What Is Breast Milk Actually Made Of?
Nature is very clever, because breast milk contains exactly the substances that the baby needs for its development.
As long as the diet is supplemented by other foods, according to the World Health Organization, children up to the age of four can be supplied with breast milk .
Breastfeeding also contributes to the wonderful bond between mother and child. This bond is fundamental for a loving relationship and serves as a means of communication.
How is breast milk made?
First and foremost, mothers produce colostrum, also known as first milk, a watery yellowish substance rich in minerals and vitamins A, E, K and B12. It is easy to digest and has a laxative effect that aids in the elimination of the Kindspech.
This foremilk consists largely of antibodies and lymphocytes. They protect the child – before they develop their own immune system – from possible intestinal and lung infections.
The actual milk multiplies a few days after delivery. It contains less protein, but is rich in fats and carbohydrates.
Rather thin at the beginning, the milk becomes thicker later. This change in consistency means that the newborn baby can properly quench his thirst and appetite.
What is breast milk made of?
water
Water is the most common component in breast milk. It contributes to the thermoregulation of the newborn.
It has been shown that infants can be completely satisfied with the water in breast milk.
Egg whites
Many of the properties that make up human milk can be traced back to its unique proteins.
Human breast milk is characterized by an excess of whey proteins compared to casein. From a nutritional point of view, however, casein does not only act as a protein, as some of its components are part of the bifidus factor and other functions.
Lactoferrin is another important protein. It supports newborns in protecting them against microorganisms.
This protein binds to iron and prevents germs from multiplying
Immunoglobulins or antibodies are proteins that recognize harmful structures and bind to them. Recognizing these antigens helps the immune system fight these structures. Antibodies are extremely important because of their protective function.
When an immunologically mature infant consumes breast milk, it contains antibodies that fight off microorganisms in the child’s environment.
carbohydrates
The most abundant carbohydrate in milk is lactose. It is made in the mammary glands.
Lactose is primarily used as a source of energy, but it also appears to play a crucial role in infant growth due to the following characteristics:
- Lactose makes it easier for calcium to be absorbed .
- It is a source of galactose, which is essential for the production of galactolipids and the development of the central nervous system.
- It influences the milk volume, controls the transport of water and is part of the bifidus factor.
The lactose levels mostly stay the same throughout the day. Even mothers who eat poorly usually have normal lactose levels.
Fats
Fats and oils are an important source of energy and essential for the development of the central nervous system.
Fat is the most variable ingredient in breast milk. This increases the fat content during the day and when breastfeeding. It is low at the beginning and increases towards the end.
In the course of breastfeeding, the watery milk is enriched with fat globules, the amount of which increases steadily until the end.
The fatty acids in human breast milk are related to eyesight. It has been shown that children who were breastfed with artificial milk have reduced eyesight than children breastfed with breast milk.
Mineral salts
Children who have been breastfed are better able to process water in the body, for example by sweating.
- Sodium and Potassium: The potassium levels are higher than the sodium levels. This proportion is found similarly in cells, which is why the low sodium levels in combination with the high potassium levels in breast milk have a very beneficial effect on the body.
- Iron: The iron contained in breast milk is absorbed at a rate of up to 50%. Iron deficiency is less common in children who were breastfed for the first 6 months.
- Calcium: Breast milk usually contains little calcium and phosphorus, but the amounts are easily absorbed by the body.
- Zinc: Breast milk contains biologically available zinc. The so-called hereditary zinc deficiency syndrome, in which there is a congenital disorder of zinc absorption, does not usually occur in infants who are breastfed with breast milk.
Vitamins
The water-soluble vitamins are absorbed and digested in quantities suitable for the infant.
- Vitamin A: Like all fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D and K), vitamin A is transported via the fat in breast milk. The foremilk and the milk of premature mothers usually contain even higher proportions of the vitamin.
- Vitamin D: Daily daylight is the best source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is not absorbed through food, but rather through daily exposure to the sun. Children who were exclusively breastfed generally do not suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
- Vitamin E: Breast milk contains more than enough vitamin E. Foremilk contains up to three times more vitamin E than mature breast milk. This is very important because infants have very low vitamin E reserves in the first days of life and therefore need an adequate supply of vitamin E.
- Vitamin K: The concentration of vitamin K is higher in the pre- and transition milk.
Some special features …
- Breast milk is an aqueous liquid made up of nutrients, cells, hormones, antibodies, and growth factors. This composition plays a complex role in the mother-child relationship.
- It changes depending on the time of day, from meal to meal and over the entire period of breastfeeding.
- These different variations of breast milk are all functional, because human breast milk adapts to the needs of each child individually.
