Birth, Breastfeeding, and the Truth About Baby Food | Dr Federica Amati

This is part two of my conversation with Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE and author of the Sunday Times bestseller Every Body Should Know This. In part one we covered preconception, fertility, and pregnancy nutrition. Here we follow the first 1,000 days through to the end: birth, breastfeeding, weaning, and the environmental exposures behind all of it. Much of this territory has become a source of guilt rather than clarity. Federica's framing is the one I keep returning to: this window is critical, but it is not fragile. Biology adapts, most of what shapes these years is structural, and where parents do have agency the evidence is more reassuring than the headlines suggest. **What we cover:** - Why a critical window is not a fragile one, and what the first 1,000 days actually set - Choline, iodine, and omega-3 in pregnancy, and the "four eggs a day" myth - C-sections and the infant microbiome, and why the differences largely converge by age two - Breast milk as a living system, and an honest comparison with formula - Weaning without the marketing: the smoosh test, iron at six months, and early allergen introduction - Microplastics and endocrine disruptors, and the swaps that do the most work Federica is exceptionally good at separating what the evidence supports from what the marketing claims, and she does it without ever making parents the villain. To connect with Dr Federica Amati, follow her on Instagram at @dr.fede.amati or explore her work at ZOE. You can read more about the campaign she discusses in this episode at Plastic Free Babies, and her Sunday Times bestseller, Every Body Should Know This, is available wherever books are sold. If this episode was useful, a rating or review on Apple Podcasts, or a follow on Spotify, makes a genuine difference to the show. **Want to support the show?** The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family. **This episode is brought to you by:** **38TERA** Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. **Upwork** Post your job for free at Upwork.com and connect with top talent ready to help your business grow. Find the right talent to support your business and bring your projects to life. **ProLon** ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF. ProLon ships within the United States. **Skylight** Families are better when they’re working together. Right now, Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch Calendars by going to MySkylight.com/THEPROOF. Skylight ships within the U.S. and to Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. **Momentous** My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com. Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations. **Function Health** Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States. Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico. **WHOOP** Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon. Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia. **Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)** - Creator of theproof.com - Host of The Proof with Simon Hill - Author of The Proof is in the Plants **Subscribe & Connect:** - YouTube - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Instagram: @simonhill - Twitter: @theproof - Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.