🇩🇿AlgeriaNorth Africa
Breast milk's irreplaceable role in infant brain development and immunity
via Algérie3605 min read
Breast milk is a custom-designed food that adapts to a baby's specific needs, with its composition changing based on feeding time, the baby's age, and health. The World Health Organization WHO and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, continuing with complementary foods until two years or beyond. Beyond nutrition, breast milk contains essential proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and active immunological factors that stimulate digestive system maturation, support brain development, and strengthen immunity. It is a biodynamic fluid rich in essential fatty acids like omega-6, omega-3, and DHA, crucial for brain and retinal maturation. It also contains high-value biological proteins, lactose, and a range of vitamins and minerals tailored for an infant's immature digestive system. Bioactive compounds in breast milk promote a protective gut microbiota, dominated by beneficial Bifidobacterium strains. Human milk oligosaccharides HMOs act as prebiotics, stimulating protective bacteria and neutralizing pathogens, forming the baby's first immunological defense. Breastfeeding also benefits the mother, with oxytocin release aiding uterine contractions and reducing the uterus to its original size. Long-term breastfeeding for at least six months reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by at least 30%, and breast cancer risk decreases by 4-5% for every twelve cumulative months of breastfeeding, according to WHO data. Prolactin secretion alleviates postpartum
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Algérie360.
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