5 Facts About Gut Health
In this post, I’m talking all about baby gut health and why it’s so important!
My journey to discovering the importance of good gut health for my baby started in the N.I.C.U of the hospital where my newborn daughter Kennedy was having to stay after delivery. I had to see her be given heavy doses of antibiotics, and filling her tiny tummy with medicine. Little did I know then that the combination of all those factors Kennedy experienced in the N.I.C.U would lead to her having poor gut health as a result. In the newborn stage after Kennedy came home, I started seeing an increase in signs that something was off with her health. We were experiencing colic, gas, fussiness, diaper rashes, and reflux. I knew that I needed to find something to help with these symptoms and in turn help her feel better (and give me peace of mind!).
After doing some research, I found that the first six months of a baby’s life sets the stage for baby’s autoimmune and metabolic development. Many autoimmune and gut issues are manifested in the form of conditions such as colic, eczema, allergies, diabetes, and obesity later in life. Arming baby with a probiotic and good bacteria for their gut creates a protective barrier wall to crowd out bad bacteria so the good bacteria can thrive and create good health for baby from day one.
Speaking of starting baby off from the very start with a probiotic, did you know that good bacteria and breastmilk go hand-in-hand? The baby’s gut from day one on it’s breastfeeding journey is being armed with “liquid gold” filled with antibodies that help baby’s gut flourish. When baby is nursing, it’s saliva will travel back into the mother’s breast where the body receives any viruses or bad bacteria that it has found. The mother’s body will respond with perfectly custom breastmilk designed to deliver a dose of healthy good antibodies to help baby’s health. Isn’t that so amazing?! I love learning more about the power of breastmilk and gut health. That is why it’s so important to pair the double dose of Evivo probiotic and breast milk to get baby the best head-start possible and lay a foundation for good health for the rest of their life. But I also am all for formula and know that is another great alternative! I gave Kennedy both and she is perfectly healthy now and the happiest girl! If your baby is formula fed, you can still give them Evivo!
I know from first hand experience how stressful having a baby with bad gut health can be. Even if your baby didn’t get a lengthy stay in the N.I.C.U., 9 out of 10 babies in developed countries are experiencing a disruption in their gut causing more bad bacteria to thrive. This leads to the symptoms I unfortunately experienced with Kennedy and added to the stress of being a new mom. I want to share with you five ways you can help get your baby the best start possible and help eliminate some of the troublesome symptoms you may be or already are experiencing with your baby:
1. Start baby off with an amazing probiotic from the very start. Evivo is the first and only clinically-proven baby probiotic that restores the good bacteria, B. infantis that is critical for a healthy infant gut!
2. Strive to nurse baby (if you’re able to do so) to fill baby’s gut with antibodies from day one and don’t be afraid to ask for continuous help until you establish a good breastfeeding relationship. From personal experience, Kennedy never latched in the beginning and I had to pump for three months day and night to keep my milk supply up. I also had to supplement a little bit with formula. I never gave up and tried for a final attempt to get her to latch when she was three months old and to my surprise she latched! I know every mother has their own journey with how to feed their baby, and no matter what they are fed, mom knows what is best!
3. Try to not take or give antibiotics to baby unless absolutely necessary. Overuse of antibiotics contributes to poor gut health and wiping the good bacteria from baby’s gut leading to more health issues later on.
4. Get a good burp out! It may seem like a step you don’t need to always do but it is so important until they can burp on their own!
5. Get outside and get you and baby some sunshine! Some Vitamin D does wonders during those first few weeks and just a few minutes outside everyday can help calm a fussy baby and breath life into the postpartum mama!
Finally, always trust your instincts! Only YOU will know what is best for your baby. If you feel something is off with your baby’s health, don’t ever assume it will “go away on its own.” Be proactive and be an activist for you baby’s health- their life and their health literally depend on it!
Knowing what I know now about how effective Evivo is and it’s tremendous health benefits for babies, I can’t wait to start baby boy on the Evivo probiotic from day one! We want to give him the best head start in life and have the smoothest transition into the newborn stage as possible! Receive $10 off your Evivo starter kit of 4 weeks with code BLOGW8P, or receive $20 off your Evivo starter kit of 8 weeks or more with code BLOG7KZ!
*This post was sponsored by Evivo. All opinions are my own.