Christa Lesté-LasserreThe bacteria that live in our bodies, particularly our guts, play key roles in immunity and development.
But babies born by cesarean section don’t get the rich blend of microbes that come from a vaginal birth—microbes that may help prevent disorders such as asthma and allergies.
Now, a study suggests feeding these infants a small amount of their mothers’ feces could “normalize” their gut microbiome—the ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the digestive system—and possibly give their immune systems a healthier start.Newborns’ guts are blank slates: Babies born vaginally get microbes from their mother’s perineum (the area around the vulva and anus), and those born by C-section get them from mom’s skin.