Breast Milk

Breast milk is the most natural and perfect food for normal growth and healthy development of infants.  It establishes mother child contact. Breast feeding reduces risk of infections. Breast feeding helps in retraction of the uterus. The milk produced in first few days is called colostrums. Colostrum is yellow colour as it contains high levels of beta carotene. Colostrum also contain good amount of zinc and vitamin E. Nutritive value of 100 ml colostrums is 58 calories, 3.7 g of protein, 2.9 g of fat and 5.3 g of carbohydrates. Breast milk contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat. It also provides the digestive proteins, minerals, vitamins and hormones that infants need. Breast milk contains antibodies that fight against germs and infections. Breast milk contains taurine an amino acid is important to the brain development. It also contains cholesterol which is needed to make nerve tissue in the growing brain. It is high in lactose, which is broken down in the body into glucose and galactose; galactose is a valuable nutrient for brain tissue development.