Human milk , a complex food ,provides both nutrition and bioactive components that

confer benefits for the growth , development and health of infants .in recognition of this
the world health organization who , the American academy of pediatrics AAP and health
Canada all recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months of life.(Deborah
L ,Mary F) solid food and breast feeding be continued for the first 12 to 24 months of life
.
Human milk is a unique complex food that provides much more than nutrition for the
infants . In addition to macronutrients and micronutrients , an impressive body of
evidence indicates that human milk contains a host of other components including
anti-inflammatory agents , immunoglobulin, antimicrobials, antioxidants ,
oligosaccharides, cytokines ,hormones , and growth factors that have biological
activities related to development , metabolic regulation , inflammation , and
pathogenesis, The combined effects of these bioactive components may results in the
observed protection that human milk provides breast-feeding infants against infectious
diseases, allergic disorders , and chronic diseases allergic disorders and chronic diseases
with an immunologic basis. Daily volume of milk increases from .50ml on day 1 to
500ml by day 5 to 650ml by 1 month and to 750ml by 3 months . when milk is not
removed either by infants suckling or other means involution of the mammary
epithelium occurs, and milk secretion stops within 1 to 2 days .
Composition of Human Milk
Is complex biologic fluid it is composed of thousands of constituents that are dispersed
through various phases ,including an aqueous phase with true solution (87%), colloidal
dispersion of casein molecules 0.3%, emulsion of fat globules 4% fat globules
membranes , and live cells . milk composition changes substantially as early milk
develops mature milk by day 10 of lactation for example lactose increases sodium ,
potassium , and chloride decreases secrete some degreeby factors such as genetic
individuality, maternal intake particularly fatty acids, vitamins b 12 thiamin, riboflavin
,vitamin b6, vitamin A selenium and iodine .
Nutritional factors
Macronutrients
The protein constituents of human milk provide essential amino acids for growth
,protective factors ( eg immunoglobulin , lysozymes , lacoferrin) , carriers for vitamins
( eg folate ,vitamin D and vitamin b 12 binding proteins) and for hormones ( eg
throxine and corticosteroid-binding proteins ). Enzymatic activity (eg amylase , bilesalt
stimulated lipase ) , and other biologic activities (eg , insulin , epidermal growth
factor ).although the total protein content of human milk is the lowest among species,it is
easil digestible and evidence indicates that nitrogen use from human milk for deposition
of lean body mass is exceptionally high. The nonprotein nitrogen fraction of human milk
comprises more than 200 compounds including free amino acids , carnitine , taurine
,amino sugars and nucleic acid , nucleotides and polyamines. Human milk lipids the
major energy yielding fraction 45% to 55%store as adipose .human milk is a rich source
of linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA) ,both essential acids as well as their

long- chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC_PUFA) human milk contains amylase , an
enzymes that can aid in carbohydrate digestion..
Micronutrients
Human milk contains the fat-soluble vitamins A<D<K and E as well as certain
carotenoids that have varying degrees of biologic activity .
Bioactive components
Fall into functional categories those that protects the infants from disease ,either by direct
actions on microorganisms or by modulating immune functions and anti-inflammatory
activity and those that may help to stimulate and regulate growth ,development and
maturation of the gut ,immune system and neuroendocrine systems in the newborn .
some components may acts through more than one mechanisms for examples lactoferrin ,
a glycosylated proteins that is present in greater amounts in early milk than in mature
milk has broad spectrum antimicrobial actionit shows antiviral activity against herpes
simplex virus, cytomegalovirus and HIV,
A.Catherine R , Benjamin C, Robert J ,Katherine L ,Thomas R MODERN NUTRITION
in Health and Disease 11th Edition 2014 Wolters Kluwer Lippincott Wilkams and
Wilkins.philadelphia.4 months -3g/day wt gain.
Colostrums contains IgA, low fat , low energy density rich in vitamin A,D B 12.