As parents, we want to give our children the best things in life. We want our children to be strong and healthy. We want to protect our kids from anything that might hurt them, but no matter how hard we try, they will end up bumping into things and falling while playing. Moreover, with germs and viruses surrounding them everywhere, flu and colds are going to be an inevitable reality of life for them. It is, in some sense, a part of life when you are a kid.

Suffering from 8 to 10 colds or flu per year is considered normal for a child. We are all born with an untrained immune system. However, with the right care and habits, you can strengthen your child's immune system and support their natural growth. If you put some thought and effort into naturally boosting your child's immune system from an early age, it will help them fight diseases and infections effectively throughout their lives. Read on to find out how you can boost your baby’s immune system right from the start.

Top 10 ways to boost the immune system of your baby.

Here are 10 of the best ways to naturally boost your baby’s immune system:

• Breastfeeding– We understand that it is a very intimate and personal choice. In some cases, it is not even possible. But if you can and want to, then breastfeed your newborn for at least six months from the time of birth. It is a medically proven fact that breast milk carries antibodies that will strengthen and boost your child's immune system. These antibodies help to train the child's immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses.

There are many other health benefits associated with breastfeeding for children as well:

• It can lower the risk of your child developing asthma; it protects them from allergies.
• Newborns that are breastfed have a lower chance of developing other respiratory problems, ear infections, and diarrhea.
• Nursing also guards against urinary-tract infection and SIDS(sudden infant death syndrome).
• Studies show that antibodies of the breastfed babies respond better to vaccines as compared to formula-fed babies.
• Through breast milk, you pass your own immune factors as well as white blood cells to your baby. These protect them against diseases such as type 1 diabetes, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and spinal meningitis.
• Researchshows breastfeeding lowers the risk of obesity later in life.

Breastfeeding is one of the most potent ways that you can use for naturally strengthening the immune system of your child. It not only helps form a closer mother-child bond but according to a study, this interaction ensures that the baby gets the required nutrients. However, in today's busy world, breastfeeding is not possible all the time. In some situations, tools like milk extractors or breast milk pump machines, little milk bottles, and milk pouches can come in handy.

If you are a mother of a newborn and are looking to breastfeed your child, then there are some essentials that you should consider buying:

1. milk extractor:  a good breast milk pump machineis beneficial for extracting milk that you can feed later to your child. Most milk pumps today mimic the natural sucking behavior of the baby.

2. Milk bottles:You are also going to need a good breastmilk bottle to feed your child. They are the ultimate storage solution for breast milk that every mother must-have.

3. Milk pouches: You should also invest in breast milk pouches to store milk for later use. These milk bags can be used for freezing as well as warming up the milk. The temperature indicator on the bag lets you know the optimal temperature at which the milk should be fed. You can also pour it in little milk bottles to keep in your baby bag when going out.  You can find a good quality milk pouch for sale here.

4. When Travelling —If you are a working mom or travel a lot, a rechargeable electric milk pump machine and little milk bottles will come in handy during long work hours.

2- Maintain Good Hygiene – It is essential to maintain a high standard of hygiene in general, but it is even more crucial when you have a child. Good hygiene for the baby and his surroundings is vital for the natural development of a robust immune system. It ensures that your child gets limited exposure to bacteria and viruses, plus it also encourages the proper development of antibodies, which are essential for a healthy immune system. If you take adequate care of your child's hygiene and keep your house disinfected at all times, your child will grow up to have a naturally healthy immune system.

3- Get proper sleep and rest – This is another factor that has a significant impact on our bodies' immune system. When we sleep out, the body heals and optimizes all its systems, including the immune system. Most children don’t get proper sleep. It is your job to make sure that your baby gets the recommended hours of sleep every day. It is crucial for the natural development of their immune system. A child must get between 10-14 of night's sleep daily. There is another factor to consider here, the quality of the sleep. You have to make sure that once your child is asleep, he does not wake up because of any disturbances; this also has a major impact on the immune system.

4- The right supplements – There are certain minerals that a child's body requires for healthy growth and a robust immune system. You need to provide your child with the right supplements if you want them to have a healthy and strong immune system. Vitamin D and zinc are two of the most supplements that a baby needs for proper growth and a healthy immune system. The most convenient and natural way to get vitamin D is from the sun. So, make sure that your kid gets an ample amount of sunlight every day. You should also include foods that are rich in these vitamins and minerals. Fish is an excellent source of vital minerals that boost the immune system and keep diseases and infections at bay. Before you start to incorporate anything new into your child's diet, it is recommended to check in with your physician.

5- A well-balanced diet – Your baby's immune system can really suffer if it does not get the support of the right kind of foods. It is essential to monitor the intake of sugar and additives of your child. The best way to make sure that your child has a healthy and strong immune system is to make sure that they eat a well-balanced and healthy diet. A well balanced and healthy diet consists of foods that are probiotic and natural. Fruits and vegetables are key here. Make sure that your child eats their greens on a daily basis. Foods rich in Vitamin E and A help naturally boost immunity and give your child the proper support that they need to fight off bacteria and viruses.

6- Exercise – An active kid is a healthy kid. Please encourage your child to engage in exercise; by this, we mean movement. Try to take your kid out in the park as much as you can and play with them. Make playtime as physical as possible. When children start to engage in physically demanding tasks from an early age, it strengthens their immune system and promotes overall growth.

7- Do not overuse antibiotics – This is a significant factor you need to understand as a parent. The bodies of an adult react differently to medicine than a child. We all want to see our children healthy and disease-free but getting sick when you are young is natural and almost crucial for developing a strong and healthy immune system. So, it might be tempting to give your children medicine for even common colds and flu, but you will unintentionally hinder the natural growth of their immune systems. When we are small, our immune system does not have much experience of which bacteria and viruses will be attacking the body. When we get sick, our antibodies get a chance to interact with these bacteria and viruses. If we use antibiotics at this stage, the immune system stays inexperienced and does not develop at the rate that it needs to. This means that your child will be more vulnerable to getting sick when he grows up. Talk about this with your physician and think twice before giving your child any kind of medication.

8- Water – It is vital to keep children hydrated. Every system of our body requires water to function properly. The immune system is no different. Proper hydration ensures that your child’s immune system is adequately optimized at all times. It is an essential factor when it comes to naturally boosting the immunity of your child.

9- Essential oils – Several essential oils have been proven to boost children's immune systems naturally. Clove, eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary, cinnamon, and lavender are readily available essential oils that help kill bacteria and increase a child's immunity. They can be used in a variety of different ways, such if mixed with coconut oil, they can be used to create an organic sanitizer which users can use to disinfect your child's surroundings. If your child is suffering from a common cold or sore throat, essential oils can be used to treat that as well. Since they do not hinder the immune system, they are a great way to treat some common diseases. Essential oils can really help your child develop a healthy immune system.

10 – Probiotic foods – Your child's diet is the most important factor when it comes to developing a strong and healthy immune system. Probiotic foods such as miso soup, sauerkraut, soft cheeses, yogurt, and kefir are all examples of foods that can help your child develop a healthy microbiota, which is essential to the development of a good immune system.

Reference List:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586783/

https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/142/4/e20181092

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-real-link-between-breastfeeding-and-preventing-obesity-2018101614998

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150317195937.htm

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030123401.htm

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-probiotics

https://sunwarrior.com/blogs/health-hub/19-ways-naturally-prevent-cold-flu-season-kicking-butt

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13175/6-ways-to-boost-your-childs-immune-system.html

https://drwillcole.com/functional-medicine/8-ways-to-naturally-boost-your-childs-immune-system

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/want-boost-childs-immune-system-5-tips/

https://www.parents.com/health/cold-flu/cold/boost-childs-immunity/