Breastfeeding and Gut Health

The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of early nutrition on gut health in children. A prospective cohort of newborns will be recruited at birth and followed up to 4 years of age. Information on parent's nutritional habits and life style, breastfeeding duration and child's complementary feeding, will be collected. Cord blood cells and stools will be collected at birth, 6 months, 2 years and 4 years of age for implementing a biological collection. Gut health will be evaluated in children during the first four years of life based on fecal secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and presence of digestive symptoms. Precise data on breastfeeding practices and their short- and medium-term effects on the health of the child, in particular and in an innovative way on gut health, will be obtained.