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Breastfeeding Vs Bottle Feeding

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Introduction All over the world, soon-to-be mothers are asking themselves the same question: should I breast feed or bottle-feed my child? Opinions on the matter vary all around the world depending on things like one’s culture, values, and location. Mothers can be judged for choosing to do either. On one side, if a mother is seen breastfeeding in public, people might become very uncomfortable. However, if the infant is bottle-fed, they will be criticized for not feeding their baby “nature’s perfect food” (WebMD). There are several well-known pros and cons to both feeding methods but a large debate that people focus on involves the direct effects of the baby’s health. While some people remain skeptical, there is evidence that supports that …show more content…
In fact, Schwartz states that his research is one of the first to be done on this topic. A man named Paurush Praveen took great interest in his work and composed his own study— The Role of Breast-Feeding in Infant Immune System: a Systems Perspective on the Intestinal Microbiome. Understanding Praveen’s work initially is beneficial because he discusses the importance and the change in microbes of the infant gut. He states that over time, the infants’ microbiota becomes more variable and less stable (Praveen). In the first couple years of an infant’s life, their intestinal microbiome goes from being sterile (at the time they’re in the womb) to containing an immense amount of microbes—the same amount as an adult. Three factors that heavily influence the colonization process include feeding mode, probiotic treatment, and other environmental factors. Any uncommon colonization in the neonatal period can create detrimental affects, including an increase susceptibility to immunological and metabolic disease (Praveen). Therefore, this is a very critical period in which the host must develop the right kind of commensal microbiota to maintain a stable, homeostatic …show more content…
Generally, it was found that FF samples showed a lower gene expression in comparison to BF samples. Specifically, he found that the microbiome of BF infants is “significantly enriched in genes associated with virulence functionality” (Schwartz). There was a major correlation between the host’s “flora genes associated with bacterial pathogenicity and the expression of host genes associated with advanced immune and defense mechanisms” (Schwartz). In other words, a very strong multivariate relationship was found between BF host cells and immunity and defense genes. Eleven immunity and mucosal defense-related genes related to microbiome were identified (REL, NDST1, AOC3, VAV2, ALOX5, SP2, BPIL1, DUOX2, KLRF1, IL1A, and TACR1). In BF samples, there was a higher amount of genes related to gut motility (TACR1) and bacterial-mediated reactive oxygen species signaling epithelial homeostasis (DUOX2, VAV2, REL) (Schwartz). Therefore, in simple terms, BF samples contain genes that present the capability of putting up a defense when introduced with a pathogen. This is huge finding that is vital when comparing the health of infants between the two feeding modes. In general, Schwartz’s finding suggest that infants who are breastfed have a more advanced defense system that is capable of attacking dangerous pathogens. The difference in the host’s genes of the two different microbiomes

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