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We know that having a good balance of healthy microbes in your gut can have significant health benefits for you and your baby, but how do you get more of the ‘good stuff?’. One way is probiotics, which are essentially good bacteria that are introduced to your gut by eating them. There are lots of foods which naturally contain probiotics, such as yoghurt and fermented vegetables like kimchi. There are also probiotic supplements which are readily available and contain a variety of different bacteria, depending on which one you choose. 

Prebiotics are the food (fibre) that feeds the microbes in the gut and is found in vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and legumes (like beans and peas). Kind of like ‘fertiliser’ for the good bacteria. Most people don’t eat enough fibre so by simply increasing the amount of prebiotic fibre in your diet you can give your good bugs a boost.

So it makes sense that if your gut isn’t in optimal balance, you might benefit from introducing – and feeding – extra beneficial bacteria. Research suggests that good gut health during pregnancy is beneficial and that the gut health of your newborn is thought to at least in part come from your own microbiome. As always, speak with your health professional to work out what is best for your situation. 

• Read an article which looks at the research around probiotics during pregnancy
• Read a research report which references over 100 studies on probiotics during pregnancy
• Watch a video explaining what pre and probiotics are