#165 Why do we bother breast feeding? Is breast milk as good as we believe it to be? Dawn Whitten is a clinician, educator and researcher. She is passionate about protecting and nurturing the microbiome of the next generation and has a broad-base of clinical experience with a focus on women’s health through pregnancy and beyond, and infant and toddler health. She has worked with Dr Jason Hawrelak in clinical practice and research collaboration for the last 15+ years.

Dawn has a particular passion for improving practitioner knowledge in the area of lactation, maternal and infant health. She frequently presents at both National and International Conferences and Online Events.

In this episode we cover

• How Dawn found herself working with women in the area of lactation
• What is the breast milk / breast milk microbiome comprised of
• What the role of breastmilk, the breast milk microbiome is and why on earth has Dawn coined it the “Ultimate Gardener”...So appropriate mind you
• Why the Bifidobacterium species is predominant in breastfed infants
• How bacteria gets into breast milk? How it become so diverse
• How the breast milk microbiome differs from the gut microbiome
• What would a mum like to consider before she decides to give a newborn a probiotic? Is it necessary?
• What is a big myth or misconception when it comes to breast milk and breastfeeding
• What are the biggest challenges to breastfeeding and what we can do about it
• So much more