Seeding your baby’s microbiome – it’s more important that you might guess!

Today’s pleased to share a guest post from a fellow hypnobirthing practitioner.   Lori and I trained together in 2007.  But before we start, there is a new documentary, entitled MicroBirth, and watching it is a great introduction to this subject.   The Microbiome: The Evidence Says…  By Lori Nicholson, MPA, HBCE, CH, NLPP Our microbiome consists of all of the organisms that live within and on us (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa) We need diversity in our microbes in order to fight pathogens and stave off disease; they are integral to our immune and metabolic health (Harman and Wakeford 2014) Human microbial colonization begins in utero and develops in a non-random way-the baby inherits its microbiome from its mother and this “seeding” of the baby’s microbiota determines how the baby’s immune system will develop (Mueller et al. 2015) The fetal immune system depends on adequate maternal nutrition; the mother’s intake of the micronutrients folate, iodine, and Vitamin D, and the fatty acid DHA, is especially important  An unbalanced microbiome has been associated with several health challenges including: asthma, eczema, diabetes, and obesity (Munyaka PM, Khafipour E, Ghia J-E 2014) The greatest challenges to the healthy development of the baby’s microbiome are: 1) Cesarean delivery; 2) antibiotic exposure before, during, or after birth; and 3) formula feeding (Mueller et al. 2015)   The most important steps that can be taken to ensure the proper “seeding” of the baby are: Step 1: Vaginal Birth Step 2: Immediate skin-to-skin contact with the mother following birth Step 3: Exclusive breastfeeding (preferably for at least six months) (Harman and Wakeford 2014)    As the baby who wants to be conceived, I want: My mom to be of healthy weight, with a healthy microbiome herself; research shows that regular exercise, healthy eating, being a non-smoker, and having low stress levels are especially important for my mother’s health, and therefore, my health (Mueller et al. 2015) To experience a vaginal birth, where I will be “seeded” with my mom’s healthy microbes To experience birth without the use of any antibiotics or other interventions To birth at home (in my own bacterial environment) and to have only blankets and clothes from that environment touch me To experience immediate skin-to-skin with my mom and no separation from mom (to experience rooming-in, if in a hospital) To be exclusively breastfed for 6 months or more   References: Harman T and Wakeford A. Microbirth: Revealing the microscopic events during childbirth that could hold the key to the future of humanity. DVD. Alto Films: 2014. Mueller NT et al. The infant microbiome development: mom matters. Trends Mol Med. 2015;21(2):109-117. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464665 Munyaka PM, Khafipour E, Ghia J-E. External influence of early childhood establishment of gut microbiota and subsequent health implications. Front Pediatr. 2014;2:109. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4190989