Integrative Health Blog

Fetus Feeding

Posted by admin on Mon, Mar 29, 2010

Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy

Holistic_pregnancy_pediatrics_DC

Did you know that bacteria are a part of a healthy pregnancy?
 
Surely you know that women need a healthy diet and a multivitamin with additional folic acid when they are pregnant. But, were you aware that a good probiotic is essential too?
 
When a baby passes through the vaginal canal his/her gastrointestinal tract is sterile. The initial seeding of this tract occurs as the baby comes into contact with mom's stool (or at least microscopic remnants of it). It is essential that mom's gastrointestinal tract be colonized with beneficial bacteria to pass onto baby. Since approximately 70% of the immune system lines the gut, giving baby the proper start with beneficial bacteria helps to ensure baby's defenses.

Give Baby a Healthy Start

How can mom obtain and maintain a healthy mileau of bacteria?

She should take a probiotic daily. She also needs to incorporate more prebiotics into her diet to help feed the good bacteria. These prebiotics will give fiber or the primary fuel for the beneficial bacteria. One way to get this is to eat or drink fermented foods. Kefir or kim chee are good examples of this. While the soured taste may require some getting used to, these foods provide an excellent source of these immune supporting bacteria.

So, have you had a healthy dose of bacteria today?

 

National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, is a leading  integrative medicine and dental center serving Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia, although we have patients from all over the United States. Physicians practice a holistic, patient-centered approach for primary care and disease management, pediatrics and planning for a healthy pregnancy.

Topics: pregnancy, children's health, pediatrics, probiotics, holistic doctor