Breast milk is the ideal food for babies. Nutritionally, it contains all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that growing infants need. It is also more digestible than formula, which lowers the risk of babies having issues with diarrhea or other digestion-related illnesses. Additionally, breast milk adjusts itself to meet the specific needs of the baby for whom it is intended. Researchers have discovered that breast milk changes composition throughout a feeding, in addition to changing as a baby grows and develops. Not only that, but breast milk even varies between mothers. This inherent changeability of breast milk means that breastfed babies will receive the exact nutrients that they need at the time that they need them. When compared to the standardized nature of formula, babies are far more likely to benefit from consuming breast milk that is able to adjust to meet their individual nutritional needs.
Breastfeeding babies also aids their mental and emotional development through physical closeness with their mothers. Babies benefit from the skin to skin contact that they receive while their mothers breastfeed them. The closeness can be especially comforting for very young babies who are still adjusting to the new bright and loud world around them. Additionally, many studies have been conducted that seem to demonstrate a correlation between breastfeeding and higher intelligence levels and better brain development in children when compared to formula-fed babies. The information provided by studies such as these is oftentimes limited because it is difficult to accurately measure the full effects and benefits of breastfeeding. However, it is imperative not to discount the potential psychological and emotional benefits of breastfeeding children.
In addition to its nutritional, psychological and emotional value, breast milk also provides babies with short and long-term protection against many different illnesses and health issues. Mothers pass their own antibodies through breast milk. These antibodies help babies to fight off the bacteria and viruses that they may encounter as they are exposed to the world around them. Breast milk continues to provide additional immune support to babies for the entire time period that they are breastfed. This means that even if babies are old enough to begin eating solid food, they can still benefit healthwise from supplemental breast milk. Studies have also shown that breastfed babies have a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and that they are less likely to develop allergies or asthma later on in their lives.