Most mornings, while Katie is eating breakfast, I sip my coffee and take a few supplements and vitamins, before eating my own breakfast. During cold and flu season, I try to make a more conscious effort to remember my vitamins as I swear it helps keep me healthy, or is a darn good placebo.  The combination of a prenatal vitamin, fiber supplement and a probiotic helps me have the energy I need to keep up with Katie, work and the demands of life. While my vitamin habit started 30 years ago or so, when I chewed a Flintstones vitamin daily, I only added a probiotic to my regimen earlier this year. After a tough cold and flu season last year, due in part to my travel schedule and the germs that Katie brings home each day, I saw my doctor way too often. A few weeks ago, when I visited her for my annual checkup, she recommended a few changes, including the probiotic, to help me stay healthier this year – especially with an upcoming trip to China.

 

Even though I’ve become familiar with probiotics over the past few months, until last week’s Mom’s Night Out event,  I had no idea that there are probiotics specially designed for babies and toddlers. It makes sense that similar to her mom, Katie’s immune and digestive systems can benefit from probiotics.  Based on your feedback after last week’s Instagram story, it turns out that many of you not only know about child probiotics, but also swear by them as a way to help your children stay health. Am I the only one who has been living under a rock? Did you know about child probiotics?  

Similar to other aisles in our local drugstore, I find the healthcare aisle, especially the child health aisle, to be confusing and overwhelming.  It’s hard to tell the difference between products and understand what is homeopathic, appropriate dosing and age recommendations. Luckily, since Culturelle® Baby Probiotics is the #1 pediatrican recommended brand, it is easy to navigate. They offer a comprehensive line of probiotic products designed to help build a strong foundation for your baby’s healthy growth and development, regardless their age. During last week’s event I had the chance to learn a great deal about their baby items, which are designed specifically for children 0-24 months old.

• Culturelle Baby Calm + Comfort Probiotic + Chamomile Drops is designed for babies ages 0-12 months and helps reduce fussiness and crying due to upset digestive tracts.   The probiotic, LactobacilliusGG, restores the natural balance of good bacteria in babies digestive tract.  I love that the probiotic can be dispensed directly into a bottle of formula or breastmilk, in case you have a hard time getting your baby to swallow medicine.  If your baby has a lot of fussiness during these early months, make sure to talk to your pediatrician. When Katie was young, we had to burp a number of times and use Dr. Brown bottles to help with her stomach issues.
• Culturelle Baby Grow + Thrive Probiotics + Vitamin D Drops is designed for both babies 0-12 months and toddlers 12-24 months. After talking with our pediatrician on Monday, during Katie’s flu shot visit, this is the probiotic that we’ve started giving her.  The packets help support digestion and nutrient absorption as she enjoys new foods and helps keeps her immune system strong as she interacts with children at the playground and around the neighborhood on a daily basis. If you’ve ever watched toddlers play together, you know that they spread SO many germs! Heck, just today I tried to explain to Katie why she can’t use another child’s pacifier when she sees it in their stroller! Luckily, the packet is easily mixed in her daily yogurt or milk, which makes it easy to give her without any extra fuss.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Culturelle but, as always, all opinions are my own. Please make sure to consult your pediatrician or doctor before making any supplement changes. 

 

† Based on a 2016 survey among pediatricians recommending a kids probiotic brand

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease