Breast milk
Primary infant nutrition source with immune and developmental benefits.
Breast milk, also known as mother's milk, is the milk produced by the mammary glands in the breasts of humans. It serves as the primary source of nutrition for newborn infants, containing fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and protective substances such as symbiotic bacteria and immunoglobulin A, which help defend against infection and support the development of the infant's immune system and gut microbiome.
- field
- Human nutrition and infant health
- known_for
- Primary nutrition source for newborns; recommended by WHO and UNICEF for exclusive breastfeeding for first six months
- composition
- Fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, symbiotic bacteria, immunoglobulin A
- recommended_duration
- Exclusive breastfeeding for first six months; continued breastfeeding up to two years
Lore & Background
Breast milk is produced under the influence of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin after childbirth. The initial milk, colostrum, is high in immunoglobulin IgA, which coats the gastrointestinal tract, protects the newborn until its own immune system functions, and acts as a mild laxative to expel meconium and prevent bilirubin buildup. Actual inability to produce enough milk is rare; common reasons for low supply include improper latch, insufficient nursing or pumping, certain medications, illness, and dehydration.
Reader's Guide
Breast milk is significant as the sole recommended source of nutrition for infants up to six months, providing all necessary nutrients and over half of a child's energy needs up to age one. Its protective benefits include reduced infections such as diarrhea, a 73% decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, and lower risks of middle ear infections, childhood leukemia, asthma, eczema, obesity, and psychological disorders. For mothers, breastfeeding assists uterine recovery, reduces postpartum bleeding, and lowers the risk of breast cancer and diabetes. Despite these benefits, globally sixty percent of infants are not breastfed within the first hour of life, which protects against infections and reduces neonatal death risk. Alternatives include pasteurized donor milk or commercial formula, but unpasteurized donor milk carries infection risks. Breastfeeding can be done directly or via expressed milk using bottles, cups, or tubes, with cup feeding improving outcomes compared to bottles.
Did You Know?
- Breast milk contains symbiotic bacteria and immunoglobulin A that help protect infants against infection and inflammation.
- Globally, sixty percent of infants are not breastfed within the first hour of life, which reduces infection risk and neonatal death.
- Breastfeeding is associated with a 73% decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
- Unpasteurized breast milk from a source other than the infant's mother carries risks of transmitting bacteria, viruses such as HIV, and other microorganisms.
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