I am happy to announce the joyous and miraculous event of my first grandchild’s birth! Welcome to my new granddaughter, Chloe.
As always, I will tie in the mind-body-spirit aspects that touch us all — different circumstances, but always the human experience. What I have found so interesting is that while we have made tremendous advances in maternal and fetal/neonatal nutrition, the foundations have remained the same.
Bonding is most important — establishing the skin to skin and heart to heart contact within moments of birth will set the stage for feeling safe, connected, cared for — and I saw this with my own eyes as my daughter held her baby for the first time.
And, don’t forget the dad! This connection is also known to be so important in creating an overall atmosphere of unity.
Mother’s milk doesn’t come in for a few days, but the rich colostrum provides immune factors that support the integrity of the gut microbiome — the good bugs that fight infection and disease.
I’ll take a moment to digress because many of us who were born in the 1950s, were born into a more sterile environment, as well as being introduced to bottle feeding in place of breast milk — with everything being sanitized and washed. AND, many of us from that era face immune challenges that may have been avoided by being inoculated with a few good bugs.
Colostrum is a “hot topic” in the world of immunity and gut health, and many companies have created supplements to provide the elements of colostrum, including immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, growth factors and peptides. These supplements are generally from bovine sources and it is important to look at the origin for ruling out heavy metal contamination.
Breast milk is the perfect food and I often joke with my clients about how we all come into this world loving sugar because breast milk is high in easily digestible sugars that provide immediate energy and taste good!
It is also during those first few weeks that mother and baby will learn what foods are positively affecting overall digestion — the gas factor! I recall needing to omit broccoli, dairy, cantaloupe and peanut butter — some of my favorite foods.
I’ve also advised women to consider drinking chamomile tea (if not allergic to ragweed), as it is a natural calminative and gastric relaxant. My favorite brand is Traditional Medicinals since it has a therapeutic dosage and is organic.
A few takeaways for all to consider: If you are planning to become pregnant, do consider breastfeeding at least for the initial 3 months, longer if possible If you cannot breastfeed, pumping may be an option or possibly supplementation to support colostrum and probiotics.
Look at your own birth history. If you have immune and/or gut-related conditions and were not breast fed, you are a likely candidate for targeted supplementation in both probiotics and other gut-immune support.
— Julie Freeman, MA, RD, LD, RYT, is a licensed integrative nutritionist with advanced training in counseling and functional medicine. Her “toolbox” includes certifications in yoga, reiki, mind-body medicine, modeling and finishing for personal development, and she has written two cookbooks, Balanced Eating for a Balanced Life and Sweets n’ Treats. Click here to read previous columns, or contact her at juliefreeman57@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.