Breastfeeding Method Strongly Affects Human Milk Microbiota: Differences Between Pumping and Direct Breastfeeding

The human breastmilk microbiota is a complex mixture of microorganisms that contributes to the infant gut microbiota and has an effect on the infant’s over all health. The result from a recent study showed that the composition and variation of the human milk microbiota is linked to the breastfeeding method used by mothers. Those under direct breastfeeding showed a microbiota enriched by the bacterial classes from the infant’s oral microbiota. On the other hand, those under indirect breastfeeding, via pump or manual expression, showed relative abundance of potential pathogenic bacteria that may be environmentally acquired. This study does not want to give any perception that pumped milk is harmful but rather wants to emphasize that this difference is important for to further understand certain clinical implications, guide infant nutrition recommendations and pave way for future researches.