Our newborn bubble is coming to an end, and I’m excited to be back and sharing new content with you all! But before we jump back into nutrition, wellness, and all things Nourished Mama, I wanted to share a little update on how we’ve been doing.
I assumed that having an August baby meant we’d escape much of cold and flu season while Owen was still a newborn. Unfortunately, that hasn’t quite been the case, and we’ve had a bit of a tough go with illness over the past couple of months.
Newborns have immature immune systems, which means even a seemingly minor virus can become more serious, and a fever in a baby this young has to be taken seriously. When Owen was about a month old, we all came down with a pretty nasty cold. He initially seemed to escape it (which I optimistically chalked up to the magic of breast milk!), but about a week later, he developed a fever that landed us in the ER. He had to unfortunately get a lumbar puncture to rule out bacterial meningitis, followed by an overnight hospital stay and one round of IV antibiotics.
Thankfully, he is absolutely fine and healthy, and we’re incredibly grateful for that.
Just as we were catching our breath, Elio came down with another pretty nasty cold a couple of weeks later. Both boys ended up with ear infections and needed antibiotics.
Meanwhile, I’ve needed four courses of antibiotics myself since giving birth, following mastitis and some unusual infections that popped up from lack of sleep and a suppressed immune system. It’s been a lot to navigate!
I’m sharing all of this for two reasons. First, because I want you to know that when I say I understand the challenges of motherhood, I mean it. The past 10 weeks have been wonderful; we are so in love with our family of four, and I would do it a million times over. They’ve also been exhausting, stressful, and full of challenges I wasn’t entirely prepared for.
Second, all of this has made gut health and immune function an even bigger focus for our family, and a topic I plan on talking more about here.
After so many rounds of antibiotics in such a short period, I’ve been thinking a lot about the gut microbiome and how we can support it. While antibiotics are sometimes necessary and can be truly life-saving, they also affect the beneficial bacteria that live in our digestive tracts. Thankfully, our gut microbiomes are resilient. Which I think is important to remember, because sometimes the conversations about gut health can make us feel like we’ve permanently damaged our bodies if we take antibiotics. So here’s how I’m supporting my own body and my kids.
For my boys: For Elio, I’ve been trying to offer plenty of fiber-rich foods, which has been mostly fruit since that’s what he loves. Fiber is really important for nourishing beneficial gut microbes. I’m also giving both boys probiotic drops.
For Owen, I’m continuing to breastfeed. Breast milk contains human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), special carbohydrates that help nourish beneficial gut bacteria, along with other components that support development and immunity.
For me: I’m really prioritizing a high-fiber and diverse diet. I’m also taking a probiotic, which I’ll continue taking for a few months, and eating a tablespoon of sauerkraut daily. I’m also taking turkey tail for help with both gut health and immune function. I was the only one who didn’t get this last virus, so I do think it’s helping!
Overall, these first 10 weeks as a family of four have been some of the most beautiful and challenging of my life so far.
As I get back to work, I’m excited to share more about gut health and the immune system, as these are particularly relevant for where I’m at. I hope it’s helpful for you too, especially as we head into winter!
If there’s anything else you are interested in learning more about, please let me know in the comments below.
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