The nutrients in breastmilk are specifically designed for the human infant and therefore are more easily absorbed by the baby's system. The stools of breastfeed babies are non-offensive because there is less waste from breastmilk. Breastmilk composition changes according to the time of day, and changes as your baby grows, giving him exactly what he needs. Each drop of breastmilk contains white blood cells and immunoglobins which help reinforce the baby's immature immune system. These antibodies are most plentiful a few hours after birth so it is important to feed the baby during this time.
Mother can make antibodies on demand for germs encountered by baby.
If a baby is infected by a germ for which an antibody is not present in the mother, the germ is passed from the baby to the mother by sucking at the breast. The breast in turn produces an antibody for the germ and passes it back to the baby. Body fat of a breastfed infant is different from that of a formula fed infant and specifically designed for the baby. The fat in breastmilk contains high levels of cholesterol which not only help the brain and nervous system develop but may protect the grown adult from having high cholesterol levels. It may also protect against diabetes and childhood lymphoma.