The Best Probiotic and Prebiotic Foods for Babies

By: Jessica D’Argenio Waller, MS, CNS, LDN

You’ve probably heard of probiotic foods and supplements for adults, but what about babies? Are probiotics safe for babies? Probiotics are live microorganisms (mainly bacteria and some yeasts) found in some foods that, when consumed in adequate amounts, can provide health benefits. For babies, probiotics can help establish a healthy gut microbiome, which is crucial for digestion, immune function and potentially even brain development. Alongside prebiotics, which is a type of fiber that serves as fuel for probiotics, incorporating probiotics into your baby’s diet can be a good way to support their healthy growth and development. But it’s tricky to know when a food source of probiotics will suffice or if your baby should take a probiotic supplement. After all, the development of a robust gut microbiome in your little one’s early months may bring big benefits as they get older. Here’s what to know.

The role of nutrition in a baby’s first year

In your baby’s first 12 months of life, they’ll go through many changes. By the end of the first year, your newly minted toddler will be so different from the tiny newborn you brought home from the hospital (swoon!). That’s in large part thanks to their nutrition, which helps fuel their healthy growth and development. Here’s a look at their nutrition needs in the first year, in broad strokes.

Birth to 6 months

From birth through 6 months of age, your infant will get all they need nutritionally from breast milk and/or formula, including broken-down proteins, fats necessary for brain development, and carbohydrates for energy, along with vitamins, and minerals for overall health and development.

6 to 8 months

Around 6 months, your baby enters a period of rapid growth and increasing activity levels, which in turn requires more nutrients than breast milk or formula alone can provide. Now’s when you’ll want to start introducing solid foods, while still offering breast milk or formula to cover most of their nutrient needs. This is an ideal time to start introducing probiotic foods and prebiotic foods into your baby’s diet, as fodder for their developing immune system.

8 to 12 months

During this stage, your baby’s nutritional needs continue to increase. Your bub will need more of everything: calories, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals to support their growth (and all that walking prep!).

Some prebiotic and probiotic foods for babies are good sources of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and various micronutrients, all helping to meet increased nutrient needs. Just ensure you’re introducing them in baby-safe forms, and one at a time over 2 to 3 days (as you would with any new food), to watch for any potential reaction.

What is the microbiome?

The microbiome refers to the community of trillions of bacteria, yeast and other microorganisms that live on and inside the human body, with the largest concentration found in the gut. It’s so huge that, in adults, the microbiome can weigh between 2 and 5 pounds! This massive ecosystem plays an important role in wide-ranging aspects of health—from forming vitamins to supporting digestion, fighting inflammation and warding off pathogens, like viruses.

Scientists long believed that babies in the womb had no microbiome—that their intestinal flora was only colonized during birth after passing through the birth canal and is further colonized while breastfeeding. But current research suggests that babies are in fact born with bacteria of their own, and a complex microbiome is transmitted from the mother to the baby during vaginal birth. For babies born via C-section, lots of skin-to-skin contact can further help with the colonization process, as can breastfeeding.

Your baby’s microbiome is their unique signature, and is impacted by a multitude of factors, such as their delivery method, how they’re fed (breast milk or formula), whether there are pets at home and where they live, just to name a few. But the microbiome can change over time, especially with the addition of beneficial bacteria found in probiotic foods.

How a baby’s microbiome changes after starting solids

As your little one starts consuming a variety of solid foods, their gut microbiome becomes more diverse, reflecting the broader range of fiber and nutrients they’re ingesting. Because breast milk and/or formula have been their sole source of calories for so long, the types of bacteria that thrive on these foods (like Bifidobacterium) may decrease, while those that break down complex carbohydrates and proteins (like Bacteroides and Firmicutes species) may now begin to increase—resulting in a noticeable shift in the dominant species. The microbiome evolves to better process the new nutrients from solid foods, developing enzymes to break down starches, fibers and proteins. This process continues until about age 3 when the infant microbiome begins to better resemble an adult microbiome.

The gut-immune system connection

You may have heard about how a diverse microbiome full of beneficial bacteria can contribute to the development and functioning of a strong immune system. There’s plenty of evidence to back this up: mountains of research show the gut microbiome and the immune system have a complex and interdependent relationship. Some research even shows that having a strong microbiome can prevent the development of common food allergies in kids.

Curious how the gut-immunity connection works? Here’s a general overview:

• Provides education: The gut microbiome helps “train” the immune system, teaching it to distinguish between harmful pathogens and beneficial or harmless substances.
• Serves as a barrier: Beneficial gut bacteria form a physical barrier against pathogens, stopping them from colonizing the gut or entering the bloodstream.
• Regulates inflammation: A balanced microbiome helps regulate inflammatory responses, preventing overreaction of the immune system.
• Produces antibodies and certain vitamins: Certain gut bacteria produce antibodies that fight infections, as well as essential nutrients like vitamin K and some B vitamins, which support overall health and immune function.

For babies transitioning to solid foods from breast milk, fostering a strong gut-immune system connection becomes even more vital, as once babies wean, they no longer have a direct source of maternal antibodies—and must rely on their immune system to fend off viruses and infections.

Additionally, solid foods can introduce new potential pathogens, which require a robust immune system to handle. All that is to say that supporting your baby’s microbiome through the introduction of solid foods once they’re ready (most experts recommend starting around the 6-month mark, once the digestive system is a little more developed); and including probiotic and prebiotic foods, can contribute to building a strong immune system for your little one.

Probiotics vs. prebiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics sound similar, but they have very different roles when it comes to digestion.

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria (and some yeasts) that help maintain balance in the gut microbiome, supporting digestive and immune health. Probiotics are typically found in fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, miso paste and sauerkraut, in addition to others—we’ll share more below.

Prebiotics are a type of fiber that humans can’t fully digest (resistant starch), which acts as food for probiotics and other beneficial gut bacteria, promoting their growth. Prebiotics are found in apples, onions, bananas, garlic, asparagus and oats, to name a few.

What are digestive enzymes?

You may have also heard the term digestive enzymes, and wondered how they differ from probiotics and if they’re safe for babies too. Enzymes are proteins that help break down food for digestion and nutrient absorption, such as amylase, which helps break down starches. They are naturally produced by the body but also found in some foods, such as pineapple and papaya. But there’s no legitimate evidence that eating these enzymes in food can help your digestion. The main difference between digestive enzymes and probiotics is that probiotics can’t actually break down and “digest” food in the way the enzymes produced by the body can.

However, all three components (probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes) contribute to building a healthy, diverse microbiome by supporting digestive processes and promoting beneficial bacterial growth.

Best food sources of probiotics for babies and toddlers

Looking to boost the probiotics in those tiny tummies? Start here, with natural sources of probiotics for babies and toddlers:

• Yogurt (plain, full-fat or dairy-free varieties)
• Kefir (full-fat, unsweetened and blended with fruit)
• Cottage cheese (full-fat)
• Aged cheeses (for older toddlers)
• Sauerkraut (finely chopped)
• Miso paste (in small amounts, used in cooking)
• Buttermilk (in cooking or baking)
• Kimchi (small amounts of low-sodium kimchi are best)
• Tempeh (cooked)
• Sourdough bread

Many of these foods have strong flavors and may take multiple introductions before your baby accepts them. Keep trying! Just add a small spoonful to their plate and try not to add any pressure.

Best food sources of prebiotics for babies and toddlers

All those burgeoning bacteria need something to eat! Fuel up with these natural sources of prebiotics for babies, all of which contain resistant starch, inulin or oligofructose to support the microbiome.

• Bananas (Try Little Bellies Organic Banana, Apple and Oats Puree Cubes)    
• Apples (Try Little Bellies Organic Apple, Strawberry and Oats Puree Cubes)
• Berries
• Onions (cooked)
• Garlic (in small amounts, used in cooking)
• Asparagus (cooked and pureed)
• Oats
• Legumes (well-cooked and mashed)
• Jerusalem artichokes (cooked and pureed)

Should I give my baby probiotic supplements?

In some cases, probiotic supplements may be warranted for use in your baby’s first year of life, but this decision is best made in concert with your child’s pediatrician. Some research shows that specific probiotic strains may help reduce, while other strains may help with constipation. Other research has shown that probiotics may be useful in preventing diarrhea after administering antibiotics. Probiotic supplements generally should not be used on babies born preterm, unless under a doctor’s supervision. Again, it’s best to ask your doctor about starting any new supplement for your little one.

Ask your doctor also before giving your infant any supplemental digestive enzymes. They may be useful if your child has a specific enzyme deficiency or nutrient deficiency, but in most cases, a varied diet rich in probiotic and prebiotic foods is sufficient and preferable for building a healthy microbiome in babies and toddlers.

Nurturing healthy and positive eating habits

With all the buzz around probiotics these days, it’s only natural to wonder if you should start giving your baby probiotics. But in most cases, your little love can get all the beneficial bacteria they need for a healthy microbiome from food, plus close contact with their caregivers and their environment. Start offering probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods around the time your little one starts solids, always offer a wide range of foods to expose your baby to lots of nutrients and plenty of beneficial bacteria. Doing so will support a robust and diverse microbiome—and a healthy immune system. Know also that a diverse diet not only supports their increased nutrient needs but can also broaden their palate—hopefully warding off picky eating in the future. Cheers!