Not sure what we think about this.
Statistically, babies who are born via C-section are more likely to develop asthma or allergies than babies that were born vaginally.
Naturally scientists want to know why this is and what they can do to help prevent babies from developing these conditions.
A group of researchers in Finland believe that it all comes down to C-section babies having a weaker immune system and their answer to fixing this is to feed them some of their mother’s poo.
Willem de Vos, a co-author of the study and professor of human microbiomics at the University of Helsinki feels that C-section babies not having the chance to digest microbiota when they are being born leads to a weaker immune system.
According to de Vos babies born vaginally ingest their mothers’ microbiota in her vagina and perineum during birth, and C-section babies don’t.
His solution to this is to introduce some of this microbiota into the baby’s sytem by feeding them a small sample of their mother’s poo.
For the study, the research team asked seven mothers who had scheduled C-sections to take part in their study.
The research team then collected poop samplings from each woman to test for pathogens.
After the births, each baby was fed about three-and-a-half milligrams of their mother’s feces, mixed with breast milk.
The scientists then monitored the babies for the next few months and found that microbiota was similar to the microbiota of babies born vaginally.
On the other hand their microbiota was significantly different from babies born via C-section who didn’t receive the fecal transplant.
The scientists behind the study feel like this proves that their assumptions are correct but could feeding babies a poo sample from their mother really become common place?
Would you be up for feeding your baby a sample of your poo if it might improve their immune system?
