Choline supplements may also be beneficial in the prenatal development of your baby’s brain. Researchers at Duke University discovered that choline improves learning and memory in animals, and in the babies of those animals who received prenatal choline supplements. The theory is that choline “super-charges” the brain cells, making them larger and faster at sending off their electrical signals. However, be sure to consult with your doctor before you take anything other than your prenatal vitamin during pregnancy (which, by the way, is also important – so don’t skip a day!).
Breastfeed – or at least choose the right formula.
Remember the DHA that we just talked about? Well, another naturally occurring source of this particular omega-3 is breast milk. Breast milk also contains other compounds crucial to brain development, such as arachidonic acid (ARA), which is also an omega-3. Studies have shown that formula-fed babies may have IQs that are five to nine points below the IQ of breastfed babies. However, there’s a catch: infants who are fed formula enriched with DHA and ARA did not show this discrepancy in the study. So if you can’t breastfeed your baby, look for a formula that is enriched with these two important omega-3 fatty acids – DHA and ARA.
Make eye contact.
Even though babies’ vision is quite fuzzy for the first few months of life, they are still able to recognize faces from a very early age. So when your newborn’s eyes are open, take advantage and look into them; he is memorizing every detail that he can take in.
Make faces.
Even babies that are just a few days old have been shown to mimic facial movements and expressions. Stick out your tongue, raise your eyebrows, or form your mouth into an “O” shape and watch as your baby concentrates on imitating you.
Hold “conversations.”
Even when your baby is too young to talk back, you can be sure that language is still an important part of her life. She’s listening intently to your speech patterns and variations, and learning to understand you. In the early months, respond to her cooing noises by enthusiastically praising her, raising your voice to a higher pitch. Speak a bit more slowly, enunciate your words, and make sure there’s a lot of eye contact – you should be fairly close to your baby’s face when you talk to her.