During pregnancy, your baby receives DHA from you through the placenta. Transfer of DHA from mom to baby is greatest during the third trimester, a period of rapid development for the brain and nervous system. After birth, breastfed infants continue to receive DHA through their mother’s milk.

The potential benefits of a diet rich in DHA during pregnancy and while breastfeeding have been under investigation for many years. Studies comparing infants born prematurely with full-term infants have found that preterm infants tend to have lower DHA levels as well as delayed visual and cognitive development. Other studies looking at breastfed babies versus formula-fed babies (most formulas do not contain DHA) have found that breast-fed infants tend to have better visual acuity early in life.

DHA supplements are widely available. Some brands though, such as Nutrition for Two’s Vitrel-3, claim their active ingredient is “cervonic acid.” Cervonic acid is simply another name for DHA. These companies use the different name though to charge you twice as much for the same product.

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to pay special attention to their diets to ensure an adequate consumption of foods rich in DHA. It is never too early to start helping your baby’s eyesight develop properly.

Cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel and whitefish, are our best dietary sources of DHA. Indiscriminate consumption of fish, however, is not recommended for pregnant women. This is because many of our streams and oceans are contaminated with mercury, which can be harmful to a developing nervous system. While nearly all fish contain trace amounts of mercury, long-lived, larger fish that feed on other fish accumulate the highest levels and pose the greatest risk to people who eat them regularly. For these reasons, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that pregnant women or those thinking of becoming pregnant avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. The FDA has determined that up to 12 ounces per week (3 ounces is a normal serving size) of other cooked fish is safe for pregnant and nursing women. A good substitute for women who choose not to eat fish are DHA-enriched eggs now available in many stores.

For the infant, breast milk is an excellent source of essential fatty acids, including DHA. While infant formulas supplemented with DHA and AA have been available for several years in countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Latin America, they have not been allowed in infant formulas sold in the United States until recently. Currently, there are two brands of infant formula on the market in the United States that are supplemented with DHA and these can cost 10 percent to 20 percent more than regular formulas.

Jaundice is a condition that will cause a yellowish tint in the skin of some babies shortly after birth. It is caused by a higher than normal amount of bilirubin in the blood that the liver is unable to break down faster than it is made. Several things can lead to the lack of break down and the jaundice in a newborn.

• The baby’s liver may not be developed enough to break down the blood cells
• More bilirubin is being made than the baby can break down
• Bilirubin is being absorbed back into the intestines before it can be passed through stools

Bilirubin numbers will generally be taken in the hospital before you leave. The number your baby should be at changes each day as your baby gets old. As a rule, anything over 20 is considered dangerous; however as a baby approaches that number the doctor may start worrying. Once a bilirubin level hits 20 it can cause deafness, cerebral palsy or brain damage in your baby. In some cases a high level of bilirubin can signify a situation of hepatitis in a baby.

There are several types of jaundice a baby can have. These include Physiological (normal) jaundice, Jaundice of prematurity, Breast milk jaundice and Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems). Physiological jaundice occurs in 50% of newborns. It normally appears between 2-4 days after birth and can last for a couple of weeks. Jaundice of prematurity is common in premature babies because their livers are generally underdeveloped and can’t expel the bilirubin properly.

Breast milk jaundice can occur when there is a substance in a mother’s milk that causes the bilirubin level to rise. This generally occurs between 4-7 days after birth and can last up till the baby is 10 weeks old. When jaundice is caused by a blood group incompatibility is caused when a mother has a different blood type than her baby. This however can be avoided in some cases now by the mother being given Rh shots while pregnant.

If the jaundice is severe enough there several different “treatments” that your doctor may suggest to help your baby get rid of the bilirubin quicker. There is a specialized blanket that is supposed to help lessen the levels of bilirubin your baby’s blood. If that does not work they have special beds that your baby can “sun-bathe” in, giving your baby phototherapy. During phototherapy there is a special light used to alter the bilirubin and make it easier for your babies’ body to get rid of it. Often times you will be asked to feed your baby more, or to quit nursing temporarily as a way to help the bilirubin clear the body.

If you are afraid your baby has jaundice you should call your pediatrician and get him looked at. Getting some reassurance that your newborn is ok is worth it.