Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Microbiome
Chapter 2: The Human Microbiome
Chapter 3: Pregnancy
Q: Can my microbiome affect my ability to conceive or are bacteria related to infertility?
Q: Can my partner’s microbiome affect my fetus?
Q: Should I visit a dentist before getting pregnant?
Q: Are GMOs safe (or unsafe) to eat while pregnant?
Q: Can microbes explain my food cravings? Why pickles and ice cream at night?
Q: Are microbes involved in my gaining too much weight in pregnancy?
Q: Do microbes have a role in gestational diabetes?
Q: Does exercise influence my microbiome? Could it help with my pregnancy?
Q: Are microbes responsible for premature birth?
Q: Can anything else cross my placenta?
Q: Can the use of antibiotics during pregnancy affect my infant?
Q: Can I take antidepressants while I'm pregnant? Can I take them while I'm nursing?
Chapter 4: Birth
Q: Should I give birth at home or in the hospital?
Q: I had a C-section. I’ve heard that it may not be good for my baby. What’s going on?
Q: Does the vernix (white sticky stuff covering many newborns) have any effect on my baby?
Q: Is the microbiome linked to necrotizing enterocolitis?
Q: Does birth order affect the microbiome?
Q: Do boys and girls have different microbiomes based on the microbes they encounter at birth?
Q: Is there a difference in what microbes come from Mom or Dad?
Chapter 5: Breastfeeding
Q: Does it matter if I breastfeed?
Q: What makes breast milk so special?
Q: What if I can’t breastfeed?
Q: Is formula safe?
Q: Is milk from a wet nurse or milk bank safe?
Q: Do dietary supplements pass through breast milk?
Q: Do antibiotics pass through my breast milk? If so, how might this affect my baby’s microbiome?
Q: What causes colic? Are microbes to blame?
Chapter 6: Antibiotics
Q: Are antibiotics absolutely necessary if my baby was exposed to meconium?
Q: Can I refuse antibiotics when having a vaginal birth?
Q: Should my newborn get antibiotic eye drops?
Q: What exactly do antibiotics do to my gut and to my baby’s gut?
Q: Can antibiotics in first six months of a baby’s life lead to obesity?
Chapter 7: Probiotics
Q: What are probiotics good for?
Q: Which probiotic is best for my child?
Q: Should I give my child probiotics if he has diarrhea?
Q: If my child has taken an antibiotic, should they also take a probiotic?
Q: Can probiotic yogurt help cure diaper rash?
Q: What are prebiotics and what are they good for?
Chapter 8: Child Diet
Q: Can the germs on diapers hurt my baby?
Q: My baby's poop is a weird color. Is that related to changes in her microbiome or from her diet?
Q: Should I chew food before putting it in my baby's mouth?
Q: Should I give my child dietary supplements? Kid's chewable vitamins?
Q: What solid foods are best for babies under one-year-old?
Q: What role does the microbiome play in my child’s food allergies?
Q: Is it okay for my child to be a vegetarian? A vegan?
Q: What would a paleo diet look like for a kid? Would it be good for her microbiome?
Q: How can I make my kid eat foods that are good from a microbiome perspective? Can I trick my picky eater into actually liking those foods?
Q: How does sugar affect my child's microbiome?
Q: Can I control my child's weight by changing their microbiome?
Q: Do GMOs, pesticide and herbicide residues, artificial sweeteners, or endocrine disruptors like BPA affect my child’s microbiome?
Chapter 9: Child Gut
Q: What does my baby’s gut look like?
Q: How do gut microbes shape my child's immune system?
Q: Is the microbiome involved in my child’s diarrhea and constipation?
Q: How can I tell if my child has a leaky gut? Can I fix it?
Q: How do the microbiomes of babies and children differ around the world?
Chapter 10: Depression
Q: I felt depressed before and after my baby was born. Were microbes involved?
Q: I’m worried about getting peri- or post-natal depression, what can I do?
Q: If I’m depressed, can my baby’s microbiome be affected?
Q: Depression runs in my family. Can I ward off depression in my child by manipulating his microbiome?
Q: Is my child’s microbiome linked to their learning difficulty?
Chapter 11: Vaccines
Q: Are vaccines safe for infants?
Q: Is there a schedule for taking vaccines that will best protect my child, and should I consider their microbiome when choosing this?
Q: Should I give my child probiotics before or after vaccination?
Q: Should my child get a flu shot?
Chapter 12: Environment
Q: Shouldn’t I be afraid of germs?
Q: How can I help my child build up a healthy immune system and microbiome that resists disease? Is it different for resisting infectious vs. chronic diseases?
Q: Should I take my kids to a farm?
Q: Should I get a dog?
Q: How dangerous are hospitals? If my child need surgery, should I worry about hospital acquired infection? Are all hospitals crawling with superbugs?
Q: Is eating dirt really good for my kids?
Q: Am I keeping my house too clean? Too dirty? How often should I clean the bathroom?
Q: Should I make my toddler wash his hands frequently? How often?
Q: Should I use antibacterial soaps? Hand sanitizers?
Q: Can you provide a few guiding principles for how to choose baby products such as anti-fungal rash cream, antibiotic wipes and the like?
Q: Is it okay for my child to touch poop?
Q: When should I expose my infant to strangers?
Q: Is my child picking up bad microbes from friends at school? What about foreign students at our preschool?
Q: Do I bring home “bad” microbes from work?
Q: My toddler ate something off the floor. Should I worry? How long should I wait before taking it away from her?
Q: Should I sterilize my baby's pacifier? Should I lick it?
Q: I heard that the New York City subway carries microbes that cause plague and anthrax. Is it safe for me to take my child down into the subway?
Q: Should my child take communion?
Q: Should I wash dishes in the dishwasher or by hand? What’s best for microbial health?
Q: How often should I bathe my child? Baby? Infant?
Q: Should I let my child drink from a public water fountain? Should I give them tap water or bottled water?
Q: My child touched a snake. Do snakes carry dangerous bacteria?
Q: What does travel do to my child’s microbiome?
Q: I heard that Finnish and Swedish parents let their infants sleep outdoors. Does that improve microbial health? Should I open the windows?
Chapter 13: Conditions
Q: My child has a weird rash. Is the microbiome involved?
Q: Why are disease-causing bacteria found in my child’s throat (nose, etc) but he is not showing any signs of illness?
Q: I read somewhere that microbes can cause obesity. Is that true?
Q: I heard that my son’s asthma was caused by a lack of microbial exposure. Is this true? What can I do about it?
Q: How does the microbiome affect my child’s autism?
Q: Can the oral microbiome tell me if my child is at risk for cavities?
Q: How can I tell if my child is developing celiac disease or gluten intolerance? Is the microbiome involved?
Q: My child has diabetes. Is the microbiome involved?
Q: How can I best deal with constant ear infections? How can I break the cycle?
Q: Can doctors run tests in their offices to determine if an infection is bacterial or viral?
Q: What is a fecal matter transfer and might it help treat my child's medical issue?
Chapter 14: Tests
Q: Are there risks to having my child’s stool tested?
Q: Should I get my microbiome tested before I get pregnant?
Q: If I decide to get my child’s microbiome tested, how do I go about doing it?
Q: Is there any way for me to track changes in my child’s microbiome?
Q: How do I use the information?
Q: How do I know if our test results are reliable?
Conclusion: A few words on hype
