Another breastfeeding benefit: Preparing baby's belly for solid food

The moment of birth marks the beginning of a beautiful, lifelong relationship between a baby and the billions of microbes that will soon colonize his or her gastrointestinal tract.

In a study published today in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, researchers from the UNC School of Medicine and UNC College of Arts and Sciences found that a baby's diet during the first few months of life has a profound influence on the composition, diversity, and stability of the gut microbiome. These factors, in turn, influence the baby's ability to transition from milk to solid foods and may have long-term health effects.