So I'm reading Apple, "Mothers and Medicine a Social History of Infant Feeding 1890-1950," and if we are wondering why our microbiome diversity might be inter-generationally devastated, it might have to do with the obsession early hospitals had with preventing infectious disease.
In early 20th century hospitalized births, the mothers would wear facemasks in some hospitals, and in most the nurses would sterilize their nipples when they would nurse with 35% alcohol or some such solution.
Women so trusted medical authority at this point that they modeled their entire nursing experience on their hospital experience. Many of them would sterilize their nipples with boric acid or whatever they had at home before and after nursing.
This must have been utterly devastating to the microbiomes of my grandparents generation and if devastated during infancy I don't see why that wouldn't have impacted our generations.
Just finished the whole book from start to finish today! I feel accomplished :)
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