What’s the big deal about breast milk?
Take a moment and imagine a 9-month-old infant. He is in a room with other infants, crawling around and playing with various toys. He is curious and picking up items and placing them in his mouth, exploring this colorful, textural environment. Moments later, he begins to feel hungry and signals this to his mother. She is also taking in this fun setting, while noticing the runny nose of another infant on the other side of her son. She smiles though, knowing that her strong immune system is responding to all the germs around her. She smiles even wider knowing that her breast milk is including the specific antibodies being produced in response to these germs and that her son is receiving this protection. Isn’t that cool?
The arrival of a new baby is one of the most joyful, beautiful, and sacred experiences we have. It is also one that entails many transitions, decisions, and emotions. One of those is feeding your baby. Health authorities like the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Then continued breastfeeding with complementary foods for at least 2 years. Breastfeeding is a learned experience for both the mother and the newborn. Many variables influence that learning curve. The more a family is informed (from reliable sources) about breastfeeding prior to the baby’s arrival, and the more support they have in place during the first few weeks after birth, the more positive the experience will be. I began my nursing career in maternity and from early on I realized this.
During my orientation to supporting moms and babies, I was fascinated by how dynamic breastmilk is and how important it is for a newborn’s transition to life outside of the womb. Yes, humans are mammals, and it is the biological norm for newborns and infants to receive their mother’s milk. But did you know that baby’s first milk, called colostrum, has a high concentration of antibodies and white blood cells? This helps to protect the baby from infections and diseases. When babies are born, their gut lining is porous, which means unwanted bacteria can be absorbed into the blood. Colostrum coats and seals this lining so that harmful pathogens are not absorbed. So, this first milk is important as baby moves from the protected environment of the mother’s womb to a world full of microorganisms and potentially harmful toxins and chemicals.
As baby grows, so too does the mother’s milk, in volume and in composition. After the first several days, breast milk has a higher concentration of fat, sugars, and calories, which helps the rapid growth a newborn is going through. Then from about 4 weeks and beyond, the mature milk provides higher levels of proteins, enzymes, sugars, growth factors, minerals, and vitamins. These are the building blocks that sustain the growth and development of your infant/child/baby. And for as long as the mother is providing milk, she is giving her child protective antibodies to support their developing immune system. Another interesting fact is that breast milk can change from day to day, and even from one feeding to the next, based upon what mom or baby has been exposed to and what defense mechanisms are needed.
Breast milk is amazing stuff! For families navigating the path of feeding their baby, remember that it is a dynamic journey with bumps along the way. But the gift of your milk is priceless for their growth and development, however much and for however long it is provided. Surround yourself with your network of family and friends who support your feeding goals. Reach out to a trained lactation consultant for specific guidance when needed. Saint Alphonsus has a wonderful lactation team across all four hospitals.
Katie Sullivan, RN, IBCLC is a Lactation Program Coordinator at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.