What pregnant mothers should know about Probiotics
It is important for pregnant mothers to develop a balanced ecosystem for the baby that is going to be coming through the birth canal.
We know that in mothers that have Group B strep infections, it may be necessary to give antibiotics around delivery to prevent that infection being passed on to the baby. If they do need those antibiotics, and if the mother chooses not to, or is unable to, breastfeed, or undergoes a C section, we are not giving the baby the healthy bacteria it needs for its immune system and this might affect their health later on. If any of these are the case, then I would encourage the mother to use a probiotic comprising the two main families of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacter. This is an oversimplification, but we generally get lactobacillus as the baby comes through the birth canal and we get Bifidobacter from feeding on the breast. The baby is born with a sterile environment, and inoculation with these beneficial bacteria early on can help the baby’s immune system in later life.