The artificially-fed baby gets none of that advantage. Human babies usually survive without colostrum since they receive antibodies from their mother across the placenta, but the immunity received that way is not as durable or reliable. Most familiar domestic animals cannot survive without colostrum. After all, we have antibiotics and immunizations for many diseases. Even in the 1990s, over a million babies die of diarrhea and dysentery every year around the world, largely because of feeding formula mixed with polluted water.
P is for the Psychological benefits afforded by mother's milk.
Here I refer to more than the obvious fact that nursing fells good and creates a bond between mother and baby that is one of the keystones of all human behavior. It has been known for generations that breastfed infants have higher IQ's, usually about 8-10 points in most studies. It has been assumed by most that the difference comes from the way nursing mothers handle their babies, since we know how important touching and other stimulation are in assuring full brain functioning. More recent studies have shown, however, that the greater intelligence of breastfed babies comes from some ingredient in the milk itself, probably a type of fatty acid that is not found elsewhere P is for the Physical benefits that nursing imparts to the mother. The hormones that encourage milk production also expel the placenta and control bleeding after delivery.