Health Gut, Healthier Baby
 

Considering these first couple of years are a crucial window for the development of your baby’s gut microbiome and immune system, and that diet plays a big role in this development, it’s understandable that parents get stressed out when starting solids. 

This article will break down some of the evidence for the best way to support your baby’s gut development..  but first, let’s look at the basics

The Basics

Current guidelines in Australia recommend that you breastfeed exclusively, if possible, until around about 6 months of age, after which time you will start introducing solid foods...

Solid Gut Evolution

It has become increasingly evident that nurturing your baby’s gut microbiome should be a priority. 

Although there are numerous factors that influence babies’ gut microbiome, the biggest shift of all occurs when they start eating solid foods . 

What was, at birth, a fairly simple community of gut bugs with low diversity and richness, evolves rather quickly once solid foods are introduced, into a gut microbiome much more closely resembling that of an adult. 

The addition of vegetables, fruits, breads and cereals to your bub’s diet, which all provide different types of dietary fibres, help to feed the gut bugs. 

Certain strains of bacteria in particular,  seem to thrive and prosper from the introduction of these foods.

The Greatest Influence Of All…

You probably want specific details on exactly what you feed your baby when introducing solids to nurture their gut .. there is one simple, gut-supporting concept that keeps popping up in the evidenc… It all comes down to the importance of diversity.

Diversity of Diet = Diversity of Gut 

We now know that our gut bugs love a diverse diet. This is because a diverse diet promotes a diverse microbiome, and a diverse microbiome creates more gut stability, which means a greater ability to fight infection or any detrimental effects of medication . 

Research has shown that babies who eat a large variety of foods, including all the top allergens, have a richer and more diverse gut microbiome than babies who eat the same couple of things every day.

Biggest Takeaway

Today’s lesson… Try to focus on diversity in their diet by letting your baby explore as many different foods as possible. 

Concentrating on the overall dietary pattern rather than individual foods may end up being the key to fostering a healthy, stable, and diverse gut microbiome that will help support your baby into a healthy future. 

Written by Clare Carrick ANutr BHSc (Nutrition and Health Promotion) 

Scientifically reviewed by Dr Fathalla Ali, PHD Paediatrics :  www.MothersBabies.org

https://www.mothersbabies.org/a-solid-start-to-a-healthy-gut/