An exciting new international study has found evidence that breastfeeding can contribute to an infants respiratory health as well as their microbiome creation.

The study, published in Cell and co-led by Dr. Meghan Azad, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, alongside Dr. Liat Shenhav, Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, found that breastfeeding longer than three months supports the gradual maturing of the microbiome in the infant’s digestive system and nasal cavity. The study utilized data from over two-thousand children enrolled in the CHILD Cohort Study, examining the intricate dynamics between nasal and gut microbiomes.

One of the fascinating findings of this research is that human milk appears to serve as a “pacemaker” for microbial development, indirectly protecting infants against asthma by regulating nasal and gut microbiome formation during the first year of life. This finding underscores the importance of breastfeeding in establishing a healthy microbial environment, essential for immune system maturation.

“This research is exciting in two big ways. First, the approach is unique, interdisciplinary, and international – pulling together CHILD Cohort researchers and clinicians across Canada with microbiome experts and computational biologists at New York University.

Second, the results are important – revealing new aspects of the crucial relationship between breastfeeding and the microbiome. We show that breastfeeding regulates the timing and sequence of microbial colonization in baby’s gut and nose, and this “paced” development is key to respiratory health. So it’s not only about having the “right microbes” – they need to arrive at the right time, in the right order, and breastmilk makes this happen.”

Understanding how breastfeeding influences the infant microbiome is crucial for developing strategies to optimize infant health and prevent respiratory conditions from an early age. This study serves as a significant step toward unlocking the complexities of the infant microbiome and its impact on lifelong health.

Learn more about this publication by checking out Dr. Azad’s “Tweetorial”.