Composition of Breast Milk

Human breast milk consists of more than 200 essential elements that are vital for an infant’s growth and development. The unique thing about breast milk is that it customizes naturally as per the requirements of your baby. So, the breast milk produced for a full-term baby v/s the milk produced for a premature baby is different to meet individual infant’s growth requirements.

That’s why there’s no other alternative to breast milk. It is suggested that all newborn babies are breastfed for at least six months and it’s also a major part of your infant’s diet till she/she turns a year old.

Why Breast Milk is the Best Baby Food?

Since breast milk contains the right amount of essential elements and nutrients needed for your baby at each growing stage, it’s known to be the best baby food source. Breast milk also protects babies against infections while minimizing the risk of other health-related problems that may occur later in life, such as obesity, asthma and diabetes. 

As per a study conducted by the WHO, breastfeeding can decrease the chances of obesity in your child by around 25%. It again proves that breast milk includes all the necessary elements needed for your baby’s body to develop, grow, survive, and mature. 

Different Stages of Lactation

There are three different stages of lactation in new mothers:

l  Colostrum: It is the secretion released at the first few days (around 1 to 7 days) after delivery. It contains a higher protein amount, a good amount of immunizing factors, and fewer fats for a newborn.

l  Transitional Milk: This milk is produced while transitioning from colostrum to mature breast milk. It is a stage where lactation is established while milk production starts in the breast tissue. This milk is released 8 to 20 days after the birth.

l  Mature Milk: This breast milk is released after 20 days of birth. It varies between individuals. Even the energy levels in the milk vary somewhere between 270 and 315 kJ per 100mL. It is mainly due to the fat content variation, as the fat in milk consumed by an infant rises as the breastfeeding progresses. The mature milk also provides all the necessary immune factors and other non-nutritional components to infants. 

Composition of Breast Milk

Breast milk contains important nutrients needed by an infant for proper development and growth.

Breast Milk Composition:

l  Free water: 85-88%

l  Proteins: Protein consists of 75% of nitrogen-containing compounds. It also includes non-protein nitrogen elements like peptides, urea, nucleotides, DNA, and free amino acids.

l  Carbohydrates: The major carbohydrate source in breast milk is lactose.

l  Fats: Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and essential fatty acids.

l  Other vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.

Nutrient	Mean Value in Breast Milk (100 ml)
Protein	1.3 g
Fat	4.2 g
Carbohydrate	7 g
Sodium	15 mg
Calcium	35 mg
Phosphorus	15 mg
Iron	76 mcg
Vitamin A	60 mcg
Vitamin C	3.8 mg
Vitamin D	0.01 mcg
Magnesium	3.5 mg

 Breast milk even includes essential non-nutritional components like digestive enzymes, antimicrobial factors, growth factors, and hormones that are necessary for passive protection against viruses/infections modulated immunological development and immune-mediated diseases.

Immune-related growth factors and components include:

l  Bioactive Cytokines: Containing interleukin- 10 (IL-10) and transitioning growth factor-b (TGF-b) 1 and 2.

l  Secretory IgA: Predominant immunoglobulin.

l  Others: Lysozyme, leukocytes, oligosaccharides, adiponectin, lactoferrin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), interferon-g and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1.

Conclusion

Due to all the important nutrients and other essential elements, breast milk is important for newborns. But if you have any problems breastfeeding your baby, you need to consult a lactation consultant.

Many women who face issues during breastfeeding grasping techniques can benefit from expert guidance. You may even consult a pediatrician to understand more about an infant’s overall health.

Breast Milk Composition: What’s in your Breast Milk?

 

Many health organizations in the world consider human breast milk to be a perfect nutrition source. When a baby is born, a diet exclusively of breast milk is suggested for at least the first six months. But have you ever wondered what makes breast milk high in nutrition?

Well, the composition of breast milk makes it healthy and nutritious for infants. Here’s the detail of what’s included in the breast milk:

Macronutrient Composition

Breast milk majorly consists of carbohydrates, water, proteins and lips. Each nutrient plays a major role in contributing to the proper growth and development of an infant.

l       Carbohydrates: These are the energy source required for the brain. Milk sugar called lactose is the main carbohydrate in breast milk. In human milk, there’s more lactose compared to cow’s milk. Another carbohydrate in breast milk is oligosaccharides that encourage healthy bacteria in the infant’s intestine and help in combating infant diarrhoea. 

l      Water: Human breast milk consists of 90% water. All thanks to water, a proper hydration level is maintained in breast milk that further lubricates joints, regulates body temperature and protects organs. Breast milk alone can provide an infant’s body with water needed for a young baby’s survival. 

l      Proteins: Proteins help in strengthening, repairing and building the body’s tissue. They are also required to make enzymes, hormones and antibodies. With protein present in breast milk, babies can easily digest what they consume.

l      Lipids (Fats): Lipids make around 4% of breast milk. But these provide half of the calories that babies need. Meanwhile, lipids are the main source of cholesterol, energy and essential fatty acids like DHA. All these nutrients are essential for developing your baby’s vision, brain and nervous system.

Bioactive Components

There are various bioactive elements present in breast milk, such as:

l      Immunoglobulins (Antibodies): Immunoglobulins are the antibodies that help combat disease and illness. Due to natural immune substances, breast milk is known to be a baby’s first vaccine. The breast milk properties help in protecting the baby against ear infections, common cold, diarrhoea, vomiting and other infections.

l      Hormones: These are required in the body for improving metabolism, growth, development, pain responses, stress responses and blood pressure regulation. Hormones that produce milk include thyroid hormones, prolactin and growth factors. However, scientists are still finding out which hormones are further transferred in breast milk for impacting a baby’s health. 

l      Enzymes: There are various enzymes present in breast milk. Some are useful in digestion by breaking down proteins or fats. Meanwhile, others help in immune support.

Micronutrients Composition

Breast milk includes various micronutrients, including minerals and vitamins, to support infants.

l      Vitamins: Vitamins are useful in supporting healthy eyes, bones and skin in infants. These are essential to prevent diseases caused by malnutrition, such as rickets and scurvy. Breast milk contains all the necessary vitamins required for supporting the health of your baby. Nonetheless, the amount of folate, vitamin D or vitamin B6 in an infant’s body can be reduced if you follow some dietary restrictions. You must consult a paediatrician and doctor to known if there are some vitamin supplements you need during breastfeeding.

l      Minerals: Just like vitamins, breast milk even includes various minerals that are needed by your baby's body to become strong and healthy. These minerals include zinc, iron, sodium, calcium, magnesium, chloride and selenium. When growing, infants need minerals to produce RBCs, build strong bones and promote nerve and muscle function.

Conclusion

Breast milk is a great source of nutrition for babies. While there are various breast milk alternatives available in the market, these are not the same as natural breast milk. Therefore, new mothers need to breastfeed their babies. It is best to consult a paediatrician and doctor about how and when to provide breast milk to a baby. As long as you feed your baby adequately with breast milk, you must be at peace knowing that you’re providing your little one with proper nutrition.