First off, I have to apologize for my absence in the last two months. I have been taking some time off work to welcome and enjoy our newest member of the family that arrived in early December.
Our house sure is bustling now with 3 kids! Holy! But now that we are starting to develop a routine, I am stepping back into working mode, and you will see regular blog posts full of knowledge and strategies once again. Meet Aiden.
Since I have been engrossed in all things baby, and having a baby back in my world again, I was reminded of all the things I do on a daily basis now (and also did prenatally) to ensure my baby is healthy and to prevent the occurrence of illnesses such as eczema.
And I wanted to share some of this with you, because it is so important in setting the stage for their future health. So many babies needlessly suffer from it. Yet there is so much we can do.
I will give you a hint – It has everything to do with the immune system and the gut. And both of these are impacted from the time they are in the womb.
You will always hear me coming back to the gut, because the research is finding that it is so intricately linked to our health. And gut health plays a role in eczema as well as asthma, allergies and chronic ear infections. Read my post here for a more in depth discussion on that.
That’s why it’s so important to consider how we influence our baby’s gut health right from conception. If we encourage proper development of good gut bacteria (and therefore the immune system), we reduce the risk of our child experiencing issues like eczema. And many other chronic illnesses in childhood and later in life.
Prevention During Pregnancy
The development of the immune system begins during pregnancy. So, we want to be providing nutrients that support the mother’s immune system. The health of the mother’s immune system plays a role in the development of the baby’s. It must establish a delicate balance in its regulation in order to support the development of baby’s immune system, and not bring harm to it at same time.
Newer research also shows that some of the mother’s gut bacteria is transferred to the baby in utero. This is the beginning of gut health in the fetus. Gut bacteria also plays a significant role in regulating and training the baby’s developing immune system.
Diet
Nutrition is key here! We need to ensure that the mother is receiving the nutrients needed to support the immune system and the gut microbiome. I ate a whole foods diet consisting of as much organically grown/raised foods as possible, and little to no processed and packaged foods, with adequate vegetables, protein and healthy fats. Adequate vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin D, vitamin C as well as protein keep the mother’s immune system functioning well.
For meats, I chose antibiotic and hormone free and free range and grass fed. I love purchasing from local farmers. I ask questions and get to know them. And I know exactly where my food is coming from. This is one of the best ways to ensure you are receiving quality meat. Even if not certified organic, many farmers use organic practices, and often these will be less expensive than their certified counterparts in the grocery store.
I also consumed fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt and fermented vegetables. As well as prebiotic foods such as resistant starches, Jerusalem artichoke and many other vegetables. These kept my bacteria happy and healthy so I had lots to pass onto my baby.
Click the image below to get my free eGuide “9 Fantastic Foods to boost your child’s immunity” for lots of tips on how to incorporate immune boosting foods into your prenatal and postpartum diet.
Supplements
During my pregnancy I took a high quality prenatal vitamin and supplemented with vitamin D and fish oil. These are not the ones found in the drug store (they just don’t make the cut for quality). The high quality supplements are found in a health food store or available from a practitioner.
I also took a probiotic. I take one all the time because I have had gut health issues in the past. Though I do recommend it to pregnant women. Research shows that babies of women who take a probiotic from 36 weeks of pregnancy are less likely to have eczema. Likely due to the fact that they have a healthier microbiome to pass onto the baby. It’s all in the gut health!!
Lifestyle and Environment
Toxicity may contribute to eczema. Avoiding toxins and stress is important both for the immune system and the gut bacteria in the mother. This one I practice all the time. Regardless of whether I am pregnant or not. Pregnancy is a great time to clean out the home and get rid of the toxic cleaning products and skin care products and switch to something natural. I like these products and use them on my family. I also practiced yoga and a little meditation as well to reduce stress, keep fit and to prepare my body for labour!
Labour and Delivery
One of the major events that occurs during labour and delivery is microbial seeding. This is where the baby obtains much of its microflora (or good bacteria) from the mother. This occurs through exposure to the bacteria in the mother’s vaginal canal, through skin to skin contact, through first breastmilk (colostrum) and through the environment. A baby that is delivered vaginally (without the mother receiving antibiotics), is breastfed and allowed to have skin to skin contact will acquire its bacteria from the mother’s vagina, skin and breastmilk. A baby that is delivered via c-section will acquire its bacteria from the environment and the skin, meaning it will initially vary from that of a vaginally delivered babies.
Both the amount and diversity of the bacteria influences the immune system. This bacteria trains and regulates the immune system. So, to ensure my baby had the best chance at colonization, I opted for a natural vaginal delivery (without antibiotics). I also chose to breastfeed, even though for me that doesn’t come easy. I totally understand that this isn’t always possible, so no guilt there moms if circumstances work out in such a way that you can’t do what you hoped. We simply have to do our best. Ultimately the most important thing is the safety of mom and baby! There are other things we can do to help the baby catch up if they aren’t given that opportunity.
Postpartum and Infancy
To keep my baby’s microbiome developing well postnatally, I focus on myself. By choosing to breastfeed, I provide my baby with immune factors for the entire period I am breastfeeding. These important factors are not just found in colostrum, but also in breastmilk. Good bacteria is also acquired by the baby from the breastmilk, as well as prebiotics to feed that good bacteria. So, it is important for the mother’s microbiome to be in tip top shape while she is breastfeeding. I eat fermented foods and take a probiotic to keep my gut bacteria healthy.
All of the nutrition related points I mentioned above, I continue to do while I am breastfeeding. And I make sure the nutritional profile of my breastmilk is also top notch by eating well. I focus on adequate protein and healthy fats and lots of vegetables for vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to support my baby’s growth, development and immune system. I continue to take my high quality prenatal vitamins, vitamin D, fish oil and probiotics.
The human body is so amazing!! It can do so much if we give it what it needs. And although we can’t always guarantee that our children will never be afflicted by eczema or other illnesses, we can do our best to minimize that risk.
Keeping your baby’s developing microbiome in mind is so important. It may help to to minimize the risk of them suffering from eczema, asthma or allergies down the road. With the right nutrients to support the developing immune system, and a strong microbiome from mom, they are sure to be off to a great start.
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