A mother’s milk has been shown to have undeniable benefits for the babies it feeds, producing a unique combination of ingredients personalized for a child that evolves over time. So it should come as no surprise that breastfeeding also nourishes and helps develop a baby’s microbiome.
Not only does breast milk contain the nutrients babies need, but it also contains complex molecules like oligosaccharides that feed our microbes. And to maximize this benefit, when a mother breastfeeds, the skin to skin contact provides her baby with additional microbes to further strengthen her child’s microbiome.
A baby’s healthy microbes help them digest food and generate vitamins that they are not able to generate on their own. Breastmilk also provides a natural antibiotic that keeps nasty microbes in check. And early research shows that breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of diseases like asthma later in life.
Photo credit: Let Them Eat Dirt documentary
Curious about the role microbes play in the development, physical and mental health of our children?
Look no further! Let Them Eat Dirt is a best-selling book and now a documentary film that will answer many of the questions you have about the human microbiome & kids health and development.
Based on the work of microbiologists Dr. B. Brett Finlay & Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta & other leading microbiome experts.
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