Milk is Not Just Nutrition: Microbiome Intelligence and the Antenatal Advantage

Time-frame: 90-180 min
CERP: yes
E-CERP:

Emerging research is reshaping how we understand human milk, not simply as nutrition, but as a dynamic, biologically active system deeply influenced by the maternal/parental microbiome, hormonal environment, and perinatal experiences. The milk microbiome, along with key bioactive components such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), immune factors, and microbial metabolites, plays a critical role in early infant immune programming, gut colonization, and long-term health outcomes.

This session will explore the latest updates on the maternal–infant microbiome axis and its relationship to human milk composition, including how parental factors, such as stress, metabolic health, mode of birth, and antibiotic exposure, may influence milk biology. Participants will examine the physiologic transition from pregnancy to lactation with a focus on the often-overlooked antenatal window.

Building on current evidence, this presentation will make a clear, practice-based case for antenatal education and early hand expression as proactive strategies to support early lactation success, optimize colostrum availability, and reduce supplementation risk in the immediate postpartum period. Attendees will leave with practical, evidence-informed approaches they can integrate into prenatal care and lactation support to improve outcomes for both parent and infant.

 

Learning Objectives 

  • Describe at least three key components of human milk influenced by the maternal microbiome (e.g., milk microbiota, HMOs, immune factors) and explain their role in infant gut and immune development.
  • Identify at least 2 ways maternal and perinatal factors (including metabolic health, stress, antibiotic exposure, and mode of birth) impact milk composition and early microbiome establishment.
  • Apply at least one evidence-informed antenatal strategies, including hand expression education, to support early lactation success and reduce the need for supplementation in the immediate postpartum period.


Laurel Wilson IBCLC, RLC, BSc, INHC, CLSP


Country: US
Phone number: 720-515-BABY (2229)
Email: hello@laurelawilson.com
Site: http://www.laurelawilson.com
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Publications

The Greatest Pregnancy Ever: Keys to the MotherBaby Bond

“The Greatest Pregnancy Ever is a treasure. It should be the very first thing a pregnant woman reads in fact, every woman who intends to have a baby will be thrilled with the empowering message here.” ~Christiane Northrup, M.D., ob/gyn physician and author of the New York Times bestsellers: Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Once in a great while a book comes along that impacts the lives of families forever. You will never view pregnancy and motherhood the same way again. Has anyone ever told you that you can get to know your baby and bond with her before she is even born? Are you looking for ways to address the physical challenges in pregnancy that don’t require prescriptions? Are you aware that starting in pregnancy you can help your baby develop positive relationships with the important people in your life? Do you know that your baby’s personality is shaped by your emotions, stress levels, and environment during pregnancy? Finally, here is a book written by real pregnancy experts that provides keys to unlocking the secrets of having the greatest pregnancy ever! Offering insights and tips for addressing fears and anxieties, managing stress, and increasing comfort during pregnancy, this book offers way of life that will transform you, your baby, and ultimately the world you live in. This book offers real-life solutions to the emotional and physical issues pregnant women face. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever shares little known facts that can change the entire experience of pregnancy and parenting for families. For example: Unmanaged stress in pregnancy can lead to a baby who cries more, sleeps less, and is anxious. A mother’s thoughts and feelings create chemical signals that literally form her baby s brain and develop into emotional intelligence. Only during pregnancy and the first few years of a child’s life can parents truly influence who their child will become, both emotionally and physically. All moms want to do whatever they can to positively impact the development of their child. They want to have the greatest pregnancy ever, and luckily it is possible with the information and practices in this book. The book is organized into four parts: B.O.N.D. – Keys to Bonding B-Be-ing O-Observing N-Nourishing D-Deciding The keys relate to the concept of being able to B.O.N.D. This connection is imperative to the baby, the mother, and the partner for overall health and wellness. Many parents find with their busy, overscheduled, and stressful lives that seeking connection is just one more item on their to-do list. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever solves this dilemma by providing very simple tools, techniques, and tips for parents to use. They not only make connection possible, but ease stress and improve parents daily lives and their relationships. Start today by embracing motherhood in an entirely new way start by having the greatest pregnancy ever!

The Attachment Pregnancy: The Ultimate Guide to Bonding With Your Baby

Studies have shown that parents have more influence over their child, both emotionally and physically, during pregnancy and the first years after birth than at any other point in life. With The Attachment Pregnancy, you will learn how to use this important time to form a deeper connection and introduce your child to a loving environment–even before birth. Childbirth experts Tracy Wilson Peters and Laurel Wilson guide you through each stage of development with advice for providing consistent and nurturing care as your baby grows, so that you can ensure that every need is always met.
From the moment your child is conceived to the day of delivery, The Attachment Pregnancy shows you how to strengthen your bond and give your baby the best life possible from the very beginning.

Round the Circle: Doulas Share Their Experiences

Are you a doula, a professional who supports women and their partners during the childbearing year? Do you feel called to become a doula because of your passion for women, birth, and babies? In Round the Circle, Julie Brill gathers the wisdom of 23 established doulas, who generously share what they’ve learned to create a doula mentorship in book format. Contributors include Laurel Wilson and Tracy Wilson Peters, authors of The Attachment Pregnancy, Rivka Cymbalist, author of The Birth Conspiracy, and Amy Wright Glenn, author of Birth, Breath, and Death. Learn more about addressing fears; encouraging the motherbaby bond; supporting religious and spiritual practices; working with LGBTQ families, teen mothers, surrogates, immigrants, incarcerated moms, friends and family; the doula’s role in planned and unexpected homebirths and cesarean births; supporting families after the birth; building and marketing your business; and doula self-care. This anthology will prove interesting and helpful reading for anyone considering becoming a doula, and for those already practicing. “I am so grateful for this circle of wise women’s voices, there to give us the support we deeply need as we support other women. This is the book all doulas should have-right after learning the fundamentals of labor and delivery, and upon bravely entering today’s dramatically changing landscape of birth.”