The best beginning for a baby’s good health is to start breastfeeding. It is even a popular notion that breastfeeding is the perfect form of interaction between a mother and her baby.
Apart from this, breast milk has all the nutrition required for a baby’s development.
Know About the Composition of Breast Milk
Breastmilk is no ordinary milk as it has an immense nutritional value. It contains nutrients like fats, proteins, and carbohydrates along with water to keep the baby hydrated.
But there are many other valuable constituents present in every single feed of mother’s milk, like-
- Colostrum – During the few days after the baby is born, the mother’s milk is enriched with colostrum. It is usually thick yellow and sticky, packed with proteins and white blood cells. The primary function of the colostrum is to help the baby develop a sound immune system for the baby and fights infections. In the early days, milk has everything for the new-born to grow.
- Live cells – With every feed, the baby gets millions of live cells. This has the immune-boosting white blood cells or the stem cells to heal any organ in the baby.
- Enzymes – It is evident that breast milk has more than 40 enzymes. The role of these enzymes is to aid proper digestion and help the baby absorb iron in the body.
- Amino acids – The milk from the mother’s mammary glands is chockful of protein and amino acids. Amino acids are also known as nucleotides. These help in the baby’s growth and healthy development.
- Vitamins and minerals – Breast milk also contain the required amounts of vitamins and minerals for the baby. These help in the baby’s teeth and bones.
- Other Antibodies and growth material – Antibodies known as immunoglobulin are abundant in breast milk. These protect the babies against illness by neutralizing viruses and bacteria. Besides, breast milk also contains a huge amount of growth nutrients like fatty acids, probiotics, etc.
Thus, the elements present in breast milk are irreplaceable with other milk. With every feed, it has value.
But levels of nutrients present in a mother’s milk keeps on fluctuating over time. A mother milk test can explain it better. During the first few days, the milk has colostrum. Later it changes to mature milk or transitional milk. From yellowish colour, the milk becomes creamier in both colour and texture.
As the feed progresses, the milk further changes to foremilk or hindmilk. All such types are a part of a complete feed that is rich in vitamins, sugar, proteins, and other substances.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for Babies
The first milk or colostrum is chock full of antibodies. A small amount can meet the hunger levels of a baby. This milk helps to meet the baby changing hunger needs. The cow’s milk or formula milk is very tough for the baby to digest. But mother’s feed is easy to digest.
- The breast milk becomes easy for the baby’s body to break down. Hence, it does not cause upset stomach, diarrhoea, or constipation.
- Breast milk loaded with antibodies reduces the risk of viruses, respiratory infections, etc.
- Fewer chances of SIDS (Sudden Infants Death Syndrome).
- Many studies have even pointed its benefit towards brain-boosting. It states that a child fed with mother’s milk for more than 6 months has a better IQ.
- Last but not least, breast milk also provides reassurance to the new-born.
Mother Milk Test is a Breeze of Relief for New Mommies
Although breast milk has plenty of nutrients still mothers often wish to know whether their babies are getting enough nutrients or not. For such concerned mothers, the mother milk test is a great resort.
The test kits are available in the market. A mother can analyse her breast milk and its nutritional value. But, for a detailed report, you can also contact the various medical organizations for detailed reports.
The report contains the analysis of breast milk with the percent of nutrients present in it. The data includes the percentage of the number of antibodies, white blood cells, carbohydrates, protein, etc.
Benefits of Getting the Breast Milk Tested
Getting the reassurance through a milk test is music to the ears of any nursing mom. During stressful days, a mother gets aware of changing milk nutrition with the breast milk test.
This way, she can bring specific changes in her lifestyle and impart proper nutrition to her baby. With this test, the goal of every mother ‘to meet the new-born hunger with nutritional content’ is realized.
Should You Take The Test?
If you wish to be a well-informed mother, the mother milk test should be your go-getter. These tests are affordable and available; you don’t have to put in much effort in finding them.
Also, you must get introduced to elements of your breast milk. Thus, getting it checked through a milk test is no harm to anybody.