BABY & PROBIOTICS

Breast Milk Builds Your Baby’s Inner Ecosystem

A newborn baby’s digestive system is like a “clean blank slate”. A baby does not yet have the inner ecosystem, that will eventually develop inside his or her intestines creating the immune system.

When a baby moves from the protected region of his/her mother’s womb & out into the world, a baby is suddenly faced with all types of bacteria & organisms, both good and bad. Because a baby initially lacks the beneficial micro flora needed to resist and fight potential pathogens in his/her environment, nature then works brilliantly by having an arrangement to protect this tiny being.

All newborns are born with a permeable “leaky” gut allowing them to immediately absorb greater amounts of nutrients from their mother’s colostrum, or “first milk”. Colostrum delivers powerful nutrients & immune boosting substances like lactoferrin, sugars, immunoglobulins, & antibodies to each fragile, tiny body.

The baby’s permeable gut lining quickly absorbs the nutrients from the colostrum & boosts his immunity, protecting the baby until his/her inner ecosystem can be established. A Healthy Inner Ecosystem ( for people of all ages) is made up of the friendly micro flora (beneficial, good bacteria) that lives in our intestines & keeps us strong & healthy. It is this reason that not only babies require a well-balanced micro flora environment, but so do all of us! It is hence crucial for all of us at all ages to maintain this, either through consuming fermented foods or with a daily dose of a premium fermented probiotic supplement.

It takes approximately 3 months for a newborn’s inner ecosystem to be fully formed, but it starts developing almost immediately. Both colostrum & mother’s milk plays a vital role in establishing this inner ecosystem.

As the first few days go by, a protective mucous barrier begins to form on the baby’s gut lining. This layer of clean, pure mucous must be established so that the beneficial micro flora has a place to nestle into. There they will grow and multiply…but only if they are properly fed.

The initial supply of colostrum is replaced by breast milk over the first several days. Both colostrum and mother’s milk are rich in special “essential” sugars that will feed the beneficial bacteria & yeast in the gut to help them grow and multiply.

It is however important to note though, that if a baby’s mother doesn’t have plenty of micro flora in her own colon and birth canal, she wont be able to pass on this highly critical healthy micro flora to her baby. As such, it is also essential that mothers have a healthy gut to begin with or maintain a balanced micro flora themselves.

Besides helping to create a healthy inner ecosystem, researchers estimate that breast milk has at least 100 different components that effect a baby’s development, and they continue to make new discoveries about what exactly these components do.

The human breast milk is known to contain living cells, and immunoglobulins, hormones & active enzymes, in particular: -

• Immunoglobulins, also known as “protective antibodies” are large Y shaped proteins that allow the immune system to bind to infected cells and to neutralize foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. Immunoglobulins have a memory and can remember the foreign intruder during future exposure.
• Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein that is in many ways a “miracle” anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-cancer substance. It is found in both cow and human milk but not soymilk. However, cow’s milk has only trace amounts (0.05% – 1%) while human milk will contain much more (at least 15%).
• Especially important in the health and function of the intestinal tract, it helps reduce intestinal inflammation.
• An overgrowth of pathogenic microorganisms is a common problem in children with autism.
• An overgrowth of pathogens from birth and even when the baby was in the womb is known to cause imbalances throughout the entire body even the brain.
• Lactoferrin enhances the growth of the “good micro flora in the colon because of its probiotic properties.
• Fatty acids found in breast milk are very different than those found in formulas. Breast milk has over 50% of its calories as fat. A large amount of this fat is saturated. Formulas are low in saturated fat and soymilk has none. The DHA found in breast milk and not formula has been shown to give the breast-fed baby a greater academic potential. Of course to give her baby these good fats, a mother must also eat these fats herself.
• Enzymes are destroyed by pasteurization and are deficient in most formulas. In a nutshell, breast fed babies tend to be typically healthier, happier, and smarter. If they have higher levels of good bacteria in their gut they are more likely to survive and even thrive through infancy and childhood. This is even more ensured if the mother is eating fermented foods and drinking fermented liquids or taking a premium fermented probiotic on a daily basis.

Although we have now learnt about the amazing properties of breast milk as a “natural” form of probiotics & the establishment of a balanced microflora, unfortunately, oftentimes because of stress, pollution, toxins & chemicals derived from foods and beverages we consume, most mothers have an imbalanced microflora environment & are not able to pass on the benefits crucial for their offspring. As such, it is crucial that mothers to be, prepare themselves by simply taking a daily dose of naturally fermented premium probiotics.

To further establish and create a strong environment for their babies as well, it is also important to introduce natural fermented probiotics at a young age. For babies from 3 months onwards, a gel capsule a day, can be opened and its paste given orally or mixed directly into baby’s food.