Early childhood growth involves the rapid maturation of the infant’s systems (metabolic and endocrine) and immune pathways. The colonisation of microbes in the infant’s body contributes to the establishment of a highly dynamic microbiome during this time of development. Research has shown that disturbances in the intestinal microbiome in early life have been linked with later development of chronic non-communicable diseases, including overweight and obesity as well as allergic disease and asthma.