Breast Milk Promotes Healthy Gut Bacteria in Babies, Study Says – NYTimes.com.

Infants may fail to develop a healthy mixture of intestinal bacteria if they are delivered by Caesarean section or do not drink breast milk, researchers are reporting.

Previous studies have linked the presence of certain gut microbes to healthy digestion, bowel regulation and stimulation of the immune system. When those microbes are missing or disrupted, people are more likely to suffer ailments like inflammatory bowel disease, asthma,cancer and allergies.