Breastmilk is the best food for a baby. Every mammalian mother
makes a milk uniquely suited to the needs of her offspring. Human
milk is ideal for human babies. It contains just the right kinds and
proportions of proteins, fats, and sugars. More than a hundred
substances in breastmilk have been identified, including many that
cannot be duplicated in infant formulas. Specific benefits of some of
those substances have been identified (some, for example, are thought
to promote brain development). Others might have benefits that we do
not yet know about.
The formula manufacturer has no hope of
duplicating the nutritional value of breastmilk. Many formula ads
claim that their product is the closest to breastmilk. However,
breastmilk does not have a constant composition. It varies by the age
of the child. If you have a premature baby, your breasts make a
special milk that's best for a premature baby. When your baby is
first born, your breasts produce colostrum,
a special milk that has several special benefits for a newborn. As
your child gets older, the composition of
your breastmilk changes.
The composition of breastmilk changes even during
a single feed. In the beginning of a breastfeed, your child gets
foremilk, which is high in liquids and low in calories (good for
quenching thirst). This is followed by the much thicker, richer
hindmilk (good for nutrition). By switching breasts at the right
time, your child can control the amount of liquid and calories she or
he gets. A bottle-fed child cannot do this!
Finally, remember: even when your child grows
older and is eating plenty of other foods, breastmilk continues to be
an excellent food (and preventive
medicine). You can continue breastfeeding as
long as you and your child both want it; you will both derive
great physiological and psychological benefits from it.
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