From mother's gut to baby's health: Decoding the breastfeeding–microbiome link

Breastfeeding is more than just nourishment – it’s also a transfer of beneficial microbes from mother to infant. The intestinal “microbiome” is a vast ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that helps in digestion, increase immunity, and so much more. Hence, breastfeeding plays an essential role in building a healthy microbiome in babies. In essence, breast milk serves as a microbial bridge that enriches the infant’s gut with the mother’s friendly and beneficial bacteria.


Breast Milk: A Microbial Bridge


You may think breast milk is sterile however, it contains not only nutrients but also bacteria that are beneficial and prebiotics (food for those bacteria). Nursing exposes the baby to the mother’s milk microbiota (and even her skin microbes), seeding the infant’s gut flora. The bacteria present in breast milk helps the baby to digest nutrients and guide the developing immune system to identify the friendly microbes. Early exposure to these microbes is linked to fewer infant infections and a reduced risk of wheezing or asthma later on.


Diet Diversity Nurtures Healthy Microbiomes


Just like a rainforest which flourish through biodiversity, the human gut depends on a vast microbial diversity and that diversity starts with the mother. Mothers who consume a varied, nutrient-dense diet usually help in cultivating a richer and diverse gut microbiome. Those diverse fiber and nutrients help shape the composition of bacteria in breast milk. For example, higher fiber intake is linked to greater microbial diversity in breast milk. The more diverse the diet, the more diverse and adaptable the microbiome becomes. Thus, eating a “rainbow” of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented foods enriches a mother’s internal ecosystem – a gift she shares with her infant.


Foundations for Lifelong Health


By seeding a newborn’s gut with beneficial bacteria, breastfeeding helps build the foundation of a robust immune system. Gut microbes acquired early in life are linked to lower risks of allergies, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease and obesity. This mother-to-child microbiome transfer is an evolutionary legacy – nature’s way of giving each generation a head start in health. Health authorities recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months to maximise these microbiome benefits. In an age when many diseases are linked to gut health, nurturing a healthy microbiome from day one is a priceless investment in a child’s future.


(Dr Arpit Bansal is a cancer surgeon and gut microbiome specialist)