India, Aug. 30 -- Gut wellness gets a lot of attention in health discourse because of its value and how well-connected it is with other bodily functions, be it cognitive functions through the gut-brain axis or the likelihood of falling sick via the gut-immune axis. In other words, good gut health is the foundation of overall health. And gut health's influence begins right after birth. With breast milk being the only source of nutrition for the baby in the first few months, it plays a big role in shaping the gut's microbiota, thereby laying the groundwork for long-term wellness too for the baby.

To better understand the vital role the breast milk plays for gut health for the baby, Dr Abhilipsa Acharya, consultant paediatric and neonatolog...