Why are new moms feeding their babies 'poo milkshakes'?
Key Takeaways
Researchers have demonstrated a transplant of fecal matter from mother to newborn may positively impact the microbiome of the infant.
A randomized controlled trial found that babies born by c-section benefited from just 3.5 mg of feces delivered via breastmilk.
Experts say the research could pave the way for interventions that could prevent disease; however, they stress the practice should not be attempted at home.
Why are new moms feeding their newborns ‘poo milkshakes’? Researchers have demonstrated mixing a small amount of a mother’s feces with breast milk can be beneficial to the gut microbiome of babies born via c-section.[]
“With the increasing trends of Cesarean section deliveries and the accumulating evidence on its impact on the gut microbiota of newborn infants, we wanted to find a way to correct the initial imbalance in gut microbiota resulting from Cesarean section,” Professor Otto Helve, MD, PhD, co-author of the study and specialist in pediatric infectious diseases and public health at the University of Helsinki, tells MDLinx.
About the study
The research involved a randomized controlled trial that built on a prior proof-of-concept study. As part of the trial, the researchers recruited women who were due to have a c-section at Helsinki University Hospital.[] Following testing for pathogens, 3.5 mg of the mother’s feces was mixed into breast milk and then given to the baby. In total, 15 babies were given a “poo milkshake,” and 16 babies were given placebo.
Analysis of the babies’ feces indicated that, at birth, babies in both groups had similar microbial diversity in their gut. But from the second day of life, there was a notable difference between the microbial diversity of the babies who had been given the feces and those who had not. This difference continued until roughly 6 months, when the babies began to eat solid food.
As Dr. Helve explains, “The inoculation of the newborn gut happens during the early stages of life. Mode of delivery impacts greatly our microbiota and, while the differences between infants born vaginally and by c-section even out during the first 6–12 months, the impact of the differences in gut microbiota at the very early phase on the development of our immune system may be substantial.”
A step toward new therapies
Emeran Mayer, MD, is a world renowned gastroenterologist and expert in the gut microbiome. He says the research is significant for the development of important interventions to reduce disease. “This study could be seen as the first step in developing new therapies for a compromised newborn microbiome,” he tells MDLinx.
"The major indication for this [is] to improve the neonatal gut microbiome and thereby reduce the prevalence of autoimmune diseases and obesity."
— Emeran Mayer, MD
“Even though the gut microbiome of c-section-born children seems to normalize after a year without any intervention, this early window with a compromised gut microbiome seems to play an important role in the pathophysiology of these disorders,” Dr. Mayer continues. “Future indications could be to transplant a synthetic gut microbial consortium, mimicking ‘ancient’ microbiomes which contain microorganisms that have vanished from the human microbiome. [...] Such recreation of ancient microbiomes may be beneficial for preventing other diseases of the chronic, non-transmissible disease epidemic.”
Why c-section babies are at risk
Research suggests that babies born via c-section rather than vaginally have a higher risk of diseases related to a dysfunctional immune system, as well as of asthma and inflammation of the digestive system.[]
C-section babies are also more vulnerable to pathogens found in a hospital setting than babies born vaginally.[] Experts say this may be because babies born via c-section aren’t exposed to the same microbes in the gut and vagina of the mother as babies born vaginally.
“When babies come out of the vagina, they often have close interaction with the peritoneum and anus, which allows for fecal colonization of their oral tract and skin,” says Jack Gilbert, PhD, a professor at the Center for Microbiome Innovation at UC San Diego. “We have reasonably, successfully demonstrated that vaginal bacteria are not really that important in immune development,” he tells MDLinx. “Maternal fecal microbiota transplant holds a powerful approach for allowing appropriate microbial colonization of the gut in a way that would be more likely to occur during vaginal birth.”
"I think this is a great way of allowing maternal transfer of gut bacteria that would shape ancestral transfer, and allow for appropriate microbial inheritance."
— Jack Gilbert, PhD
Don’t try this at home
The research is ongoing, but Dr. Helve stresses that mixing feces with breast milk should not be tried at home. “The protocol includes a rigorous screening process,” he explains. “Almost half of interested pregnant women had a positive finding when screening for potential pathogens prior to transplantation. Therefore, it is important to stress that this is a ‘don’t do it at home’ setting.”
What this means for you
Researchers have demonstrated that transplanting a small amount of feces from mother to newborn baby via breast milk can be beneficial for the gut microbiome of infants born via c section. Babies born in this way do not receive the same early exposure to microbes found in the vagina and anus of their mothers. Experts say the research could pave the way for important interventions to improve the gut microbiome at birth and prevent future disease.