Breast-Feeding may Increase Levels of Healthy Bacteria in Infants

Though many new mothers may choose to breastfeed their child, it may not always be an option. For instance, several medical complications may often times prevent a mother from using her milk as a food source for the baby.

However, for those on the fence about breastfeeding-whether it's due to medical or personal reasons, a recent study shows that breastfeeding can help increase healthy bacteria found in your child's gastrointestinal tract.

For the study, researchers from the Technical University of Denmark examined gut microbiota in the feces of 300 children at the ages of 9, 18 and 36 months of age. Nutritional factors showed that the greatest impact on the composition of the gut flora at the time of cessation of breast feeding.

"This is to our knowledge the first study to characterize the gut microbiota in such a large cohort of children for this duration," said corresponding author Tine Rask Licht, of the Technical University of Denmark, via a press release.

Researchers also investigated how the characteristic of microbial communities. They found that those enterotypes, which are typically stable in adults, were not always the same in children. For instance, investigators found that one particular enterotype-like grouping was prevalent at 18 months, while another was prevalent at 36 months.

"This indicates that the microbiota is still not completely stably established until after this time," Licht said, via the release. "The research could ultimately lead to supplementation of infant formulas-or food for adults-with specific bacteria or carbohydrates expected to promote a healthy gut microbiota," 

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More information regarding the study can be found via the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.