Do Breastfed Babies Fall Sick Less Often?

New mothers often worry about keeping their babies safe from falling sick. What they might not know is that they carry the very elixir that can not only keep their babies away from sickness but also help in building their immunity in the long term.

Breastmilk and Gut Health as Immunity Builders

Breastmilk makes a mother’s wish for a healthy child come true thanks to its nutritional constituents and the bioactive compounds like prebiotics oligosaccharides (also referred to as simply prebiotics). These helps build babies gut health which not only ensures healthy digestion, but also plays a crucial role in building immunity in them. The gut does a lot more than just breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, they also play an important role in developing a protective barrier against infections and diseases.

Other Benefits of Prebiotics Present in Breastmilk

• Reduces sickness
• Lowers instances of gastrointestinal infections
• Decreases usage of antibiotics
• Decreases incidents of respiratory infections

Therefore, the reason why breastfed babies fall less sick is due to breast milk’s nutritional composition leading to a healthy gut and strong immunity that is going to last them a lifetime.