The more we learn about breast milk and breastfeeding, the more the maxim “breast is best” rings true. Breast milk delivers crucial nutrients and antibodies to babies, helping to both protect them against infection and build their immune systems. New findings show each mother’s milk has unique immunity-boosting properties.
New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine shows that a nursing mother’s breast milk contains a unique composition of antibodies. Posted on July 18 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, the study found that a nursing mother’s breast milk “profile” remains consistent in this aspect as long as she is nursing her baby (although it changes to adjust to her baby’s changing needs in other ways). This antibody “profile” remains consistent even through subsequent pregnancies.
