Probiotic supplementation is a requirement for anyone who was not vaginally birthed, not breast fed for 18-24 months, who has consumed sugar and/or grains or who has taken an antibiotic. All of these things result in the reduction of normal intestinal bacteria.
Often we understand that as adults we’ve lived a life that has led to the need for probiotic supplementation, but things get fuzzy for kids.
Ideally, a mother will have taken a probiotic supplement prior to becoming pregnant and during pregnancy. This is going to help her not just achieve a healthier pregnancy, but will establish a healthy vaginal flora that will serve as baby’s first dose of probiotics as he exits the birth canal.
Following birth, baby should be breastfed by a mother who continues probiotic supplementation and this should be sufficient to meet the baby’s needs.
Vaginal birth and breast milk are the foundation for establishing a healthy gut microbiome.
For infants who are formula fed, a powdered probiotic can be added to the formula. Special effort should be made to use an organic, non-soy and high fructose corn syrup containing formula. Innate Choice Probiotic Sufficiency is a capsule that can be opened to reveal a powder that can be added to formula. Or the probiotic can be placed on a parent’s finger and baby can be allowed to suck on the finger.
Once the baby begins to eat foods other than breastmilk, a probiotic can be added. Simply open the capsule and stir the powder into the baby food. For older kids, I’ll mix the probiotic in something like apple sauce or a drink. The capsule are easy to swallow, my 6 year old has no problems swallowing and sometimes my 2 year old can manage – if she doesn’t try to chew it first!
Innate Choice recommends 1/2 capsule per 40 pounds, so open the capsule and adding part for the child and take the rest yourself.
I recommend Innate Choice because they have developed their probiotic with consideration to the various types of probiotic strains found in healthy human populations, therefore it contains 9 different strains. Their approach is not reactive, disease treatment, but what is necessary to create and maintain health. It’s made free of milk, soy, and wheat, as our genome and need for probiotic was developed prior to the human ability to consume any of these products. The company is also mindful of its shipping of probiotics to minimize degradation to ensure you get the 15 billion bacteria promised in each pill.
You can visit the FAQ section on InnateChoice.com to get more information of these top of the line products. (Keep in mind the Barto Family Chiropractic practice members receive at 15% discount on products sold in our office!)
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