These tips tell you what makes a baby beautiful and smart

You already know that a healthy lifestyle while pregnant helps your baby grow big and strong. But did you know it can make him/her smarter too?

Actually, the simple choices that you make every day can help build your baby's brain. This is whether you're eating a leafy-green salad for lunch or hitting the treadmill for a workout. Having a smart baby is what makes a baby beautiful.

What you do while you're pregnant can have as much impact on your child's brain development and future intelligence as what you do after you give birth. Learn some of the ways that healthy habits help your baby's brain. They are pointers to what makes a baby beautiful and smart.

Taking a prenatal supplement, one with the B vitamin folic acid is essential for pregnancy. Folic acid has long played a key role in forming healthy brain cells. A recent study found that women who took folic acid early - from four weeks before conception through to eight weeks into pregnancy - had a 40 percent lower risk of birthing a child with autism.

To get more folic acid in your diet, look to excellent sources. These foods are also what makes a baby beautiful and smart:

Here's What Makes A Beautiful Baby A Smart One

• Fortified breakfast cereals, lentils, and leafy greens like spinach.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, also have a major impact on the production of neurons. They are the nerves in the brain that fire electrical impulses and send messages to the rest of the body. Get your fill from foods such as wild salmon and other fatty fish, walnuts, ground flaxseed, and eggs fortified with omega-3s.
• Iron helps promote the growth of healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your baby's brain. Red meat is the best source, but it is also in plant foods such as beans, spinach, and tofu, as well as iron-enhanced cereals.

If you're worried that you're not eating enough fruits and veggies (perhaps you're struggling with morning sickness) sneak them into your diet like this:

• Put dried fruits in oatmeal and salads.
• Dice or puree veggies and add them to soups and sauces.
• Get more nutrients by drinking milk and orange juice.

However, be sure to ask your doctor before taking additional supplements.

What makes a baby beautiful? Increased Intelligence

Exercise will give you the stamina you need for labour and delivery. It can also strengthen your baby's brain. According to research, children of moms who exercised during pregnancy scored higher on tests of language skills and intelligence at age 5 compared with the kids of sedentary moms. Why? Moderate levels of cortisol - a stress hormone that's also secreted when you exercise. Cortisol promotes the growth and development of your baby's brain, as well as his other major organs. Experts recommend 30 minutes of moderate exercise for pregnant women on all or most days of the week.