All breastfeeding articles
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NewsNew study reveals how birth method and antibiotics may shape babies’ gut bacteria
A new systematic review has found that both the way a baby is born and exposure to antibiotics around the time of birth could be linked to differences in the development of the infant gut microbiome. Exclusively breastfeeding babies may reduce these differences.
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NewsBreast milk gives certain gut bacteria a head start
Research shows that sugars in breast milk play an important role in the development of the gut microbiota, during weaning or transition from breast milk to solid food.
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NewsSkin-to-skin care may save newborn lives
Kangaroo mother care, first introduced as an alternative to insufficient incubator care, combines skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding, early discharge, and follow-up support. A new review case makes the case for treating iKMC not as an optional add-on, but as a core part of neonatal care for eligible preterm and low-birth-weight infants.
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NewsOrangutans breastfeed their young for six and a half years, the longest among mammals
Researchers show that wild orangutan juveniles keep consuming their mother’s milk continuously until at least six and a half years of age. The study also suggests that the more milk a juvenile consumes, the stronger its biological defenses and the higher the presence of probiotic intestinal bacteria.
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NewsProbiotics can restore gut microbiome in breastfed infants
A new study has found that supplementing exclusively breastfed infants with a probiotic, Bifidobacterium infantis EVC001, between 2 and 4 months of age can successfully restore beneficial bacteria in their gut.
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NewsMaternal antibodies in breast milk regulate early immune responses in mouse gut
In mice, maternal antibodies ingested in breast milk in the first week after birth help to regulate immune responses in the newborn gut, according to a new study.
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NewsGene therapy may block HIV transmission during breastfeeding, study shows
Delivering broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 to newborns via gene therapy provided them with multi-year protection from HIV/AIDS infection, according to an animal study.
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NewsRisk of deadly diarrheal diseases in children set to worsen as climate changes
Diarrhoea remains one of the most serious health threats to young children in the Global South, and new research shows that climate change is set to worsen the risk substantially.
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NewsConsumption of ultra-processed foods by children up to one year old favors harmful bacteria in the gut
Analysis of the gut microbiota of more than 700 babies also showed that breastfeeding was a protective factor, mitigating the problem in those who consumed industrialized products. The study underscores the importance of breastfeeding.
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NewsLonger breastfeeding linked to blood-pressure lowering effects of certain infant gut bacteria
An observational study has found that infants who had more diverse bacteria in their gut had lower childhood blood pressure, and this protective association was stronger if they were breastfed for at least six months.
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NewsGut microbiome has central role in human aging
The gut microbiome holds a central role in human aging, influencing everything from metabolic function to immune health, a new review shows.
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NewsAntibodies in breast milk provide protection against common GI virus
A study has found that breast milk provides protection against rotavirus, a common gastrointestinal disease that causes diarrhea, vomiting and fever in infants.
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NewsBreastfeeding is crucial to shaping infant’s microbes, lowering risk of asthma
A study shows that breastfeeding beyond three months supports the gradual maturation of the microbiome in the infant’s digestive system and nasal cavity, the upper part of the respiratory tract.
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NewsC-section antibiotics impact the infant microbiome far less than infant diet
A study has confirmed that although prophylactic antibiotics given ahead of a Caesarian section can cause subtle changes to the infant microbiome, they are much less significant than the impact of how the babies are fed.
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NewsBreastfeeding after COVID-19 booster can give babies antibodies
Lactating mothers who get the COVID-19 booster pass along the antibodies to their children via their breast milk – and potentially protect babies too young to receive the vaccine.
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NewsStudy in mice uncovers new protective benefit of breast milk
An immune component of breast milk known as the complement system shapes the gut environment of infant mice in ways that make them less susceptible to certain disease-causing bacteria, according to a new study.
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NewsBreastfeeding alters infant gut in ways that boost brain development, may improve test scores
A study of the infant ‘fecal metabolome’ suggests that nursing, including part-time while supplementing with formula, yields significant brain-health benefits.
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NewsProteins in breast milk found to be essential for a baby’s healthy gut
A new study shows variation in the protein composition of breast milk between mothers explains much of the variation in the abundance of key beneficial microbes in the gut of their babies.