There is extensive information regarding this topic so this will be the third in a series of articles. Continuing on with the Components of Mother's Milk
Vitamins, Minerals, and Iron - These nutrients cannot be made by any one as well as you can. Because of their high bioavailability -- meaning most of what is in the milk gets used by the body, is what makes these nutrients unique. What percentage is absorbed through the intestines into the bloodstream of a particular nutrient is what gives a food high marks not how much of it is contained in it. What babies get into their blood is not what you see on the formula labels. The vitamins, minerals, andiron in human milk have high bioavailability. Which means most of these high-efficiency nutrients in human milk get into a baby's tissues. Very little waste. Not so with formula-made or cow-made milk. These have low efficiency, low bioavailability. In breast milk for example, 50-75 percent gets into the baby's blood and tissues. Less wasted iron is left unabsorbed in the intestines. Only 10 percent of cow's milk iron and as little as 4 percent in iron-fortified formulas gets into the blood. Not very efficient.
Spare the leftovers - Besides the low efficiency of commercial nutrients, the excess nutrients that are not absorbed overtax the baby's waste-disposal system, for which baby pays a metabolic price. Excess unabsorbed nutrients upset the ecology of the gut, encouraging the growth of harmful bacteria. We do not yet know all the possible long-term effects of these excesses.
Changing as baby grows - Another tribute to the efficiency of human milk is how the amounts of these nutrients change as your baby grows. Colostrum (your first milk), transitional milk (first-week milk), and mature milk is formulated just right with vitamin and mineral content for baby's rapidly changing needs. There is no such commercial food as colostrum or transitional formula.
Facilitators - Facilitators - substances that help their fellow nutrients work better, are contained in human milk to further upgrade nutrient bioavailability. Increased absorption of iron is facilitated by higher vitamin C in human milk. Researchers did an experiment where they added equal amounts of iron and zinc to samples of human milk, cow's milk, and formulas and fed them to human volunteers. More of these nutrients in the human-milk sample than in the other milks got into the bloodstream. Breast milk is a unique recipe indeed.
Protection Factors in Breast Milk - To protect and nourish is the nutritional goal of every mother. You have learned how breast milk so perfectly nourishes babies; now you will see how this rich nutrient further protects them.
White blood cells - Each drop of human milk is alive with millions of tiny white blood cells that circulate throughout your baby's intestine ingesting and destroying harmful bacteria. In ancient times breast milk was known as white blood because of the valuable nutritional and disease-fighting properties contained in it. In the early weeks of life, when your newborn's own defense system is weakest is when these protective cells are most plentiful. As baby's immune system matures, the concentration of white blood cells in human milk gradually decreases, yet they are still present in breast milk at least six months postpartum. Besides gobbling up infection, these precious cells, like blood, store and transport priceless elements such as enzymes, growth factors, and infection-fighting proteins -- other partners in good health. which will be discussed in the next article.
There is more to come in the next article on "Breastfeeding: Why and How"
The Second Six Months: Moving Up - Part Six
This article includes the following items: Mastering the World of Words, Baby Words, Gestures and Body Language, Word and Voice Associations, , No-No-No,. Fun and Games with New Words and Gestures, Waving bye-bye, Imitating gestures, Peek-a-boo, More ball games, Keeping the Game going, Caring For your Baby's feet, When should I buy shoes for my baby?, Why does my baby need shoes?, Will shoes help my baby walk?, How can I tell if baby has outgrown her shoes? Toe room, throat room, The counter, What to look For In A Baby Shoe. This is the last part of this article. I hope you found the other five parts.
The Second Six Months: Moving Up - Part Five
This article includes the following items: Hand Skills, Baby Accommodates Hands to Objects, Container Play, Getting Into Your Baby's Mind, Signs of Developing Memory, Games to Play, Mental Protections. There will be one more part to this article so be sure to keep an eye out for it.
The Second Six Months: Moving Up - Part Four
In the dynamic journey from nine to twelve months, infants undergo significant motor development, transitioning from crawling to walking. This period is marked by rapid growth, where a baby's weight may increase by a third, and milestones such as first words and steps are achieved. Parents find themselves evolving too, as they adapt to their roles as safety supervisors, ensuring their environment is secure for their increasingly mobile child.
