Giving probiotics to a baby, is it really useful?
Lactobacilli, bifidobacteria... probiotics, live bacteria present in the intestine, have beneficial effects on health. On the counters of pharmacies, it is found in the form of a dietary supplement, including versions for children and infants, or in the form of fortified infant milk. Are they really useful?
Breast milk, rich in probiotics and prebiotics
“If the baby is breastfed, breast milk is already rich in probiotics,” notes Dr. Fabienne Kochert, pediatrician and president of the AFPA (French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics). Breast milk is a liquid rich in bacteria including bifidobacteria. It also contains oligosaccharides, kinds of sugars that beneficial bacteria feed on. This gives it a prebiotic activity because it promotes the growth of bifidogenic flora in the intestine of breastfed infants.
A microbiota with protective effects
"The presence of bifidobacteria in the digestive tract protects the baby against digestive infections", explains the pediatrician. A study published in Nature Communications showed that the components of breast milk and its microbiota could protect against digestive infections, in particular rotavirus gastroenteritis. "For the breastfed baby, everything is already present in breast milk (probiotics and prebiotics)", concludes the specialist.
Baby bottle, prefer milk enriched with probiotics
Regurgitation, colic, gas, bloating, 30% of infants are bothered by various digestive disorders. Do bottle-fed babies who do not benefit from the rich composition of breast milk have an interest in taking probiotic cures? “In the event of digestive disorders in a bottle-fed baby, we can bet on milk enriched with probiotics and/or prebiotics”, explains the pediatrician. They contain, for example, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, or even Bifidobacterium infantis. "This can help babies who have mild digestive disorders such as colic, constipation, diarrhea", continues the pediatrician. These milks are not offered from maternity due to their specific formula. This is why it is advisable to find out about these different milks (see the site www.laits.fr).
Milk: watch out for change
“However, be careful not to enter the waltz of milk,” warns Dr. Fabienne Kochert. When baby cries a lot and is uncomfortable, parents go back and forth to the pharmacist to change milk. "I recommend making an appointment with your pediatrician to take stock. It's hard to decipher the baby's crying, the causes can be multiple; the answer is not just food," adds the pediatrician.
Cure of probiotics: in which cases?
In case of infant colic, is it useful to give a course of probiotics in the form of a food supplement? "I am not in favor of the principle of systematically giving medication to the baby as soon as he has a problem, even if it is a product that is a priori harmless like a probiotic", warns Dr. Fabienne Kochert . The priority, according to the pediatrician, is to reassure the parents and give them confidence. Faced with young parents, she often uses this analogy: "A baby eats a lot, between 150 and 200 ml of milk per kilo of weight, which for an adult represents around 8 liters per day. By swallowing such quantities, any adult would be bothered by gases, burps etc". This is why a few gestures are essential. "In case of digestive disorders, remember to put the baby in an upright position so that he can burp, reminds the pediatrician. It is also possible to do small belly massages."
Probiotic cures can be useful in very specific cases. In case of episodes of diarrhea for example to rebalance the intestinal flora undermined by gastroenteritis. This can also be interesting after repeated doses of antibiotics, for example in the case of repeated ear infections. A prolonged course of probiotics for 3 to 4 weeks restores the digestive flora. Are there other benefits to supplementing your baby? "Pre and probiotics certainly have other beneficial effects on health, but we still lack solid scientific studies to prove their effectiveness," recalls the pediatrician.
Read also :
⋙ Allergy, obesity: strengthening the infant's microbiota could prevent certain diseases
⋙ Baby growth spurt: what does this term used by breastfeeding mothers really mean?
⋙ Stimulating lactation with breastfeeding herbal teas, does it really work?
