plants, the rain & snow & wind. Interest your child in other people and cultures by exposing him to those things directly or through books or pictures or through your stories. Sing and dance and listen to music and paint with your child. Provide your child with information and facts. A child is never too small to start learning about the world.

9. Step9

   Have fun doing all these things! They are this age only once. Make good memories and remember to take lots of pictures. Also, please leave comments and tell me what it is that you do to stimulate and engage your child.