It makes sense to want to protect your little one from injury and illness. The digestive system holds approximately 80% of the immune system; therefore, probiotics for babies are often a necessity. The consensus has been that bacteria cause infections and therefore are not suitable for your overall health. Not all bacteria are the same. In fact, many bacteria are essential for great health.
Infant Probiotics
Probiotics contain teeny-tiny microorganisms that naturally live in the digestive system. They are the friendly bacteria that offer a magnitude of health benefits, including a heightened immune system and improved digestion. There are various types of probiotics. Each one provides a different set of health benefits for your infant.
Probiotics and A Healthy Baby
To have a positive impact on a child’s immune system and gut health, it is essential to maintain an optimal balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut. The balance of beneficial bacteria versus other bacteria is important as the pH levels of the baby’s stomachs are welcoming to good bacteria until around three years old.
The balance will dictate your child’s overall health. Probiotics for babies can limit digestive problems, weakened immune systems, skin conditions, and mood disorders that may develop. The friendly bacteria help infants and children not only digest their food but helps to maximize the absorption of nutritional minerals and vitamins from food. This results in a boosted immune system that will help them fight off common childhood illnesses for years to come.
In addition to the need for supporting the microbiome, there are specific occasions where probiotics are even more crucial for babies:
- Babies born by Cesarean deliveries do not receive the good gut microbes from the mother’s birth canal.
- Babies that have been subjected to a course of antibiotics will need probiotics to help their weakened digestive system work to optimal levels.
- Babies whose diet has been primarily formula- fed often miss out on the probiotics transferred through their mother’s breast milk.
There has been a lot of research on the bacterial strain Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (LGG) and allergies. If this strain of bacteria is taken in pregnancy, particularly the last 3 months, it may reduce the likelihood or severity of allergies in the newborn.
Probiotics for Newborns
Newborns receive a large part of their gut flora from their mother while in the womb and during breastfeeding. As babies are born, they have a sterile gut until their microbiome starts developing from coming through the birth canal to receiving breast milk, and eventually through solid food choices. In addition to healthy food options, probiotics for newborns is an excellent approach to establishing and maintaining a healthy gut.
On many occasions, a mother’s diet does little to build and maintain positive gut flora if your diet is primarily processed, sugary, and starchy foods. These foods generally have limited nutritional value for the parent nor the baby.
Supporting your baby’s wellness and body balance through a probiotic supplement is highly recommended. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a pediatric study that shows that infants that are provided with probiotics within the first three months have an improved opportunity in avoiding issues like acid reflux, colic, and constipation.
Probiotics for Babies with Gas.
Research on specific strains of probiotics has shown the consumption of probiotics may reduce an infant’s risk of developing allergies and skin conditions. The addition of probiotics for babies can ease gassiness and colic in infants and can boost the immune system by helping low birth weight babies gain weight faster.
The introduction of good bacteria helps to generate your baby’s gut microbiome. The top probiotic strains that are beneficial to your baby’ growth and overall health and development include:
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Is an essential microbe that has been among the first strains that colonize the gut. It can help protect against eczema, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and diarrhea
Lactobacillus reuteri
This is one of the most beneficial strains for infants and young children. Among the benefits are the risk reduction in colic, respiratory conditions, and tooth decay.
Bifidobacterium infantis
The most common in babies, hence the name. As your baby grows, the need for this type of probiotic decreases. The benefits of this strain are the reduction of inflammation and supporting the digestive function
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus
Has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies and skin conditions.
Although gas does not cause colic, it can be a symptom of a colicky baby. Relieving the pain of excess gas can be helped with the addition of probiotics for babies. Gas in babies can be related to an immature digestive system and swallowing air during feedings. Either way; it is uncomfortable for the baby and for the mother who endures a crying infant.
Probiotics and Breastfeeding
Supporting the concept of probiotics for babies begins with the added support of the mother’s microbiome through implementing probiotics during and after pregnancy. The mother’s microbiome has a significant impact on the health and well-being of her baby. The availability of probiotics from food may not be enough to provide babies with the beneficial bacteria that are available through breastfeeding. Therefore, the addition of a probiotic for the breast feeding mother can be extremely beneficial.
Breastfeeding can provide beneficial flora that include many different types of bacteria. The diversity of probiotics that are contained in breast milk can provide significant support for a baby’s immune system.
The beneficial bacteria that are found in breast milk can support a baby’s overall health in a variety of ways, including the prevention of eczema, reducing constipation, and improving the immune system.
Selecting the Best Probiotics for Infants
When buying probiotics, ensure that they have live and active cultures.
Ideally the probiotic supplements that need to be kept in the fridge are better and more active. Most probiotics for children are labelled as such so you know you are buying the appropriate flora for the age of your infant.
Probiotic supplements can be found in the form of powders, liquids, tablets, and capsules. Some strains offer differing benefits to your baby.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers probiotics to be a supplement; however, it is important to discuss any dietary changes with your pediatrician.
Conclusion
Through research advancement, we can recognize the impact that probiotics for babies can have. Any mother that wants to provide a foundation of healthy bacteria for their baby can look no further than incorporating a probiotic supplement into her diet.