Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for an infant. Breast milk can provide all or nearly all the nutrition an infant needs during the first 6 to 12 months of life. Both the American Dietetic Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics support breast-feeding for the first 4 to 6 months of life. They also support breast-feeding supplemented by weaning foods for at least 12 months. During the first few days after birth, a woman's body produces a fluid called colostrum.
Colostrum is high in protein, zinc and other minerals.
It contains less fat, carbohydrates and calories than breast milk. During this time, the amount of protein and immune factors in the milk gradually decrease while fat, lactose, and calories in the milk increase. By the tenth day after birth, the mother produces mature breast milk. Colostrum and human milk are rich in antibodies and have anti-infective factors. These help protect the newborn infant from viruses and bacteria that the infant was exposed to in the birth canal.