NMA: Newsletter 5 Article 7

Ever wonder what makes breast milk so special? Why not offer the baby cow's milk instead? Like the milk of other species, breast milk is mostly water and contains less than 20 calories per ounce. However, there are many differences. Breast milk is 55% fat, 37% carbohydrates, and 8% protein. The milk secreted at the beginning of a feeding, the foremilk, is leaner than the hindmilk secreted toward the end of a feeding. The hindmilk of many mothers may be 50% higher in fat. The high-fat content of hindmilk may give babies a feeling of fullness, letting them know when it's time to stop eating. There is, of course, some variability among women and even in the same woman at different times. Some of this variation stems from the mother's diet.

Here are some significant differences between human breast milk and cow's milk:

Zinc is more available in breast milk than in cow's milk, preventing skin disorders.

Breast milk contains twice as much iron as cow's milk and it is better absorbed by the breastfed baby.

Breast milk is higher in saturated fats than cow's milk. As a result, breastfed babies thend to have higher cholesterol levels, which may help them handle cholesterol better later in life and actually have lower cholesterol levels as adults.

Breast milk contains more vitamins A and E, which protects against anemia. Although cow's milk contains virtually no Vitamin C, the mother who eats well produces enough Vitamin C for her baby. Cow's milk does contain more Vitamin D, perhaps because baby cows must stand shortly after birth and need to have strong bones. Due to recent guideline changes, the AAP feels babies sometimes need supplemental Vitamin D IF they don't get enough exposure to the sun or if their mothers are strict vegetarians.

The comparisons listed above are based on a mother's mature milk, which is typically produced from 2 weeks after birth on. Colostrum, the early milk produced during the first 1 to 5 days after birth is higher in protein, minerals, salt, Vitamin A and nitrogen than mature milk. Colostrum is lower in calories than mature milk since it has lower levels of fat and sugar.

It is most probable that there will never be a way to completely mimic all the ingredients of human breast milk. It has always been, and always will be, the best food for the human baby!