So many questions from all of you mamas about baby’s tummy, including, “Should I give my baby any supplements or a probiotic?” Today I’ve partnered with Evivo to answer that question, as well as let you know a little bit more about how baby’s gut health works! First and foremost, remember that human milk is perfectly tailored to the needs of human babies, and it changes as babies grow and their needs change. In addition to this, it’s packed with live disease-fighting cells and other important immune factors. It really is the perfect first food for babies. New research into the infant gut microbiome is giving us even more of a glimpse into why breastmilk is so important. 
What is an infant microbiome? The term microbiome here refers to the microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that live in and on your baby’s body. Some of the bacteria in our microbiomes are bad and cause disease and inflammation, and some of those bacteria are good, and an essential part of a healthy immune and digestive system. As it turns out, human milk feeds both the baby AND the good bacteria in baby’s gut microbiome. (1)
Would you believe that about 15% of mother’s milk is made up of an ingredient that babies can’t use? This ingredient is an amazing group of over 180 different specialized sugars, called Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs). The only organism that can utilize HMOs is an important kind of good bacteria that lives in the gut of babies, called B. infantis. HMOs help B. infantis to flourish and crowd out the bad bacteria that have been linked to a higher risk for conditions like colic, eczema, asthma, allergies, obesity, and diabetes. (2)
In the past, babies received B. infantis from their mothers during birth. However, there have been some shifts in the developed world during the past few generations that have led to a significant change in babies’ microbiomes. Cesarean sections, formula feeding, and antibiotic use have been important medical developments for many families, but they have contributed to a disruption in the transfer of important good bacteria, including B. infantis. 
That’s why I’m so excited about Evivo. It’s the first and only clinically proven probiotic to help restore gut balance to the infant microbiome, and it’s designed specifically for breastfeeding babies. In a clinical trial led by the University of California, Davis Medical Center, babies that were given Evivo showed an 80% reduction in potentially harmful bacteria such as E.coli, Clostridia, Staph, and Strep and a 79% increase in good gut bacteria. (3) A reduction in the bad bacteria can help lower your baby’s risk of allergies, eczema, childhood obesity, and even decrease fussiness. In combination with your breastmilk, Evivo can help lay the foundation for good health that lasts a lifetime. 
Using Evivo is as simple as 1-2-3. Once a day, simply take one sachet out of the fridge or freezer and pour into the included mixing bowl. Add a teaspoon of expressed breastmilk and mix with a spoon. Feed the mixture to your baby using the included syringe. (Don’t add to a bottle).
It’s simple: Pour. Mix. Feed.
Click here to get your baby started with Evivo. Use these promo codes for an exclusive offer for Lactation Link readers.
HCP310 – $10 off starter kit (4 weeks or more)
HCP320 – $20 off starter kit (8 weeks or more)
Both codes are limited to the first 500 redemptions!
You can order and check out more FAQ about Evivo here.
Thanks for coming by today!
Lindsey Shipley, RN, IBCLC
This post was written in partnership with Evivo. All opinions are my own.
[1] Smilowitz JT, Lebrilla CB, Mills DA et al. Breast milk oligosaccharides: structure-function relationships in the neonate. Annu Rev Nutr. 2014;34:143-169.
[2] Fujimura KE, Sitarik AR, Havstad S et al. Neonatal gut microbiota associates with childhood multisensitized atopy and T cell differentiation. Nat Med. 2016;22(10):1187-1191.
[3] Smilowitz JT, Moya J, Breck MA et al. Safety and tolerability of Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis EVC001 supplementation in healthy term breastfed infants: a phase I clinical trial.BMC pediatrics 2017 17:133.