'The importance of this recent discovery was revealed to us 14 centuries ago'
From
the moment a baby opens its eyes to this world, its body must adapt to a
new life. Every factor to facilitate this adaptation has been put into
effect during and after the pregnancy. The clearest example of this is
the stage of the formation of mother's milk.
The
formation of the milk is provided by the mother's hormones. The
production of milk is connected basically to a hormone called
"prolactin" produced by the anterior pituitary gland in the brain.
During pregnancy, the progesterone and the oestrogen hormones produced
by the placenta prevent prolactin from being activated and producing
milk. But the placenta is discharged after birth causing the level of
progesterone and oestrogen in the blood to fall; after this, prolactin
comes into action and contributes to the formation of milk. Because of
this communication among the hormones, such a valuable nutrient as
mother's milk is prepared exactly at the moment when the baby needs it.
This is indeed a momentous exchange of information. While the placenta
is in the body, it performs vital tasks but at the right time it must be
ejected. This brings with it a very important development for human
life. In the stages of human creation all the things that take place
complement one another. Certainly, these are clear proofs that every
human being has been constructed by a supreme power.
And
these stages continue after the baby has come into the world. The
production of milk by the mother increases according to the baby's need
for nourishment. In the first days, up to 50 g. is produced; in the
sixth month, the production may be as high as one litre. Those
scientists who have tried to find the formula for mother's milk have
been unsuccessful after long investigations because there is no standard
type of mother's milk. In every mother's body, milk is produced
according to the needs of her own baby, and this milk nourishes the baby
in a way that no other extraneous nourishment can. Research has shown
that the antibodies, hormones, vitamins and minerals in mother's milk
are determined by the needs of the baby.
The Difference Between Mother's Milk and Other Nutrients
The
use of nutrient material other than mother's milk does not completely
meet the needs of the baby. For example, no other nutrient material
contains the antibodies required for the baby's immune system. Cow's
milk is considered to be the classic nutrient material for babies. When
we compare it with mother's milk, we can better understand the
superiority of the latter. In cow's milk there is a higher amount of
casein than in human milk. Casein is a protein found in coagulated
(sour) milk. This material breaks down into larger pieces in the stomach
making digestion difficult. For this reason, cow's milk is harder to
digest than mother's milk. The fact that little of this material is
found in mother's milk makes the baby's digestion easier.
These
two kinds of milk are also different with regard to the composition of
amino acids. Due to this difference in composition, the total number of
amino acids present in the plasma of a baby fed with cow's milk is
greater; the level of some amino acids is too high while the level of
others is too low. This has negative effects on the nervous system and,
because of the higher protein content, places an extra burden on the
kidneys.
Another
factor that makes mother's milk different is its sugar content. In
mother's milk and cow's milk there is the same kind of sugar-lactose.
But the amount of lactose in human milk (L / 7g) is different from that
in cow's milk (L / 4.8g). Besides, the large coagulated particles of
cow's milk pass much more slowly through the small intestine. For this
reason, high amounts of fluid and lactose, which are very important, are
absorbed in the first section of the small intestine. Coagulated
particles of mother's milk (unlike those of cow's milk) pass through the
small intestine easily, and lactose and fluid reach the large
intestine. In this way, a healthy intestinal structure develops. The
second advantage of the great quantity of lactose found in human milk is
that it ensures the synthesis of a material called "cerebroside", which
plays an important role in the construction of the essential structures
of the nervous system.
Despite
the fact that the fat level in mother's milk and cow's milk is almost
the same, the quality of those fats is different. The linoleic acid in
mother's milk is the only fatty acid required in the nourishment of the
baby.
Another
factor that distinguishes mother's milk is the amount and proportion of
the salt and minerals it contains. For example, in cow's milk the
amount of calcium and phosphorus is high; but the ratio of calcium to
phosphorus in cow's milk makes it difficult to digest properly.
Phosphorus can combine with calcium in the digestive tract and actually
prevent the absorption of calcium. Therefore, if a baby is given cow's
milk in the first days of its life, the way can be opened to certain
abnormalities due to a drop of the level of calcium in the blood. 1
Apart
from this, human milk is 50% iron. Because cow's milk contains a much
lower proportion of this mineral, babies fed on cow's milk can develop
anaemia linked to iron deficiency.
Richness
in vitamins is another factor that makes mother's milk indispensable
for the baby. From the point of view of the vitamins they contain,
mother's milk and cow's milk are quite different. Despite the fact that
the level of vitamin A is the same, the level of vitamins E, C and K is
higher in mother's milk. The amount of vitamin D in mother's milk is
sufficient for the baby's needs.
Mother's Milk Protects the Baby at Every Stage
A
baby coming into the world from the protected, bacteria-free womb of
its mother must fight against several bacteria in the external world.
One of the most important features of mother's milk is that it protects
the baby from infections. The protective cells (antibodies) that pass
from the mother's milk to the baby cause the baby to start fighting
against bacteria it had never known before, as if it had actually been
informed. The antibodies contained in great quantities in the form of
mother's milk called "colostrum", which is secreted in the first few
days after birth, perform an especially protective function.
This
protection that mother's milk provides for the baby (protection from
slight infections to very serious ones), is vitally important for the
first few months, and its benefits increase in proportion to the period
of breast feeding.
The
benefits to the baby of mother's milk become more evident every passing
day. One of the things scientists have discovered about mother's milk
is that it is highly beneficial for a baby up to two years of age. 2
The importance of this recent discovery was revealed to us 14 centuries ago:
We
have instructed man concerning his parents. Bearing him caused his
mother great debility and the period of his weaning was two years: "Give
thanks to Me and to your parents. I am your final destination."
(Qur'an, 31: 14)