[Ming Pao Exclusive] Many mothers hope to breastfeed their babies after giving birth. Yesterday, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University published the results of a study on the development of early gut microbiota in babies born by caesarean section, which showed that mothers who had undergone caesarean sections faced breastfeeding difficulties, including delayed milk production,insufficient milk supply and a lack of understanding regarding how to care for a caesarean wound. Furthermore, as babies born via caesarean section do not pass through the mother’s birth canal during delivery, they are exposed to fewer beneficial bacteria from the birth canal; as a result, parents often need to opt for formula feeding.The study found that the effectiveness of different infant formulae in establishing gut microbiota can vary by more than 40-fold, depriving infants of the key beneficial bacteria necessary for building a strong immune system and maintaining gut health.Paediatric specialist Dr Xu Ziyun points out that if caesarean-born infants have a lower proportion of beneficial gut bacteria, this may affect the development of their immune system and make them more prone to allergies, diarrhoea and constipation.
Testing 15 milk powders, 75 infant faecal samples
Researchers at Polytechnic University collected faecal samples from 75 newborn babies born by Caesarean section who were fed 15 different formula milk products. They found that the number of the probiotic "Bifidobacterium" in the gut could vary by up to 40 times between different samples after one week. Formula milk specifically developed for C-section babies, the "Probiotic-Rich Combination Formula," was found to replenish beneficial bacteria the fastest, reaching the level of gut bacteria found in vaginally born, breastfed babies after the first week of feeding. However, for babies fed non-specialised formula milk, gut bacteria remained at lower levels for up to 4 weeks. The researchers did not disclose the brands of the 15 formula milk products tested.
Dr. Amy Chiu, Associate Head of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Associate Director of the Future Food Institute, stated that Hong Kong has one of the highest caesarean section rates in Asia. While breast milk is the best source of nutrition for newborns, if formula feeding is necessary, parents should understand the nutrition provided by different feeding methods to help caesarean-born infants establish a healthy gut microbiome composition early on.
Doctors advocate for formula milk that's labelled as containing beneficial vaginal bacteria.
Paediatric specialist Dr. Tsui Tsz-kwan suggests parents consider formula milk specifically developed for babies born via C-section. She advises checking the packaging for indications of birth canal probiotics and prebiotics, stating that such formulas can supplement infants with a source of beneficial bacteria and help build a strong immune foundation from an early stage. However, she reminds parents that infants require different probiotics at different growth stages, and the specific types of probiotics needed vary depending on daily life, diet, and individual constitution. Therefore, she recommends consulting a doctor before choosing a formula.
A mother who gave birth via C-section, Michelle, shared her feeding methods. She stated that after her baby turned 6 months old, she could no longer breastfeed long-term due to work. Following her doctor's advice, she switched to formula milk containing probiotics. Her baby is currently healthy, has a bowel movement every day, and is growing well.
Source: Ming Pao News (28 June 2023): https://bit.ly/46DNcGj
