The Astonishing Gut-Birth Connection
What if the way you were born had a lot to do with how good (or not-so-good)
your physical and mental health is today??
Scientists have been intensely studying the Gut-Health Connection for over two decades.
They’ve come to the realization that we are more microbes than human. Way, WAY more.
We are made up of 10X more microbe cells than human cells!
Even more shocking - 99.9% of the genes in our body are microbe genes, not human genes…
Microbes are in the driver’s seat of our health. They impact every organ and system in the body that’s been studied so far. We aren't human, we're a Human Superorganism. (1)
OK... then what's the Gut-Birth Connection?
For thousands of years before the 20th century, we picked up our first microbes from our mothers on the way out – up our noses, into our gut and all over our skin.
And sadly, many babies & mamas died of things that antibiotics or a C-Section can save them from today. (Did you know that IV antibiotics are given to moms at every C-Section?)
Modern Medicine is a Good Thing. Lives are Saved.
We must respect that antibiotics around birth are a Life-Altering Decision.
When a baby is born ‘naturally’ without antibiotics during pregnancy or birth, the best set of mom’s microbes set up shop in the baby’s body.
The right set of microbes start sending signals & messages that are absolutely KEY for the immune system, the brain, etc. to develop fully and correctly!
The first 1,000 days of life are “critical for the development of the immune system, growth and long-term health and disease.”(1)
When we have antibiotics before or during birth, we are passing on different microbes than we should, and they start us off on the wrong track.
This is a scientific fact now, but sadly, doctors often don't know yet or don't believe that it could be SO important to a baby's long term health...
Antibiotics will always be needed in certain situations during pregnancy and birth continuing to be given without regard for the damage caused and the need for repair.
In October 2022, a comprehensive review concluded just HOW important this is:
“Studies on the early-life microbiome will be critical for a better understanding of childhood health and diseases, as well as restorative methods for the prevention and treatment of diseases in adulthood.” (1)
Our Advice: Don't Wait for Future Studies
If you are giving birth and antibiotics are recommended, ask if is necessary and if so, have them help you understand why. Then BE SURE to follow your health provider's recommendation.
If you had a C-Section or a vaginal delivery with antibiotics, start the repair work now - no matter how old your child is.
My amazing daughter is 26 now, and I've often thought, "What if I'd known before my C-Section what I know now?" Then I stop the self-sabotaging and get to work doing all the repair work things that help get us on the right track and keep us there.
Stay Tuned for the HOW TO's of Microbiome Repair Work
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The Human SuperOrganism by Deitert, 2016. https://a.co/d/2xf7AdV
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The First 1000 Days: Assembly of the Neonatal Microbiome and Its Impact on Health Outcomes, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9555117/
