The process by which you receive your foundation microbes.

You probably remember from sixth grade biology that you inherit your genes from your parents. But did you know that your mother passes your microbiome on to you when you are born?

Seeding is generally regarded to start at birth (though new research is starting to propose that microbial transmission or priming could occur in the womb via the placenta), through the vaginal canal, skin-to-skin contact, and breastfeeding. Eventually, the surrounding environment—other moms, dads, siblings, dogs, the ground, nature—continues to contribute to this microbial biodiversity.

These first microbes colonize your gastrointestinal system and help to set the foundation of your immune system, serving as the instructors of what’s dangerous and what’s not. Within the first few years of life, they stabilize into what is called the steady-state microbiome, resembling more or less what you have today.