Growing up with SMA® PRO Toddler Milk

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It’s one of the oldest clichés in the book, but life with a little one goes past in the blink of an eye. Ethan turned three at the start of May and his development amazes me on a daily basis.

He’s growing up into an affectionate, strong-willed and sociable little boy and it really is amazing to think how far he has come in just three years.

Or 36 months, if you still count things that way. There was a time when his age was counted in days, in weeks and then months, and I still find it odd not to do so now he’s in his third year. I love how the Timehop app takes me back on a daily basis to a time when I had a squishy newborn, a baby cutting his first tooth or a toddler tottering to take his first steps. It feels like so long ago, and no time at all, at the same time.

It reminds me of all the milestones our little ones hit in such a short space of time. Growing from newborn to a fully-fledged toddler is incredible when you think of it – and they literally seem to change before your eyes. One minute, they can’t do something, next minute, they can, as if they always could.

We’ve always been led by Ethan through all his stages. I listened to the advice offered by professionals and looked to other mums, mainly online through blogs like mine, for support and ideas at every stage. Being a new mum is really a case of trial and error if you ask me and we are all trying to do things, our way, the best we can to help our littles ones grow big and strong. In my three years of ‘qualified’ mum status – although I don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I’ve truly got a grasp on all this – I’ve realised there is no right way, just your way. There’s always going to be differences of opinion but as mums, we can only take this all in and choose the right path as we see it.

That’s why I’ve always felt comfortable following Ethan’s lead.

When he hit the six month mark, I tested the waters to see if he was ready for weaning and, spoonful of baby rice at a time, he started trying solids and before too long, I was making all kinds of weird and wonderful purees and our freezer was filled with brightly coloured plastic pots of homemade goodness. And it worked for us, as I followed Ethan’s reactions, and today, touch wood, he’s a pretty good eater – although at home, a bit fussier so those homemade pots are often replaced by frozen fish of the finger variety.

Through the ups and downs of encouraging Ethan to independently feed, and to keep up with the good stuff, I would also give him a drink of toddler milk each day as soon as he turned one year old. It was a safety net, so I could be sure he was getting a good nutritional balance – particularly when he suddenly decides from one day to the next whether he likes fruit after all.

I think peace of mind is something we all can do with. The Diet and Nutrition Survey in Young Children (DNSIYC) studied the total dietary intakes of nutrients and micronutrients of young children and uncovered some interesting results. Toddlers sometimes have lower intake of Vitamin D and iron, while energy (calories) and protein are higher than required.

Food for thought, right?

SMA Nutrition got in touch as they have launched new SMA PRO Toddler Milk. It’s their most advanced formula yet. So, they know their stuff! It also contains ‘NUTRI-STEPS’; a unique blend of ingredients including vitamin D, iron, iodine and omega 3 & 6, all tailored to help support toddlers’ nutritional needs, as part of a healthy balanced diet and to help build a nutritional foundation for life.

According to the experts, the benefits of SMA PRO Toddler Milk are as follows:

-        Nutri-Steps can help support toddlers’ nutritional needs

-        Vitamin D and Calcium supports your toddlers’ normal bone development

-        Iron helps support normal cognitive development of toddlers

-        Iodine contributes to the normal growth of children

There’s a wealth of information out there with regard to nutrition and it can be a difficult balance to achieve when feeding your growing toddler. I used to worry a lot about what Ethan was eating so knowing that I could supplement his diet was a good and obvious choice for me. I would certainly do it again, so it’s good to know that the new SMA PRO Toddler Milk is a nutritionally beneficial option for toddlers (suitable from 1 - 3 years).

The way I see it is I take a multivitamin to give my own diet a boost and I would do anything to make sure Ethan continues to grow well as he seems to be doing. We have a check-up at the doctors soon and whatever I can do to help support his growth and development, I will.

Important Notice: SMA® PRO Toddler Milk is suitable for young children from 1-3 years, as part of a healthy balanced diet and it is not a breast milk substitute. Breastfeeding should continue for as long as possible.