A simple, trusted guide to the Infant Microbiome from Walking Mums.
As mums, we all want to give our babies the best possible start — and one of the most powerful ways to do that starts deep inside their tiny tummies.
Your baby’s gut microbiome is the community of bacteria living in their digestive system, it plays a vital role in their development. It supports digestion, builds immunity, protects against illness, and even influences mood and brain function.
At Walking Mums, we know the internet can be overwhelming, there is just so much information… We are here to help distil it, through our community chats and events ✨
This was the reason for the special event we held in April 2025, information from which has been used to influence this mum-to-mum guide to understanding and supporting your baby’s gut health. It’s grounded in science but made simple, aimed at showing how small, positive steps can help set your child’s gut up for life.
👶 What Every Mum Should Know About the Infant Microbiome
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- 🤰 Babies inherit their first microbes from their mums — through birth, skin contact, and milk
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- 🍼 The milk your baby drinks feeds their microbiome, not just their body
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- 🤰 A mum’s microbiome naturally changes during pregnancy to help prepare baby, see footnote on what can be done to enhance it**
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- 🤧 An imbalanced gut microbiome has been linked to childhood issues like eczema, asthma, and food allergies
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- ⭐️ Antibiotics in early life can disrupt gut bacteria – but it can be supported and rebuilt 💪
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- 🧠 A healthy microbiome = stronger immunity, better digestion, reduced allergy risk, and even improved emotional wellbeing
Why might a Babies Microbiome be Disrupted?
💊 If Baby Has Antibiotics
- Antibiotics kill both the harmful and beneficial bacteria
- Repeated use in infancy can reduce gut diversity
- Always check with your health visitor or pharmacist first
✅ Probiotics can help restore balance and support immunity
✨ If Baby Was Born by C-section
Every baby’s birth story is unique and caesarean births are often the safest, most necessary option. Babies born by C-section may begin life with a different mix of gut bacteria, but there are many ways to build a strong, healthy microbiome from day one.
🌟 Helpful steps:
- 👩👶 Skin-to-skin contact in the hours and days after birth
- 🍼 Breastfeeding, even partially, feeds beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium
- 💧 Probiotic supplements
This is about building, not fixing and these are gentle, effective ways to support your baby’s long-term health.
What strains should I look for
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Bifidobacterium breve M-16V®
→ A well-researched probiotic strain often used in infant gut health and allergy prevention studies. -
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
→ One of the most widely studied strains for general gut health, immune support, and reducing risk of eczema in babies. -
Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001
→ Another strong strain with good evidence in pregnancy and early life, particularly around allergy prevention and immune support.
Most supplements will also feature a prebiotic to help feed the Probiotic Good Bacteria, a common one to see featured is
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS 0.5g)
→ A type of soluble fibre that supports the growth of healthy gut bacteria
🥣 What to Include When Weaning (And Why It Matters)
From 6 months onwards, weaning becomes a brilliant opportunity to nourish your baby’s gut flora — not just their appetite. Here are some tips on things to include to support the beneficial bacteria:
✅ Prebiotic foods (feed the good bacteria):
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- Bananas
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- Oats
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- Onions, garlic, leeks
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- Asparagus
✅ Fibre-rich foods (encourage diversity):
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- Lentils
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- Chickpeas
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- Wholegrains
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- Soft fruits & vegetables with skin
✅ Fermented foods (natural probiotics — from around 12 months):
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- Plain live yoghurt
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- Baby-friendly kefir
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- Tiny amounts of miso or sauerkraut (low salt)
🍽️ Mix it up – even one spoonful of something new helps
🧃 Try to limit ultra-processed snacks, which don’t support gut health
👩👧 Probiotics for Babies, Mums & Older Children
Gut health matters at every age — especially after antibiotics, stress, travel, or periods of tummy upset.
❓ Should We Use Probiotics All the Time?
Not necessarily and not everyone needs them daily.
Probiotics are most useful when the gut microbiome is under pressure or out of balance. That includes times like:
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After antibiotics (for you or baby)
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If baby was born by C-section
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If your child has eczema, allergies or tummy troubles
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During illness or high stress
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When weaning to support gut diversity
✨ In these moments, probiotics can help rebalance the gut and support immunity.
Take for 2-4 weeks, some sources suggest up to 8 weeks but this may just lead to expensive wee 😊 There should be no side effects from taking them for longer than you need but your body is likely to just excrete them with no benefit – so waste of money.
For day-to-day life, you can often maintain a healthy gut just through:
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A varied, fibre-rich diet
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Prebiotic foods (like bananas, oats and onions)
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Playing outside, getting messy, and building natural exposure
💛 If you’re unsure, a short course of probiotics can be a gentle way to support gut health, many brands offer age-specific options for babies, children and adults making it easy to identify the right ones.
Always check with your health visitor or pharmacist if you’re not sure what’s right.
In Summary
The infant microbiome plays a powerful role in your child’s early development and long-term wellbeing. The great news? You don’t need to do anything extreme to support it.
✔ Breastfeed if you can
✔ Add prebiotic and fibre-rich foods during weaning
✔ Use probiotics when appropriate
✔ Keep it simple — every little helps
🧡 Can I do anything during Pregnancy?
Your own microbiome changes during pregnancy, supporting baby’s development from the inside out. You don’t need to worry about this — just focus on nourishing yourself when you can.
💛 Helpful gut-supporting foods include:
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- Fibre-rich wholegrains, veg and lentils
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- Prebiotics like bananas, garlic and leeks
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- Fermented foods like live yoghurt or kefir
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- Drinking plenty of water
There’s no pressure. Just small, manageable choices that benefit you and baby when they fit your day.
Thank you to all the Mums who have taken part in this conversation, asked the questions and shared their beautiful images to contribute.
📣 Join Us & Continue the Conversation!
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If this sounds like something you’d love to be part of check out our Walking Mums meetups page 🔗 here to find in person meet ups in the North West, UK and find a meet up near you.
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