Breast milk is a unique baby food product. Today, they have not yet come up with a single analogue that fully corresponds to it, because its composition was approved by nature itself. Only this food meets the needs of nursing infants by 100%. The composition of the natural product totals up to 500 substances necessary for the baby, many of which are artificially impossible to create. The mother’s body begins to work on creating a food product even before a new person arrives in this world.
Meet breast milk. Presentation:
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The appearance of milk in the mammary glands of a woman is due to the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for its secretion. The basis of breast milk is lymph and blood, where nutrients that are modified during digestion enter the body.
Composition of breast milk
Each woman’s milk is unique, like herself, but the set of components of this product is the same for all nursing mothers. Composition of breast milk:
- Biologically active water (88%) - The main component, perfectly absorbed by the baby. If the baby is completely breastfed, then it is not necessary to drink water additionally;
- Carbohydrates (7%) presented in the form of lactose (milk sugar), accelerating the development of the brain and nervous system, contributing to the full absorption of iron and calcium and the bifidum factor with an antifungal and antibacterial effect that normalizes the intestines;
- Fats (4%) - The baby's source of strength: thanks to them, immunity is strengthened and a full-fledged central nervous system is formed. In the composition of fats - cholesterol (for the production of vitamin D), bile and major hormones. The balance of fats and carbohydrates in breast milk is ideal for a growing baby;
- Squirrels (1%) - The basis of growth of the baby, rapidly gaining weight. They contain whey protein, taurine (for the development of the central nervous system and brain), lactoferrin (an iron source), nucleotides (building material for DNA), lactase (for the breakdown of lactose), lipase (for complete absorption of fats);
- Remaining components (0,2%) - iron, vitamins, minerals, 20 types of hormones (growth factors), antibodies, white blood cells (protection of the immune system).
The quality of breast milk in a nursing mother is variable, its composition can change under the influence of many factors:
- The time of day is denser during the day than at night.
- Weather - in the heat, liquid milk, in the cold - thickens.
- Mom's health - with weakened immunity, taking medications, the composition of the product is different.
- The baby’s activity is first liquid milk (instead of water), with intensive sucking it thickens and becomes oily.
A mother who feeds twins can have a different milk composition, because it must be adapted to the needs of each baby. The volume and quality of milk largely depends on the health of the nursing mother, good nutrition, sleep and rest, medication, bad habits (nicotine, alcohol).
It's important to know: the more often you attach the baby to the chest, the more priceless product is produced in it. It will be exactly as much as the baby needs, so you need to feed it on demand! We read about which feeding method to choose – hourly or on demand.
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Types of milk by age
- Colostrum - A thick, sticky, yellowish liquid is produced in small quantities in the first 4 days. Its composition is close to the blood serum of a baby - a significant amount of proteins, white blood cells, vitamins, immunoglobulin, salts. Promotes rapid adaptation of the newborn to a new way of eating. Therefore, it is so important to put the baby to the chest in the first hours after birth. If the baby was born prematurely, mother's milk for 2 weeks is close in composition to colostrum, since it is such food that the baby needs during this period. On this topic: What is the importance of putting a newborn to the breast early;
- Transitional Milk It is produced in the first 2-3 weeks. In composition, it is more nutritious and less protein, adapted to a growing body and new products;
- Ripe milk appears from the third week. It is more oily and watery. Protein is produced less and less with age, as a part of mature milk - mainly fatty acids, which are responsible for the normal functioning of the brain. Normally, a woman produces mature breast milk up to 1.5 liters per day. There are front and back mature milk:
- Front - bluish and liquid - secreted in the first minutes of feeding, in its composition carbohydrates, salt and water, serves to quench thirst.
- Back - yellowish and thick - full-fledged baby food.
The benefits of breast milk
Breast milk is unique not only in its composition, but also in its properties. For the baby, feeding from the mother’s breast is an active mental development, normal digestion, strengthening immunity, prevention of pneumonia, diabetes, obesity, allergies, atherosclerosis, diarrhea and many other dangerous diseases.
Mother's milk is an excellent antidepressant for the nurse herself. This is not about a food product, but about the benefits of the processes of its formation and feeding, developing maternal instinct and tender feelings for the child.
According to Swedish scientists, alpha-lactalbumin in breast milk is able to successfully fight 40 types of cancer.
Breastfeeding can increase the response of the immune system during vaccinations.
Milk forms the baby's defenses, protecting against allergies, infections. The presence of stem cells in it provides regeneration and protection, as a source of antibodies, resistant even to diseases that the baby could receive from the mother.
The antibacterial properties of milk can be used to treat runny nose in a babyinstillation of eyes with conjunctivitis or the healing of cracks in the nipples of a nursing mother.
For a baby, breast milk is not just food; the ritual of communicating with mom is important to him: the ability to calm down, get rid of ailments, fears, and fall asleep sweetly.
In breastfeeding, you can see the economic benefits: breast milk is always suitable for consumption, it does not need to be prepared, it does not have an expiration date. Priceless milk is free, for the family budget of a young family, the savings on mixtures are substantial.
NUK nutritionist consultant Petra Fricke: Why is breast milk the best nutrition for my baby in the first months of his life?
Perfect color and taste
Many young mothers are concerned about the color and taste of their milk.The color, as already mentioned, depends on the fat content and feeding time: the front (liquid) is bluish, the back (thick and greasy) is white or yellow.
The taste of milk will vary depending on the mother’s nutrition. Especially it is affected by salty, spicy, smoked products, the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. A certain taste appears depending on the emotional and physical condition of the nursing woman.
According to the observations of scientists, babies who are breastfed from the first days of life grow strong, sociable, kind. At an older age, they develop stress resistance. From the first days, the expectant mother needs to tune in to the fact that she must certainly breastfeed her baby. Then the baby will always be fed and healthy, and the mother will be calm and happy.
References
Link block on the topic of breastfeeding:
Fundamental advice to nursing mothers on breastfeeding – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/grudnoe-vskarmlivanie.html;
- Breastfeeding Poses – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/pozyi-dlya-kormleniya-grudyu.html;
- Nutrition of a nursing mother during the period of hepatitis B – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/pitanie-kormyashhey-materi-v-period-gv.html;
- All about proper breastfeeding (how to feed / how to apply to the breast) – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/kak-pravilno-kormit-rebenka-grudyu.html;
- Why does a breast sore while feeding a baby? Reasons and what to do? – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/pochemu-bolit-grud-pri-kormlenii-rebenka.html;
- What can’t be eaten by a nursing mother and absolutely not – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/chto-nelzya-pri-grudnom-vskarmlivanii.html;
- Why the child does not eat up breast milk (how to understand what does not eat up, signs, causes and what to do) – https://kid.htgetrid.com/en/kormlenie-grudyu/rebenok-ne-naedaetsya-grudnyim-molokom.html.
I have always been of the opinion that a woman should breastfeed her baby for at least a year. This will positively affect primarily the health and development of your child.
You need to breastfeed anyway. But do not forget that in order for milk to be useful, the mother must eat properly and in no case should you drink or smoke.
I am a mother and I also breastfeed my child. I fed up to 1.5 years, while all this time I followed a special diet so that milk was as useful as possible.
I don’t understand at all those women who do not breast-feed their baby. by such an action they themselves undermine the immunity of their crumbs. No mixture contains as many nutrients as breast milk.
I wouldn’t even think. whether or not to breastfeed. Of course it's worth it! And the facts that are given in the article confirm my opinion. Milk is good!
It seems to me that those who say that they’re not worth it simply cannot, there’s not enough milk, unfortunately. But this is also impossible to behave yourself. There are so many teas now, I'm not even talking about drugs. You can force yourself to drink herbs? the same lactomama is one hundred percent of the herbs consists of: oregano, fennel, etc. And the effect is, you can’t argue