The initial contact experienced by children born by caesarean section is mainly with other people’s skin. They have to glean bacteria for their gut somehow, since their population will not develop from maternal microbes, like those of children born vaginally. They might end up with bacteria from Nurse Suzy’s right thumb, from the florist who sold Daddy that congratulatory bunch of flowers, or from Granddad’s dog. Suddenly, factors like the motivation of underpaid hospital cleaners become significant. Did they wipe down the telephones, tables, and bathroom taps with loving care, or a lack of
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