Topic

The FIRST THOUSAND days and our health

It is essential that the child’s welfare is always considered, already starting at the beginning of the pregnancy.
Studies prove that dedicated care in the first 1,000 days of the baby is essential for a healthy life, even after adulthood. Therefore, get informed and learn how to ensure a full life for your baby from now on! 


9 months of pregnancy


Possible problems:

- Babies with growth retardation in the uterus, or who are born underweight (less than 2.5 kg) present a greater risk of developing diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, renal and heart diseases when adults.
- Cesarean sections lead to four times more postpartum infections and three times more maternal diseases and death.
- Children born two weeks early are more likely to develop breathing problems.


How to care:


- Prenatal follow-up during the whole pregnancy in a health service, with special attention to poor pregnant women, under 18 and over 30 years old.
- Do not use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs.
- Health eating.
- Carry the pregnancy to term and have a normal delivery. 
- Respect the child’s time, wait for his signs to be born, and have a normal delivery.


365 days + 365 days (1st and 2nd year)


Breastfeeding


Exclusive up to 6 months and, from this age, supplemented with other food for up to 2 years or more.


Protection for the mother:


- Reduced risk of breast cancer.
- Reduced risk of ovarian cancer.
- Reduced risk of diabetes.


Protection for the child:


- Reduction in cases of diarrhea, respiratory infections, ear infections, and problems with teeth positioning.
- Promotes proper growth and weight gain.
- Helps prevent diabetes and obesity in adolescence and adulthood.


Children who are breastfed longer have higher intelligence than those who are breastfed for shorter periods or not breastfed at all, which can improve school performance and, in the long run, increase their income.


To help those first thousand days contribute to the health of the baby and the pregnant woman, the leader carries out an activity in their community, which allows him to be closer to the families they follow up with, supporting them and informing them about care during this period. This activity is the home visitation.

Monitoring from the beginning of pregnancy


Visiting families in the community is the main way to find pregnant women. Some women immediately tell the leader that they are pregnant. Others take a little longer, and the leader will only find out about the pregnancy on the next visit.


Some signs can help a woman to find out if she is pregnant:


- no menstrual periods;
- sore and enlarged breasts;
- quick mood swings: one moment she is happy, another moment she is sad;
- frequent nausea and dizziness.


“At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 1. 39-41

Você está aqui:
Você está aqui:
Você está aqui: