Exclusive breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and
development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive process with important
implications for the health of mothers. Review of evidence has shown that, on a population basis,
exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter infants
should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or
beyond.

WHO/NHD
To enable mothers to establish and sustain exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, WHO and
UNICEF recommend:
Initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life
Exclusive breastfeeding that is the infant only receives breast milk without any
additional food or drink, not even water
Breastfeeding on demand that is as often as the child wants, day and night
No use of bottles, teats or pacifiers
Breast milk is the natural first food for babies, it provides all the energy and nutrients that the
infant needs for the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a childs
nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one-third during the second
year of life.
Breast milk promotes sensory and cognitive development, and protects the infant against
infectious and chronic diseases. Exclusive breastfeeding reduces infant mortality due to common
childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea or pneumonia, and helps for a quicker recovery during
illness. These effects can be measured in resource-poor and affluent societies (Kramer M et al
Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial (PROBIT): A randomized trial in the Republic of
Belarus. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2001, 285(4): 413-420
Nutritional Composition of Breast Milk

breastfeeding milk
Thanks to scientists and baby-formula manufacturers, the nutritional composition
of breast milk has been de-mystified. So what exactly is in breast milk to make it the
"perfect food" for babies?

Fats:

The nutritional composition of breast milk begins with fat. If you take all the water out of
breast milk, half of what's left behind is fat. And, there's lots of cholesterol too. Dont
worry: babies, infants, and young children need fats because it is needed for the
development of the nervous system. Specifically, fats are need to cover & protective
nerve cells. They are also integral parts of cell membranes.

Researchers have found that breastfed babies grow up to be adults with lower cholesterol.
It is suggested that exposing babies to cholesterol in the breast milk allows their bodies to
learn how to regulate cholesterol so that as adults, they have lower cholesterol levels.

In breast milk, there is an enzyme called lipase. Lipase breaks down fat so that the fat is
in small globules. This allows for better digestion and absorption in Babys stomach.

In contrast, the fat globules in baby-formula are large because they are from cows milk
(cow's milk is used to make most formulas). The fat from cow's milk is not absorbed as
well by human babies. Formula manufacturers have tried to correct this by replacing
cows milk fat with plant oils (corn, coconut, olive, peanut, and others).





cholesterol and breast milk

The nutritional composition of breast milk includes fats and cholesterol. These
components are necessary for developing babies. Research published in the journal of
Pediatrics show that the high levels of cholesterol in breast milk may lead to lower levels
of cholesterol in adults. Photo from wikipedia.com

Carbohydrates

The next big component of breast milk is carbohydrates (37%). Most people know
carbohydrates as the macromolecule found in bread, pasta and rice. But in breast milk,
most of the carbohydrates are in the form of lactose. Lactose is a disaccharide: it is made
up of two sugars (galactose and glucose) linked together.

Lactose provides Baby with energy so that he can do the things that babies do: breath,
eat, cry, wriggle, poop, learn, grow, and develop.

Lactose is converted to lactic acid by the Lactobacillus (a naturally occurring gut
bacterium). The lactic acid makes Babys stomach acidic. This in turn prevents the
growth of harmful bacteria that are not supposed to be in Babys stomach.

Cows milk (used to make baby formula) has less than 10% lactose. Formulas
manufacturers try to match the nutritional composition of breast milk by adding more
lactose.





carbohydrates, lactose in breast milk

Lactose is a disaccharide composed of one glucose and one galactose unit. Lactose is the
predominant carbohydrate in breast milk. Photo from wikipedia.com

Proteins

There are high levels of protein in colostrum and the levels gradually decrease as Baby
grows older and older. By six months of age, Baby should get an external source of
protein, for example in baby cereals or other solid foods.

Mature milk has many different kinds of proteins but the two major players are whey and
casein. Whey is a smooth, liquidly-type of protein whereas casein is a coarse protein that
tends to curdle. In breast milk, 60% to 80% of the proteins are of the whey type. Whey is
easier to digest and it is absorbed well in Babys stomach. Because of this, babies fed on
breast milk will have runny poops, and be hungry more often.

Cows milk has more casein and less whey. Casein is harder to digest & absorb because it
clumps in Babys stomach. Formula-fed babies are hungry less often because the formula
isn't being digested. As well, when the Babies poop, the poops are more solid. Formula
manufacturers try to correct for this by adding emulsifiers to help break apart the casein.

Other than whey and casein, there are many other important proteins:

antibodies (helps fight against bacterial and viral infections),
lactoferrin (binds to iron and helps Baby absorb iron. It also prevents the growth of
harmful microorganisms that use iron),
bifidus factor (encourages the growth of lactobacillus which helps prevents the growth
of other harmful stomach bacteria),
lipase, amylase, lysozyme, and other enzymes (helps in digestion and creates a healthy
environment in Babys intestines).



proteins antibodies in breast milk

An antibody is a kind of protein. It is often shown as a Y-shaped molecule. Antibodies
work by binding to and incapacitating foreign particles such as bacteria. Photo from
wikipedia.com.




Vitamins, Minerals, and More

Breast milk contains vitamins and minerals which, for the most part, can be simulated in
formulas. However, the nutritional composition of breast milk includes over 100 different
components most of which we still do not know how they affect Babys growth and
development. Currently, formula manufactures have not been able to recreate, exactly,
the nutritional composition of breast milk. Click here to see the nutritional composition of
breast milk.
Benefits for baby
Breast milk is easily digested. Its immediately available and always fresh.
If you eat a healthy diet, then your breast milk provides baby with a perfect blend of
nutrients and protective antibodies (although it doesnt replace the need for
immunisations).
Breastfeeding helps your baby grow and develop physically and emotionally.
Breastfeeding and breast milk help protect your baby from chest infections, meningitis,
ear infections and urine infections.
Breastfeeding decreases the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI, also
known as sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS). Its also linked to lower hospitalisation
rates.
Breastfeeding and breast milk may protect baby from chronic tummy problems and some
childhood cancers. They may also be less likely to get allergies, eczema or asthma.
Breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of obesity and may help reduce the risk of diabetes in
later life.
Benefits for mothers
Breastfeeding helps you recover from birth.
Skin-to-skin contact is a wonderful way to start intimately connecting with your baby.
Breastfeeding reduces your risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer.
Breastfeeding may reduce your risk of ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and hip fracture later
in life.
Breastfeeding may help you lose weight gained during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding can be your motivation to start living a healthier lifestyle, and cut down on
smoking or drinking.
Exclusive breastfeeding
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until your baby is around six months old this
means that since birth, your baby has only had breast milk (from the breast or expressed)
and prescribed medicines.
If your baby is exclusively breastfed, then breast milk meets all their fluid requirements.
They dont need water or any other drinks or food until theyre around six months old.
After six months, exclusive breastfeeding is not enough for your baby to grow and
develop. You should introduce complementary foods (solids) and also continue
breastfeeding until theyre at least one year or older.
When youre away from your baby, try to ensure theyre fed with expressed breast milk
rather than infant formula.