C-Section and The Importance of Baby's Immune System

We will all agree that the birth of a baby is the most special moment in a mother's life, but until the day of delivery we don't know which journey the baby will take to arrive in her arms. Each birth is a story and represents a special experience for each mother. Medical research and progress have ensured that every baby comes into the world safely, but one of the common situations it that the baby changes its position in the uterus in the last moment before birth. Then it's necessary to perform, nowadays a standard procedure, that we all known as C-section. Before the baby arrives into this world, many questions arise before new parents, from the delivery itself to the health of the baby, and however much your read or learn, some things may remain uncertain. When it comes to delivery itself, the most important thing is to have the mother and the child go through it safely, but ways of delivery may differ and each type has its advantages, as well as certain challenges.

No matter what the birth journey was, parents can rest assured that they still could give the best to their children. C-section can change plans and is unexpected in most cases, but thanks to many years of research, experts understand more about the useful bacteria that babies born this way may miss during their birth.

For example, when a baby arrives via C-section, birth labors are alleviated due to the specificity of this procedure. On the other hand, babies born via vaginal delivery have a unique opportunity to pass through the birth canal where they get exposed to good bacteria that support building a strong immunity. The specificity of C-section is that babies do not pass through the vaginal canal, thus their path to gaining immunity can be a little different. Breastmilk plays a significant role in the process of building immunity, by providing the newborn essential nutrients for their first days. If breastfeeding is not an option, parents have many alternatives to support their little one's nutritive needs and provide them with a solid and healthy basis for future development. Although birth experiences and feeding choices are different, none of them takes away the precious moment when mother holds her little one in her arms and makes a bond that will kickstart the road to baby's development in years ahead.

This achievement is very important because it helps them compensate this important component and the best of all - it is available to all caring parents. By consulting their healthcare professional, parents are now able to choose the most appropriate product for their newborns, which is a great support in helping them build a stronger immune system and give them a basis for a healthy and happy development.

The first 1.000 days of your baby, the time window from fertilization to 2nd birthday, is the period when the most rapid growth of the immune system takes place. Why is the immunity so important?

A strong immune system is one of the building blocks of the organism. It can help your baby, later as an adult, fight infections and viruses, alleviate symptoms or shorten the course of the disease.

It is important for you to know that your baby's immune system is not yet fully developed shortly after the birth and that you can promote its development. Immunity has to be built up gradually and the role of intestine bacteria and the right diet is in that case crucial.  

As the intestines mature, interaction of many useful bacteria in it plays a crucial role in healthy development of immune system.

The build-up of the intestinal flora with these important bacteria, such as bifidobacteria, begins during the vaginal birth and through breastfeeding shortly thereafter.

During vaginal birth, the newborn receives initial help from the mother’s vaginal flora such as bifidobacteria. Breastfed baby has special intestinal flora composed mainly of bacteria that produce acid that serve as "feed" for the good bacteria, such as bifidobacterial, in the intestines. In this way they help suppressing unwanted germs and supporting the development of the immune system. Baby born by C-section lacks bifidobacteria and in its flora more skin bacteria can be detected.

Nutrition plays an important role in building up the intestinal flora and thus in the healthy development of the immune system. If for some reason your baby is born via C-section and breastfeeding is not possible, further colonization of useful bacteria can be managed through food.

Thanks to the research of scientists, milk formulas have been developed that are rich in this beneficial bifidobacteria.

The immunity is quite a delicate and complex topic. We believe that we simplified and brought it closer to you. Our advice is to contact your mid wife or pediatrician if you want to dive deeper into this topic. It will certainly be useful to you and your little one.