Code Name: Mama

What Breastmilk Tastes Like, Part 4

Monday, January 11th, 2010

“What Does a Boob Taste Like?”

This is the fourth in a series of posts inspired by a strange Google search: “What does a boob taste like?” I have interpreted that query to mean “what does breastmilk taste like,” because really, isn’t that much more interesting?

In the first post, I presented an overview of the four different types of breastmilk: colostrum, transitional milk, mature milk, and involutional milk. The second post and third post contained additional information on the composition of colostrum and mature milk respectively. This post presents information on transitional and involutional milk.*

If you have an opinion on what breastmilk tastes like, please leave a comment and I will post your thoughts (with a link to your site) in the last post as well. I am also looking for breastfeeding pictures to include with each post. If you have one for possible inclusion, please email me (click on the “contact” link at the top of this page).

Transitional Milk

As its name implies, transitional breastmilk is the milk you produce while your body transitions from colostrum to mature milk. (1) A woman may produce transitional milk for up to two weeks after childbirth, longer if she gives birth prematurely. (2) While colostrum is hormonally driven, transitional milk marks the beginning of breastmilk’s supply/demand production – a mother’s “breasts are stimulated to produce transitional milk by breastfeeding her baby regularly, about every 2 hours.” (3)

Transitional milk is really just a mixture of colostrum and mature milk. It has high levels of lipids necessary “for growth, brain development, and salt synthesis[,]” proteins needed for nutrition and blood sugar regulation, fats and lactose for calories, energy, brain development, and retinal function, and water-soluble vitamins. (4)

Transitional milk is a mixture of colostrum and mature milk. Here, a newborn latches on for the very first time - he will reap the benefits of colostrum and breastmilk for a lifetime! Thank you to Allison at http://omyfamilyblog.com/ for sharing this beautiful image.

Involutional Milk

When I researched this post, I looked up the definition of “involution.” The results were pretty interesting:
1) “entanglement; a spiraling inwards; intricacy”;
2) “when something turns in upon itself”;
3) “Involution of an organ is the shrinking or return to a former size.”

That third definition is closest to the involution of breastfeeding, which is what happens when your child stops nursing. When you are pregnant, your breast tissue changes, enabling your breasts to produce milk. When your breastfeeding relationship ends, your breasts will revert back to their pre-pregnant state. (5)

Not only will the actual structure of your breasts change, but the composition of your breastmilk will change too. (6) Involutional milk has a lower lactose content than mature milk, but higher levels of protein, fat, and sodium. (7) But what is most amazing to me about the weaning process, is that “some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration . . . during the weaning process.” (8) It’s like our bodies know to give our children an extra boost of goodness! Amazing.

Because your milk changes for the benefit of your child while you wean, it is better to make weaning a gradual, rather than an abrupt, process. Abruptly weaning will deprive your child of these important nutrients and antibodies. (9)

Stay Tuned!

In the final post in this series, I will finally answer the question “what does breastmilk taste like” from a personal standpoint (mine and the readers who commented)!

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*Unfortunately, there isn’t a great deal of information on either transitional or involutional milk. There are either very few studies on them, or the studies are not readily available online or in the library books I found on the shelves. If you have resources with more information on either stage of breastmilk, I would appreciate it.
(1) http://www.americanpregnancy.org/firstyearoflife/breastfeedingoverview.htm
(2) As noted in my earlier post on colostrum, mothers of premature infants continue to make breastmilk that has the qualities of colostrum and transitional breastmilk for a much longer period – up to six months. Hamosh, Margit, PhD, “Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk,” http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/additional_reading/mysteries.html
(3) “How Does Milk Production Work,” http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html; http://www.health.com/health/library/mdp/0,,ue5267,00.html

(4) http://www.health.com/health/library/mdp/0,,ue5267,00.html; Hamosh, Margit, PhD, “Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk,” http://www.americanpregnancy.org/firstyearoflife/breastfeedingoverview.htm
(5) Langley-Evans, Simon, Nutrition: A Lifespan Approach at 105, http://books.google.com/books?id=nxejlilBot4C&pg=PT117&lpg=PT117&dq=involutional+milk&source=bl&ots=jpWibPxJx5&sig=ya548GngQXHpw6Er3Cjc1efwHDo&hl=en&ei=0oBKS9y9IZPCNej9yZAJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CCQQ6AEwBjgK#v=onepage&q=involutional%20milk&f=false
(6) Nutrition: A Lifespan Approach at 105
(7) Prentice, Ann, “Constituents of Human Milk,” http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/8F174e/8F174E04.htm
(8) Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet (citations omitted), http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-benefits.html
(9) Nutrition: A Lifespan Approach at 105

Posted in API Speaks, Breastfeeding | 6 Comments »

What Breastmilk Tastes Like, Part 3

Monday, January 4th, 2010

“What Does a Boob Taste Like?”

This is the third in a series of posts inspired by a strange Google search: “What does a boob taste like?” I have interpreted that query to mean “what does breastmilk taste like,” because really, isn’t that much more interesting?

In the first post, I presented an overview of the four different types of breastmilk: colostrum, transitional milk, mature milk, and involutional milk. The second post contained additional information on the composition of colostrum. This post presents information on mature milk.

If you have an opinion on what breastmilk tastes like, please leave a comment and I will post your thoughts (with a link to your site) in the last post as well. I am also looking for breastfeeding pictures to include with each post. If you have one for possible inclusion, please email me (click on the “contact” link at the top of this page).

Mature Milk

Human breastmilk* contains more than two hundred recognized components, and each is specifically designed to the needs of infants. (1) These components include proteins, fatty acids, growth factors, vitamins, carbohydrates, and other substances. (2) Mature breastmilk contains different amounts of these components than does colostrum, transitional, or involutional milk.

Not only do the components of breastmilk change depending on the age and stage of the nursling, variations also exist within each nursing session, with the time of day or night, and to some extent with maternal diet. (3) And while maternal diet does have some effect on the composition and taste of breastmilk, “a mother’s breast milk is adequate in essential nutrients, even when her own nutrition is inadequate.” The volume of breastmilk is also relatively constant, regardless of maternal diet. (4)

Major Components of Breastmilk

1. Nutrients

The major nutrients in mature breastmilk are lactose (a carbohydrate) and proteins. Lactose is essential for energy and brain development, while proteins provide nutrition and perform a vital function in an infant’s immune system. Both carbohydrates and proteins remain relatively constant in mature milk, regardless of maternal diet. (5)

Some proteins have a “direct antibiotic effect on bacteria such as staphylococci and E. coli” found in the child’s intestines. (6) Other proteins, which change in type and amount throughout the nursing relationship, provide specific immunities and other protection from infections to the nursling. For example, there are certain proteins that actually bind to bacteria and viruses in an infant’s intestines and eliminate them. (7) This awesome benefit is why breastmilk has been called “nature’s vaccine.” (8)

“Breastfed babies are protected in varying degrees from a number of illnesses including, pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to what ever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight diseases their babies are exposed to as well.” (9)

2. Fats

Fats in breastmilk are “essential for neonatal growth, brain development, and retinal function . . . .” Milk fat composition varies significantly with maternal diet; it also “changes dramatically during each feeding . . . .” Interestingly, fat content in mature breastmilk is positively related to weight gain during pregnancy. (10)

During each nursing session, mothers produce foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk (the milk that comes first) is thinner, higher in lactose, and quenches baby’s thirst. Hindmilk follows foremilk and is creamier and much higher in fat. Allowing baby to receive a good balance of foremilk and hindmilk (by allowing baby to empty a breast thoroughly) aids in digestion. (11)

3. Vitamins and Minerals

The amount of vitamins and minerals in breastmilk generally depends on maternal intake. Thankfully, women in developed countries generally do not need vitamin supplements as long as they eat a well-balanced diet. Many vitamin and mineral levels increase indefinitely as the mother increases her intake (e.g., vitamin B6), some reach a maximum level even if the mother exceeds an adequate intake (e.g., vitamin C), and some remain constant even if that means the mother’s own store of the substance is depleted (e.g. folate). (12)

4. Growth Factors and Hormones

Growth factors and hormones play a variety of interesting roles. Some growth factors promote the growth of cells in babies’ digestive tracts; others help seal up babies’ intestines, which protects babies from pathogens and harmful foreign substances. (13)

Each time a mother breastfeeds, she releases the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin decreases heart rate and blood pressure and has a calming effect on both mother and child, which usually results in more sleep for both. The positive benefits of oxytocin last long after the nursing relationship ends: both mother and child are at a decreased risk for heart disease, and oxytocin “reduces the severity of the child’s lifelong reactions to stress.”  (14)

Breastmilk also contains endorphins, which are hormones that act as pain suppressors in an infant. It’s no wonder a baby with a bumped head is quickly soothed at her mother’s breast. (15)

Conclusion

Breastmilk is perfectly designed to nourish infants without supplementation. Even under circumstances where breastmilk contains certain nutrients in lower amounts than formula (e.g., with poor maternal diet), breastmilk’s “higher bioactivity and bioavailability more nearly meet the complete needs of [babies] than do even the best infant formulas.” (16)

In other words, breastmilk is specifically adapted to meet your child’s biological needs. Scientists will never be able to replicate it.

Stay Tuned!

In the remaining posts in this series, I will present more information on transitional milk and involutional milk and the special properties of each. I will also answer the question “what does breastmilk taste like” from a personal standpoint.

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*The information and research available online about the components of breastmilk is overwhelming. In this post, I attempted to give you a synopsis of what I found most interesting, you can read through the cited material that follows to learn more.
1) Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation, Institute of Medicine, “Nutrition During Lactation” at 113, http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309043913 (citation omitted); Hamosh, Margit, PhD, “Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk,” http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/additional_reading/mysteries.html
2) Nutrition During Lactation at 114 (citations omitted)
3) Prentice, Ann, “Constituents of Human Milk,” http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/8F174e/8F174E04.htm (citation omitted); see also
“Foremilk and Hindmilk,” http://www.llli.org/FAQ/foremilk.html
(4) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk
(5) Foremilk and Hindmilk; Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk
(6) “The Essential Components of Breastmilk,” http://www.drgreene.com/21_26.html
(7) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk; Wagner, Carol, MD, “Human Milk and Lactation,” http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/976504-overview
(8) “Nature’s Vaccine,” http://www.naturalchildbirth.org/natural/resources/breastfeeding/breastfeeding12.htm
(9) “101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child,” http://www.promom.org/101/ (citations omitted)
(10) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk
(11) Foremilk and Hindmilk
(12) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk; “Vitamins and Other Supplements for Breastfeeding Mothers,” http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/mom-vitamins.html
(13) “101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child,” (citation omitted); Newman, Jack, MD, “How Breast Milk Protects Newborns,” http://www.promom.org/bf_info/sci_am.htm
(14) Palmer, Linda Folden, D.C., “Nursing: It’s More than Breastfeeding,” http://thebabybond.com/ComfortNursing.html; 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child (citations omitted); “Concentrations and Origin of Oxytocin in Breast Milk,” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3582266
(15) 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child
(16) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk

Posted in API Speaks, Breastfeeding | 1 Comment »

What Breastmilk Tastes Like, Part 2

Monday, December 28th, 2009

“What Does a Boob Taste Like?”

This is the second in a series of posts inspired by a strange Google search: “What does a boob taste like?” I have interpreted that query to mean “what does breastmilk taste like,” because really, isn’t that much more interesting?

In the first post, I presented an overview of the four different types of breastmilk: colostrum, transitional milk, mature milk, and involutional milk. This post contains additional information on the composition of colostrum.

For those of you who wondered why I didn’t answer the question “what does breastmilk taste like” last time, you’ll have to keep waiting: I will answer that question with a more personal response in the last post of this series. If you have an opinion on what breastmilk tastes like, please leave a comment and I will post your thoughts (with a link to your site) in the last post as well. I am also looking for breastfeeding pictures to include with each post. If you have one for possible inclusion, please email me (click on the “contact” link at the top of this page).

Colostrum

Colostrum is the thick, yellowish milk that can start to appear during pregnancy. Before birth, your baby receives the nutrients it needs to grow and develop through the placenta; after birth, your colostrum and milk take over. (1)

“Colostrum is a living fluid, resembling blood in its composition. It contains over [sixty] components, [thirty] of which are exclusive to human milk. It is species-specific, designed for human babies.” (2) Among these sixty components are immunoglobulins, high amounts of lipids, milk fats, and protein, high levels of beta-carotene, and high concentrations of leukocytes. (3) Each component has a specific function to nourish and protect your newborn. Here are a few of the reasons your baby will benefit from colostrum.

1) Colostrum Is the Only 100% Safe Vaccine

As soon as your baby is born, bacteria begin to colonize on his skin and in his mucous membranes. Newborns are more susceptible to the negative effects of bacteria and viruses, but colostrum offers protective immunities. Colostrum is rich in immunoglobulins, which produce antibodies specific to the environment. These antibodies also continue to provide “the passive immunities that were provided in utero by the placenta, such as poliovirus and rubella.”  (4) The high concentrations of leukocytes found in colostrum can actually “destroy disease-causing bacteria and viruses.” (5)

2) Nature’s Finest Painter

Besides producing antibodies to protect newborns against infection, colostrum also protects by helping to “seal” a newborn’s intestines. A new baby’s intestines are very permeable. Immunoglobulins in colostrum “‘paint’ the lining of the infant’s stomach and intestines. These surfaces are then able to defend the baby against viruses and bacteria by not allowing pathogens to adhere to them. Some of these incredible immunoglobulins actually attack pathogens and kill them.” (6)

3) Because You Want to Get Past the Meconium Stage

When your baby is born, her stomach is the size of a marble. This is why she wants to nurse so often – not only does she not eat much at any one feeding, but colostrum is also easily digestible, so it passes quickly through her system. Colostrum has a laxative effect on a newborn, and it will help your baby pass meconium (baby’s first poo).

Passing meconium is important to rid your newborn’s body of excess bilirubin and prevent jaundice. When the meconium has passed, your baby’s stomach will then grow to the size of her fist, and she will start nursing (and ingesting) more milk. (7)

Interestingly, colostrum is not on a supply/demand schedule – the amount of colostrum your body produces is hormonally driven, it is not related to how much your newborn nurses. This is in direct contrast to mature milk: your body will make more the more your baby nurses. (8)

4) Colostrum Encourages Optimal Development of the Brain, Heart, and Central Nervous System

Colostrum is high in several nutrients that assist in the cell membrane production necessary for growth and development of the brain, heart, and central nervous system. These nutrients include sodium, potassium, milk fats, chloride, and cholesterol. (9)

One truly amazing fact about colostrum is that the amount of certain nutrients changes depending on whether the newborn is term or premature. For example, the amount of certain lipids and milk fats are significantly higher in the colostrum of mothers with preterm babies; these substances are vital in helping the underdeveloped newborn “catch up” in terms of growth and brain and retinal development. Some of these nutrients remain at higher levels for as many as six months after a premature birth – our bodies are phenomenally designed to give our babies the perfect nutrition. (10)

5) It’s the Perfect – and Only – Food Your Newborn Needs

“Colostrum is saturated with fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. It is often a yellow or orange color, reflecting the high levels of beta-carotene, one of the many antioxidants present. Antioxidants act as cell protectors in the infant’s body and enhance his immune system.” Colostrum is high in proteins for nutrition and to regulate blood sugar. (11)

Colostrum provides the ideal, easily digestible nutrition that your newborn needs. It protects your newborn from illness and helps develop her immune system. Colostrum is delivered in the perfect amount for your newborn’s tiny stomach – it is measured in teaspoons rather than ounces. (12)

Under normal circumstances, the vast majority of women can breasteed – there is rarely a need to supplement with formula. (13) “[E]ven one supplemental bottle of artificial infant milk can sensitize a newborn to cow’s milk protein. Formula changes the gut flora in breastfed babies by breaking down the mucosal barrier that colostrum provides them. This violation allows pathogens and allergens entry into the baby’s system.” (14)

If you are pregnant and want to give your newborn the best start by breastfeeding, I encourage you to educate yourself and to find support. Attend a La Leche League meeting (find groups in your area here), talk to a Lactation Consultant (most hospitals have certified LC’s), find a local attachment parenting group (try the “Finding Your Tribe” forum at Mothering). All of these resources were invaluable to me and other breastfeeding mothers. And you are always welcome to email me – I will try to give you resources and support or point you in the direction of someone who can.

Stay Tuned!

In the remaining posts in this series, I will present more information on transitional milk, mature milk, and involutional milk and the special properties of each. I will also answer the question “what does breastmilk taste like” from a personal standpoint (mine and anyone who cares to share in the comments).

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(1) Hamosh, Margit, PhD, “Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk,” http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/additional_reading/mysteries.html
(2) Penchuk, Ellen, “The Importance of Colostrum,” http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVDecJan05p123.html (citing Neville, M. and Neifert, M. Lactation, Physiology, Nutrition, and Breast-Feeding. New York, NY: Plenum Press, 1983)
(3) The Importance of Colostrum; Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk; “What Is Colostrum?,” http://www.llli.org/FAQ/colostrum.html
(4) The Importance of Colostrum (citing Hanson, L.A. Immunobiology of Human Milk: How Breastfeeding Protects Babies. Amarillo, TX: Pharmasoft Publishing, 2004)
(5) What Is Colostrum?
(6) The Importance of Colostrum (citing Alm, J. et al. An anthroposophic lifestyle and intestinal microflora in infancy. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology 2002; 13(6):402); What Is Colostrum?
(7) The Importance of Colostrum; What Is Colostrum?
(8) “How Does Milk Production Work,” http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/milkproduction.html
(9) Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk; The Importance of Colostrum (citing Oddy, W. The impact of breastmilk on infant and child health. Breastfeeding Rev 2002; 10(3):5-18; Rivers, L. The long-term effects of early nutrition: the role of breastfeeding on cholesterol levels. J Hum Lact 2003; 19:(1))
(10) Of course premature infants may need to be supplemented to assist in their growth and development. Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk
(11) The Importance of Colostrum (citing Hanson, L. and Korotkonva, M. Breast-feeding may boost baby’s own immune system. Pediatric Infectious Disease Jour 2002; 21:816-821)
(12) What Is Colostrum?
(13) “Still More Breastfeeding Myths,” http://www.kellymom.com/newman/13still_more_bf_myths.html
(14) The Importance of Colostrum (citing Kalliomaki, M. and Isolauri, E. Role of intestinal flora in the development of allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2003; 3(1):15-20;  Ogawa, K. et al. Volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, and pH in the stools of breast-fed and bottle-fed infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1992; 15(3):246-7); see also http://www.kellymom.com/newman/risks_of_formula_08-02.html for other risks of using formula instead of breastfeeding

Posted in API Speaks, Breastfeeding | 8 Comments »

What Breastmilk Tastes Like, Part 1

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

“What Does a Boob Taste Like?”

One of my Tweeps* recently wondered why her site was getting traffic by a curious few who Googled “what does a boob taste like?” I can only imagine that the inquisitive searchers were actually referring to breastmilk, because, seriously – a boob itself tastes much like a forearm, stomach, or a left butt cheek might – like skin. Lick your own hand and voila! – you’ve just tasted a boob.

Now breastmilk, on the other hand, that is much different. Breastmilk is manna from heaven for the nursing set, and for good reason.

This is the first in a series of posts on the composition of breastmilk in which I’m going to attempt to explain what breastmilk tastes like: first from a scientific standpoint, and then from a more personal one.

The Composition of Breastmilk: An Overview

Breastmilk composition is constantly changing. Its makeup and taste depend on many factors, including how and when nurslings nurse, the time of year, where the mother lives, and what the mother eats. (1) Breastmilk contains “growth factors, hormones, enzymes, and other substances that are immune-protective and foster proper growth and nutrition . . . .” (2)

Recent scientific discoveries have revealed that breastmilk is the only adult tissue that has more than one type of stem cell present. The implications of this fact are being explored, but there is preliminary evidence that these stem cells specifically promote bone and muscle growth in nursing infants. Scientists also hypothesize that “a mother’s mammary glands tak[e] over from her placenta to guide infant development once her child is born.” (3)

Breastmilk really is the original super food.

One of the most obvious differences in composition depends on what type of breastmilk we are talking about. There are really four different kinds of breastmilk: colostrum, transitional milk, mature milk, and involutional milk.

Colostrum

Colostrum is the thick, yellowish milk that can start to appear during pregnancy. Colostrum will nourish your baby for up to a week after birth, and it is the only food (and the best!) that you need to give your baby. Your first milk is full of antibodies to protect your baby from illness, it has laxative properties to help baby pass meconium, it “seals” the newborn’s permeable intestines so that there is a barrier against foreign substances, and it is high in the vitamins and nutrients that will give your newborn the best start in life. (4)

Transitional Milk

You will produce colostrum for up to a week after your baby is born, then your mature milk will start to come in. Transitional milk is simply a combination of colostrum and mature milk, and it lasts for up to two weeks postpartum. Transitional milk is rich in “fat, lactose, and vitamins to help the baby regain any weight lost after birth.” (5)

Mature Milk

Mature human breastmilk contains nutrients and vitamins that are specifically designed to help infants grow and develop. (6) And not only does it have the perfect combination of the good stuff, it’s delivered in a liquid that is just right for infants to digest. (7)

What’s really cool about breastmilk is that the composition changes with your baby’s age, and it changes from feeding to feeding and within each feeding. The amount of fat, lactose, and vitamins vary from morning to night and from the beginning of a nursing session (in the foremilk) to the end (in the hindmilk). (8)

Involutional Milk

Once your child begins to wean, your milk changes yet again – this is called “involutional breastmilk.” “Involutional milk is characterized by low lactose content and high concentrations of protein, fat, and sodium.”(9) But what I find most extraordinary about breastmilk is that the amount of antibodies actually increases during the weaning process: your body helps give your child an extra immunological boost before your nursing relationship ends and your child stops getting maternal antibodies through breastmilk. (10)

Stay Tuned!

Today’s post was only a brief overview of each type of milk. In the remaining posts in this series, I will present more information on the different types of milk and their special properties. Stay tuned over the next several weeks, I will be posting more on breastmilk’s composition and taste.

*What do you think breastmilk tastes like? Leave feedback in the comments and I will post your thoughts (with a link to your site) in the last post of this series.
*I am also looking for breastfeeding pictures to include with each post. If you have one for possible inclusion, please email me (click on the “contact” link at the top of this page).

Breastfeeding Kieran when he was a wee 6 month old. (Photographer: Abby, www.blessedlifephotography.com)

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*(@TasteLikeCrazy) Also, omg I just used Twitter slang. Tom is going to make so much fun of me.

(1) Prentice, Ann, “Constituents of Human Milk,” http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/8F174e/8F174E04.htm
(2) Hamosh, Margit, PhD, “Breastfeeding: Unraveling the Mysteries of Mother’s Milk,” http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/additional_reading/mysteries.html
(3) “Stem cells could be the secret reason why breast is best,” http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/stem-cells-could-be-the-secret-reason-why-breast-is-best-1825558.html
(4) http://www.llli.org/FAQ/colostrum.html
(5) http://kids.emedtv.com/breast-milk/breast-milk-composition.html
(6) http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/976504-overview
(7) “The Qualities of Breastmilk,” http://www.nal.usda.gov/wicworks/Sharing_Center/CA/CAquality_breastmilk_E.pdf
(8) http://www.llli.org/FAQ/foremilk.html; see also Constituents of Human Milk
(9) Constituents of Human Milk
(10) http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/extended_bf_factsheet.pdf; see also http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/135/1/1

Posted in API Speaks, Breastfeeding | 14 Comments »