Nutritional superiority of breast milk Modern science and technology has not been able to produce a better food for young infants than mother’s milk. Breastfeeding is the best way to satisfy the nutritional and psychological needs of the baby.
Mother’s milk is designed for easy digestion and assimilation. Protein in mother’s milk is in a more soluble form which is easily digested and absorbed by the baby. Same is the case with regard to fat and calcium in human milk which are also easily absorb able. The milk sugar-lactose in mother’s milk provides ready energy. The amount of vitamins such as thiamine, vitamin A and vitamin C found in mother’s milk depends on the diet of mother.
Advantages of breastmilk are:
- Breast milk is the best natural food for babies.
- Breast milk is always clean.
- Breast milk protects the baby from diseases.
- Breast milk makes the child more intelligent.
- Breast milk is available 24 hours a day and requires no special preparation.
- Breast milk is nature’s gift to the infant and does not need to be purchased.
- Breastfeeding makes a special relationship between mother and baby.
- Breastfeeding helps parents to space their children.
- Breastfeeding helps a mother to shed extra weight gained during pregnancy.
The human milk has inherent anti-infective properties which no other milk has.