Breast milk, from a well-nourished mother, is composed of hundreds of substances – over one hundred fats alone. The milk contains complex proteins, lipids, carbohydrates strong antibodies and antitoxins and provides better overall health and other biologically active components that many people believe promote healing. The composition changes over a single feed as well as over the period of lactation. In addition to the appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, breast milk provides vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, and hormones. The immune function of breast milk is individualized: the mother, through her touching and taking care of the baby, comes into contact with the pathogens (microorganism) that colonize the baby, and, as a consequence, her body makes the appropriate antibodies and immune cells that help her baby resist infections (contrary to suggestions made by Mrs. Karmel in her books, for example).

Breastfeeding offers health benefits to both mother and child even after infancy. These benefits include a 73% decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, increased intelligence**, decreased likelihood of contracting middle ear infections, cold and flu resistance, a tiny decrease in the risk of childhood leukaemia, lower risk of childhood onset diabetes, decreased risk of asthma and eczema, decreased dental problems, decreased risk of obesity later in life, and a decreased risk of developing psychological disorders, including in adopted children.

**[The largest randomized study of breastfeeding ever conducted reports that breastfeeding raises children’s IQs, and improves their academic performance – McGill University, 2008].

Under the influence of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, women produce milk after childbirth to feed the baby. The initial milk produced is referred to as colostrum, which is high in the immunoglobulin IgA, which coats the gastrointestinal tract. This helps to protect the newborn until its own immune system is functioning properly. It also creates a mild laxative effect, needed to expel meconium and to help preventing the build-up of bilirubin.

In some countries, in the 1950s, the practice of breastfeeding went through a period where it was out of vogue and the use of infant formula was considered superior to breast milk. However, it is now universally recognized that there is no commercial formula that can equal breast milk.

Breast milk, and especially colostrum, provides the infant with passive immunity in the form of lactobacillus bifidus, lactoferrin, lysozymes and secretory IgA among others. Immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, IgM and IgD are all found in human milk. Of these the most important is IgA, which appears to be both synthesised and stored in the breast. It ‘paints’ the intestinal epithelium and protects the mucosal surfaces against entry of pathogenic bacteria and enteroviruses. It affords protections against E. coli, salmonellae, shigellae, streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, poliovirus and the rotaviruses.

Lactoferrin is abundant in human milk but is not present in cow’s milk. It effects the absorption of enteric iron, thus preventing pathogenic E. coli from obtaining the iron they need for survival. Macrophages and neutrophils are amongst the most common leucocytes in human milk and they surround and destroy harmful bacteria by their phagocytic activity.

Article by – A B M Procaccini – Naturopathist