I Like Baby Guts…and I Cannot Lie: Effects on Gut Microbiome When Supplementing

When a parent is not producing enough milk for their child, supplementation with donor human milk or infant formula is medically necessary to meet the infant’s nutritional needs for growth and development. Within the lactation profession, a narrative has become the norm that supplementation with donor human milk or infant formula has an intense impact on the infant’s microbiome and can lead to long term negative health outcomes. Current research suggests that this is not entirely the case. In this presentation, the Learner will gain evidence-based information on the infant gut microbiome and how raw human milk has the ability to protect the infant microbiome despite supplementation with formula or human donor milk. Additionally, the presentation will discuss two specific studies that break down the differences in microbial diversity in preterm infants and term infants with different feeding methods. By the end of the presentation, the Learner will be able to effectively communicate with clients/patients regarding topic of gut microbiome when supplementing.