Your new baby’s microbiome

Breastmilk And The Microbiome - Why Breastfeed?

By Amy Hebben-Wadey, LushTums Eastbourne

As promised, here I'm going to summarise the wonderful information sharing that occurred in the microbiome webinar with Toni Harman. I am by no means an expert in this but, as an infant peer supporter, I am educating myself more and more and thought it might be helpful to have some layman style info! Some of this I knew and I'm sure many of you might know but other elements were new to me and fascinating. Here's a snapshot:

Context: the microbiome (the microorganisms in a particular environment (including the body or a part of the body).
"we depend on a vast army of microbes to stay alive: a microbiome that protects us against germs, breaks down food to release energy, and produces vitamins"

❤ The microbiome is linked to brain health as well as allergies and other general conditions.
❤ Your microbiome shifts in pregnancy to prepare for its transfer to baby.
❤ Your breast milk adapts to feed the microbes present in your baby. The 'helpful' microbes that are fed on breast milk specifically, grow and flourish. Your body can detect if a baby is unwell for example and adapt your milk supply to help them fight that illness.
❤ Three main disruptors of the microbiome are: antibiotics, abdominal birth (c-section) and formula feeding. Keep reading - this isn't a guilt trip I promise!
❤ Antibiotics disrupt the microbiome.
❤ C-section - for the gut microbiome from mum to pass to baby, baby needs contact with the perineum and effectively poo! Otherwise the babies colonisation of microbes is from the air around them at birth.
❤ Formula doesn't feed the gut microbes in the same way (breastmilk contains 150/200 different structures of HMO - sugars that grow the microbes - whereas SOME formulas may contain 1 or 2). Also, formula doesn't provide immune hormones and doesn't adapt with babies needs and age as the way breastmilk does.
❤ Studies have shown that microbiome heath is determined in infancy and studies of adults (breastfed vs. non breastfed) show very different microbiomes.

What can you do to help protect your baby's microbiome?

❤ You will often have little control over whether antibiotics are needed by your baby but do question if they are essential and make your choices with that in mind.
❤ You could consider investigating vaginal swabbing in the event of a c-section (very much an individual choice).
❤ Ensure skin to skin contact as soon as possible (immediately unless completely unavoidable) and make this close and for an extended period of time for the birthing parent - microbes from mum can be picked up this way by baby.
❤ Breastfeed - for as long as possible (recommended by WHO until 2). This is not going to be something every mother wants to do and it is of course a personal choice. Mixed feeding is better (for the microbiome) than formula. Donor milk is also better (for the microbiome) than formula but the best option to nurture babies' gut is breast milk.

One of the leading scientists studying the microbiome in the US stated that if there was a brief takeaway from all the research to improve the worlds health in general (as children and adults) it would be:
👌 Vaginal birth
👌 Skin to skin
👌 Breastfeeding

This is fundamentally why women who want to breastfeed need to be supported at all stages and through all potential difficulties or struggles.

❤ If you would like free advice and support (via group or potentially 1:1) visit the Breastfeeding Support Group at Shinewater Family Hub on a Thursday 1 - 2.30pm (drop in) where you will find a qualified IBCLC and peer supporters to help you.

For more info also try the film by Toni Harman: Microbirth

Article shared from Amy’s IG account - FOLLOW HERE HERE