WonderSlim 101: DHA and the Pregnancy Diet

Are You (and Your Baby) Getting Enough DHA?

The almost-impossible-to-pronounce docosahexaenoic acid — thankfully better known as DHA — is critical for the optimal health and function of the brain, eyes, and central nervous system in people of all ages. And if you are a pregnant or lactating woman, this omega-3 fatty acid is particularly crucial, as it plays a key role in you and your baby's health. Read on to learn more.

DHA: A Key Omega-3

A diet rich in DHA during pregnancy can help lengthen your gestation period and support your mental state. It can also boost your child's ability to learn, as well as his or her hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and attention span. This is particularly important during the third trimester when significant brain growth occurs.

Since developing infants cannot efficiently produce their own DHA, they must obtain this vital nutrient through the placenta during pregnancy and from breast milk after birth. Maternal DHA supplementation during pregnancy and nursing significantly enhances the level of DHA available to the fetus and infant.

So..How Much Is Enough?

Breast milk DHA levels are dependent on your diet, and DHA is primarily found in fatty fish, which, unfortunately, is not a staple of the typical Western diet. While the increased inclusion of DHA in certain prenatal products and fortified foods is making it easier for nursing women in North America to consume more of this important nutrient, they still only consume an average of 60-80mg of the recommended 300mg of DHA each day.

If you're trying — but failing — to keep up with the recommended daily amount of DHA, try our Mommy Slim Shakes. While also helping promote weight management, three servings of our shakes per day provide 300mg of DHA, and contain life’sDHA™ Advantage — a vegetarian source of DHA.

While most people seek out fish as a rich source of DHA, fish actually get their DHA from algae. Unlike most DHA supplements, life’sDHA™ is a vegetarian, fish-free source of DHA that comes from the same microalgae that fish get it from, and is therefore free from ocean-borne contaminants like mercury. Read more on life'sDHA's benefits for pregnant and nursing mothers.

The benefits of life’sDHA include:

• Obtained from a vegetarian, sustainable source
• Free from the concern of ocean-borne contaminants
• Produced in an FDA-inspected facility under current Good Manufacturing Practices in a controlled environment from start to finish
• Trusted source used in more than 99% of infant formulas in the United States
• Provides important brain, eye, and heart health benefits

For more information on the benefits of MommySlim, visit our learning center.

Please note: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not constitute medical or other professional advice