C-sections tied to child obesity

[renate]

15. I've read elsewhere that it's because vaginally delivered babies get a dose...

... of their mom's vaginal bacteria, which would closely resemble the gut bacteria. If obesity is a risk factor for a C-section, and if the research indicating that gut bacteria influence body weight is correct, it would make sense that the children of leaner women who give their kids a dose of their bacteria during labor would grow up to be leaner too.

Anecdotally, my son was delivered while I was on IV antibiotics because my doctor was way ahead of her time and routinely did a vaginal strep B culture while I was still pregnant. (I don't know whether it's routine now, but if not... soon after he was born I watched a TV program about babies who got a strep B infection during delivery, and I'll just say that although complications are very rare it's worth considering for pregnant women to ask their doctors about it.)

So my son didn't get any of my vaginal bacteria when he was born but he's as skinny as a rail, as is my daughter who was delivered vaginally without antibiotics. If the bacterial exposure hypothesis is true, the two of them are a good example of how anecdotes don't equal data.