Benefits of Breast-feeding Your Child

There are many benefits inherent in breast-feesding your child. First, some antibodies against various micro organisms are transferred from the mother to the foetus via the placenta and help to protect the new infant against certain diseases, the most important of which is measles, during the first four to six months of life. It has long been recognized that the breast-fed infant against infections and particularly diarrhoeal diseases, and has a better chance of survival than a bottle-fed baby. Only fairly recently have reasons for this difference been established. These are:
Breast milk is clean.It is never strictly sterile, as their will be some contamination from the nipple. However, these bacteria have no time to multiply as the milk is drunk immediately.

Immunoglobulins, mainly IgA, are present in large amounts in colostrum and to a lesser extent in mature human milk. IgA is not absorbed but acts in the intestines against certain bacteria(e.g. E.coli) and viruses. Lactoferrin, a protein, which binds iron to itself, is found in human milk. The bound iron is then not available to certain harmful intestinal bacteria, which need it for their growth.For this reason, supplemental oral iron should not be given to breast-fed infants. (To be continued).