From conception to pregnancy, birth and the first couple of years (the first ‘1,000 days’), the trillions of bacteria, viruses, yeasts and fungi to which your baby is exposed, in and outside the womb, can contribute to health or illness.
Difficulty conceiving, miscarriage, premature birth, childhood ailments such as eczema and allergy can all be related to dysbiosis (typified by an imbalance in the microbial community). In fact, microbes have an important role in the programming and education of, for example, your baby’s immune system and metabolism. And while it’s hard to imagine, their journey into adulthood may also encounter such issues as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease as a consequence of their early life microbial exposure and programming. Mothers too may face complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
We see the first 1,000 days as a wonderful window of opportunity to give your baby the best start in life. By distilling mother-baby microbiome research that uncovers the pre-conditions to good health, we hope to inspire you to take action where you can, in consultation with your health practitioner. And where matters are out of your hands we share research with promising modes of address.
The emerging science is evolving at a rapid rate and we look forward to you dropping by for regular updates. Here’s to your health, your baby’s and that of future generations.
The significance of what we eat during pregnancyfor our babies Scientifically reviewed by Fathalla Ali, Bsc MSc, MPH and PHD student UNSW Current evidence based research indicates that what we eat during pregnancy has a significant
The development of a baby’s gut microbiome and immune system and the role of beneficial bacteria, Bifidobacteria Scientifically reviewed by Fathalla Ali, Bsc MSc, MPH and PHD student UNSW A 2020 study of 88 African American
Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis (AD) has been on the rise in industrialised countries over the last few decades, such that now 20% of babies will have Eczema by the time they reach six months.
It’s not just eye colour that gets passed onto your child, or blonde hair, genetic quirk or any other trait we ordinarily associate with heredity.
Eczema, also known as Atopic Dermatitis (AD) has been on the rise in industrialised countries over the last few decades, such that now 20% of babies will have Eczema by the time they reach six months.
At MothersBabies, we commission and fund research and studies into the exciting new frontier of health and medicine – the gut microbiome.
The MothersBabies Study will analyse the microbiomes of 2,000 women prior to pregnancy, at each trimester of pregnancy, at time of delivery and for at least 1 year following birth. It will provide unique knowledge about each pregnancy and how the microbiome status impacts on various outcomes, e.g. normal, pre-eclampsia, diabetes, etc.
MothersBabies empowers mothers-to-be to transform their health and the health of their child through education and knowledge solutions that improve gut health.
2,000 mothers and their babies providing poo samples that will help Science understand the microbiome and how to improve the health of mothers and their babies! As Professor Emad El-Omar says, “We owe it to humanity to do this study.”
There are trillions of bugs (helpful microbes like good bacteria) inside us that convert what we eat. Your poo provides an insight into what is happening inside you and provides clues on how to improve your health. It’s called your microbiome. You’re going to be hearing that word a lot from now on because gut health will be one of the most important issues facing us this century.
While we always will encourage you to do your research (which is what is exactly what brought you MothersBabies), we also invite you to contact any of the brilliant practitioners and experts we have listed here. We are blessed to be able to call these experts in their field part of the MothersBabies mission to empower your pregnancy adventure, and are pleased to introduce them to you:
Our practitioner partners share their experiences and insights through a collection of videos, e-books and guides to help your empower yourself with knowledge.
We’d love to introduce you to some of the outstanding people, experts in their respective fields, who we are proud and fortunate to have as part of the MothersBabies mission.
Our experts share with us their stories, both professionally and personally, that have led them to become champions of gut health and how it can radically change the health outcomes for mothers and their babies.
These wonderful women share their stories and inspire us with their courage, resolve and drive to find answers that radically improve their health during pregnancy, at birth and post pregnancy for them and their babies.
Through empowering themselves with knowledge that is emerging from gut-health science research these are gutsy women making gutsy babies.
As a little girl I had a whole battery of tests to work out why I was suffering so badly with eczema, asthma and gut related issues. The results came back showing I had a severe intolerance to cow’s milk protein.
My husband and I had always known we wanted to start a family one day. The majority of my life I had taken conceiving and having children for granted.
Bringing a new life into the world is an awesome and exciting responsibility. To support your health goals for you and your baby, here are five common sense tips on what to think about before getting pregnant.
It’s your body, your life and your pregnancy. You choose the right time to fall pregnant. Visit Family Planning NSW and download ‘Contraception options’ at www.fpnsw.org.au
Download this great fact sheet:
Other useful information from womenshealth.org can be accessed here.
Pregnancy, babies and children cost money. There are lots of interesting links and reports on this site:
www.wire.org.au/category/topics/money
There are 5 tips on this site:
www.bhg.com.au/finance-tips-for-women
There is useful information on this site:
Fertility cannot be taken for granted. You can get your fertility tested, have your fertility preserved and plan for your baby.
Visit this site for information on preparing: yourfertility.org.au
This is a very helpful site with a link to an app called “OvaGraph – Ovulation and Fertility Tracker”: tcoyf.com (Taking Charge of Your Fertility).
Listen to Professor Bill Ledger talking about fertility.
Fertility testing is available. The AMH Fertility test costs $80 and is not covered by medicare.
Here is some feedback on the AMH test from Mamamia (from 2011):
And be aware also of your recessive genes by taking a DNA test. Find out how
The approximate cost of a genetic test is $385-$400 and ir is not covered by medicare or private health insurance. visit genetics.edu.au for more
The greatest gift you can give your baby is a healthy immune system to prevent and fight disease. Your baby’s immune system comes from you, so be as healthy as you can be.
Visit: raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy and womesnhealth.org for more information.
