The Microbiome Effect: How your baby's birth affects their future health

by Toni Harman, Alex Wakeford

At least two amazing events happen during childbirth. There's the obvious main event, which is the emergence of a new human into the world. But then there's the non-human event that is taking place simultaneously, a crucial event that is not visible to the naked eye, an event that could determine the lifelong health of the baby. This is the seeding of the baby's microbiome, the community of ‘good’ bacteria that we carry with us throughout our lives. The seeding of the microbiome, along with other processes including breastfeeding, kickstarts the baby's immune system and helps to protect the infant from disease for its entire lifetime. However, with interventions like use of synthetic oxytocin, antibiotics, C-section and formula feeding, this could be interfering with, or bypassing completely, the microbial transfer from the mother to baby. Emerging research shows that bacteria are absolutely vital for human health, and science has linked an imbalance in the human microbiome with multiple chronic non-transmissible diseases.

Drawing on the extensive research they carried out for their documentary film Microbirth, authors Toni Harman and Alex Wakeford reveal a fascinating new view of birth, and how microscopic happenings can have lifelong consequences, both for ourselves, our children – and our species as a whole.

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2016

Reviews

[Jo-Ann Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be a must read for every pregnant woman before she makes her birth plan.

Microbiomes are an emerging research area. They are present at birth and change through life. There is a significant difference between the microbiomes present in a child who had a natural birth and one who has undergone medical intervention and C-section. Those microbiomes, besides affecting digestive issues may also play a part in gene activation and the development of chronic illnesses and conditions.

Because this is an emerging area, many more studies need to be done but there are many fascinating speculations here that can form a basis for those studies.

This little book is written in a very clear understandable manner and can be finished quickly. It piqued my interest and I will be looking for more information on the subject as it develops.

[Nicitoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein sehr guter Einblick in die Rolle des Mikrobioms. Es wird klar dargestellt, wie eine natürliche Geburt dies positvien Effekte verstärkt und nicht vererbbare krankheiten senken kann.
Besonders der langfristige Effekt von geplanten Sectios, nicht stillen und fehlendem Hautkontakt auf die Entwicklung und das Stärken des Immsunsystems und die epigenetischen Effekte sind gut dargestellt. Persönlich würde ich mir hier noch viel mehr Forschung wünschen, besonder im Thema der Epigenetik, dann sind die hier genannten Effekte auch besser nachzuweisen und nicht nur Hypothesen.
Wenn man generell schon etwas Ahnung hat, wiederholt das Buch zu oft das schon geschrieben, aber die Zusammenfassungen sind praktisch zum nochmal nachlesen

[Anna Biloshytska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Природа не просто так все задумала.

Спосіб народження та вигодовування немовля однозначно мають вплив на здоров'я нашого суспільства.

Свідомий підхід, дії лише за показами та використання допоможіних заходів для компенсації можливих небажаних ефектів від кесарського розтину чи штучного вигодовування можуть покращити ситуацію в цілому.