We’re all familiar with the old adage ‘you are what you eat’. Well, that’s not all. New studies shed light on just how influenced your baby is by what you eat, too!

This fascinating article from NPR reveals exciting research about how what you eat during your pregnancy can help shape your baby’s taste buds and flavor preferences.

According to Julie Mennella from the Monell Chemical Senses Center, your baby consumes several ounces of amniotic fluid a day, which is flavored by the foods and beverages you ingest. She notes that at about 21 weeks, your baby can actually taste these flavors!

Garlic, vanilla, carrot, anise, and mint are just few examples of the endless flavors your baby can experience in utero.

Expand your baby’s palette before their first bite.

Not only does your baby directly benefit from the nutrients you consume, these studies also indicate that babies develop memories of the flavors they are exposed to prenatally.

As a result, babies whose mothers consume varieties of spices and herbs are likely to prefer these foods and flavors from very early ages. Developing a sophisticated palette before birth can really help set the stage for lifelong healthy eating habits.

The proof really is in the pudding.

We cannot stress enough how important a nutritious diet is to your baby’s overall health. Exposing your child to fresh produce and tasty spices before and after birth really is the first step in preventive health.

To learn more about this topic, check out our previous post on what more you can do to arm your child with a lifetime of healthy eating habits. Additionally, our greening the womb series points out the importance of healthy eating during pregnancy and how it influences your child’s life-long health.

Give us a call and let us help you choose a nutritional plan that’s fit for you and your little one– 415.826.1701.

What is it about breast milk that provides such a boost to babies’ health?  Researchers are still working to answer this question.  We know that newborns take approximately 6 months to develop their immune system, making them incredibly vulnerable to disease.  During the first 10 days of life, a breastfed newborn ingests colostrum, a yellowish fluid known as “first milk,” and breast milk, both of which contain more infection-fighting white cells (also known as leukocytes) per milliliter than there are in the same volume of blood.  Macrophages and neutrophils are types of white blood cells that comprise approximately 90% of the leukocytic load, and their job is to engulf and absorb harmful bacteria.  The remaining 10% of these disease-fighting cells are lymphocytes, primarily T-cells and B-cells, which identify and eliminate invaders while developing antibodies in the newborn.  These lymphocytes produce Secretory IgA, which protect the newborn against environmental exposures and interferon, an antiviral substance.  Mother’s immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM and IgD) are also found in breast milk, and they protect babies from pathogens by coating the superficial layers of the intestines and other mucosal surfaces that serve as points of entry into baby’s body.²

Gut ecology is of special interest to those in the field of functional pediatrics because a healthy gut is typically indicative of over all health.  Research has shown that approximately 75-80% of immune function originates in the gastrointestinal tract.  Breastfed babies receive beneficial bacteria from the bifidus family that produce Gram-positive bacilli in the gut flora and discourage the multiplication of pathogens.  In contrast, babies who consume cow’s milk formula develop Gram-negative (potentially pathogenic) bacilli.  We know that complex sugars in breast milk help to feed the bifidus strains of beneficial bacteria in the infant’s gut.  Just last year researchers at UC Davis revealed that these same complex sugars are not digestible and mimic the surfaces of other cells.  This surface similarity encourages viruses and bacteria to dock with the indigestible complex sugars and not the infant’s gut cells, and this allows babies to flush out viruses and bacteria from their bodies!³

Breast milk has had approximately 200 million years of mammalian evolution to develop systems to protect the most vulnerable members of the species.  GetzWell Pediatrics supports the Surgeon General’s initiative and acknowledges that whenever possible “breast is best.”  We are a Breastfeeding Friendly Business and have a host of resources available to support breastfeeding mothers.  If families are unable to breastfeed, we are also prepared to provide individualized supplement programs to best protect their children.

To learn more about the benefits of breast milk and/or breastfeeding alternatives, give us a call at 415.826.1701. We also invite you to check out our previous post on how breastfeeding reduces risk of fever after vaccines.

****

¹ http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/breastfeeding/calltoactiontosupportbreastfeeding.pdf

² Varney, Helen, et al.  Varney’s Midwifery: Fourth Edition.  Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.  2004.

³ Wade, Nicholas.  “Breast Milk Sugars Give Infants a Protective Coat.”  New York Times.  August 2, 2010.

At GetzWell, we offer breastfeeding consultation house calls. Emily Waight, CPNP, our experienced pediatric nurse practitioner and lactation educator, loves to visit families in the comfort of their own homes and has a passion for helping parents to achieve their desired breastfeeding goals. Emily is also available to see families by appointment in our office. Call us to learn more! 415.826.1701