When you are looking for organic baby formulas, the last thing you want to hear is that anything has been added. While extra chemicals and synthetics would make us run for the hills, added probiotics and prebiotics are actually beneficial. Instead of just taking our word for it, let's go over a few of the facts to help clarify the benefits.

What Is The Microbiome?

The microbiome may sound like something out of a bad science fiction novel but it is actually good bacteria that live in the intestines. These healthy bacteria help to regulate weight and battle infections in the body. Infants have a very limited number of these bacteria considering they have spent much less time in the world than an adult. A small amount takes up residence during pregnancy, but the vast majority will develop as child ages.

The makeup of the microbiome is determined by the method of birth and the type of milk an infant drinks. The bacteria in a natural-born child will differ from that of one born via c-section. The bacteria in the gut of breastfed infants and bottle-fed infants also differ greatly.

Breast milk is perfectly formulated for an infant’s body and contains a high concentration of natural probiotics and prebiotics. Organic European baby formula adds these in to help the milk resemble mother’s milk as closely as possible.

Prebiotics and Probiotics – Are They Really Needed?

Probiotics are pretty common by this point, you can’t go a day without hearing about them or finding them nestled in your dairy products. These help to keep you regular and to maintain a healthy balance in the gut and prevent issues like constipation or gassiness. Prebiotics has a similar function and they also help generate food for the probiotics bacteria.

Both probiotics and prebiotics serve an essential role in maintaining gut health, which is incredibly important for infants. The prebiotics in breast milk helps infants to fight infections while enhancing the immune system. Infants who are unable to breastfeed or who need to supplement are able to get similar protections from organic European baby formula that have probiotics and prebiotics as an added ingredient.

Probiotics and Prebiotics in European Baby Formula

Most organic baby formula brands in the EU add probiotics and prebiotics because they know that creating a healthy microbiome is very important. The science of adding probiotics and prebiotics to the formula is imperfect because there is no way to exactly replicate mother’s milk, but they sure do come close.

Both probiotics and prebiotics are safe for infants and also occur naturally, so the formula remains fully organic. Lactose is one popular prebiotics that occurs naturally in breastmilk. Many organic baby formula brands in Europe add lactose to their products due to its numerous benefits.

Mommy Formula Final Thoughts...

As a new parent, you want to do everything possible to make sure your child has the best chance of growing up healthy and strong. We offer a large selection of organic baby formulas from Europe that have added probiotics and prebiotics. We also have standard organic baby formulas from Europe that don’t have them included for infants with sensitive stomachs.