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Childbirth is a dynamic situation, and the birth of a baby can take place both naturally and by caesarean section. Although natural childbirth is recommended by experts, sometimes a cesarean section is not a choice but a necessary solution to protect the health and life of the mother or the newborn. The most important thing is that the baby successfully appeared in the world, and parents can observe its gradual development and support this process, e.g. through proper nutrition. How to feed a child to support the maturation of a young organism, including immunity, explains Halina Dudek, an expert at BebiProgram.pl
The first 1000 days of a child’s development
The formation of a young organism begins in fetal life – during pregnancy, the most important organs and systems develop which, at birth, must be efficient enough to allow the child to function outside the mother’s organism. Childbirth, however, does not end this process. The nervous, digestive, immune and other systems will mature long after birth, gradually improving their functions – for example, the immune system is constantly modulated with age, and it may be fully functional even around the age of 12. Experts have noticed that the key to a child’s development is the first 1000 days, counted from the moment of giving birth to around the third year of life.
Further part below the video.
Immunity and the gut – how do they relate?
The fundamental process of an infant’s development is the formation of the immune system, which is put to the test from the very first moments after birth. When born into the world, the newborn’s living environment changes completely. Until now, the child has developed in the mother’s womb, which – thanks to the amniotic fluid – was a place with limited exposure to microorganisms. After giving birth, a young body is affected by a number of external factors, including bacteria and viruses, which are ubiquitous – they are in the air, on the mother’s skin, on objects, and are also transmitted by medical personnel1.
During this time, the immunity, although still maturing, has to adapt to changing conditions, while protecting the infant’s body against pathogens2. The intestines are the main place for the development of immunity, and although they belong to the digestive system, they are considered an important element of the immune system3 because as many as 70-80% of them are associated with them. all immune cells in the body 4.
The concept of intestinal microbiota
The human intestines contain up to 1,5 kg of bacteria that make up the intestinal microbiota, i.e. the total of microorganisms that form a complex ecosystem in the digestive system. The intestinal microbiota is essential for the development of the immune system5, and the proper formation of its composition from the moment of birth is an important factor that determines the proper functioning of the immune system.
the whole organism. The colonization of the intestines by microorganisms and the formation of the intestinal microbiota is a dynamic process that continues during the first three years of a child’s life6. It is influenced by many external factors, including the length of pregnancy, the type of delivery, the composition of the mother’s intestinal microbiota, the hospital environment and the diet of both the child and the mother7.
Support for the intestinal microbiota through nutrition
Bifidobacterium bacteria, which interact directly with the developing immune system, play an important role in shaping the gut microbiota in early childhood. During natural childbirth, a newborn that passes through the mother’s birth canal receives additional support for its immune system, because its intestinal microbiota is then enriched with bacteria from both the mother’s digestive tract and the mother’s reproductive tract8,9, including e.g. just those of the genus Bifidobacterium.
After delivery, the source of Bifidobacteria – both for a naturally born child and by cesarean section – is mother’s milk. Women’s food contains, among others the species Bifidobacterium breve, which is characterized by antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity10. However, delivery by caesarean section may cause difficulties in breastfeeding11. If, with the help of a midwife or lactation advisor, you cannot overcome them and you cannot continue feeding with your own food, you should choose formula that matches your needs.
Among the formulas for such products available on the Polish market, recently there are also those created for infants born by caesarean section. These are products with the addition of bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium, i.e. those that are among the first to colonize the baby’s intestinal microbiota during natural childbirth. It is worth remembering that the tailored nutrition of a 6-month-old baby is one of the ways to support its proper development.
Breastfeeding is the most appropriate and cheapest way of feeding infants and is recommended for young children along with a varied diet. Mother’s milk contains the nutrients necessary for the proper development of the baby and protects it against diseases and infections. Breastfeeding gives the best results when the mother is properly nourished during pregnancy and lactation, and when there is no unjustified feeding of the baby. Before deciding to change the feeding method, the mother should consult her doctor.
Footnotes:
1 Patel RM, Denning PW. Therapeutic use of prebiotics,probiotics, and postbiotics to prevent necrotizing enterocolitis:what is the current evidence? Clin Perinatol. 2013; 40:11–25.
2 Simon AK, Hollander GA & McMichael A (2015) Proc Biol Sci 282:20143085.
3 West CE et al. (2015) J Allergy Clin Immunol 135:3-13.
4 Helander HF & Fändriks L (2014) Scand J Gastroenterol 49:681-9.
5 Houghteling PD & Walker WA (2015) J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 60:294-307.
6 Yatsunenko T, Rey FE, Manary MJ, Trehan I, Dominguez-Bello MG, Contreras M, et al. Human gut microbiome viewed across age and geography. Nature. 2012;486:222–7.
7 Penders J, Thijs C, Vink C i wsp. Factors influencing the composition of the intestinal microbiota in early infancy. Pediatrics 2006;118:511-12.
8 Shaterian et al. Role of cesarean section in the development of neonatal gut microbiota: (…) Open Med.. 2021; 16:624-639.
9 Kim G, Bae J, et al. B (2020) Delayed Establishment of Gut Microbiota in Infants Delivered by Cesarean Section.
10 O’Neill, I.; Schofield, Z.; Hall, L.J. Exploring the role of the microbiota member Bifidobacterium (…). Emerg. Top. Life Sci. 2017, 1, 333–349.
11 Prior et al. Breastfeeding after cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of world literature. A, J Clin Nutr 2012; 95:1113-35.