Nutritional Aspects

Colostrum Benefits

1. Colostrum contains immune substances, especially IgA to protect infants from various infectious diseases, especially diarrhea.
2. The number of colostrum produced varies depending on the suction the baby on the first days of birth. Although a bit but enough to meet the nutritional needs of infants. Therefore, colostrum should be given to the baby.
3. Colostrum contains proteins, vitamin A and contains high-carb and low fat, so according to the nutritional needs of infants in the first days of birth.
4. Helping out the meconium of the first stools greenish black color.

The composition of breast milk

1. Breast milk is easily digested, because in addition to containing the appropriate nutrients, also contain enzymes to digest nutrients contained in the milk.
2. Breast milk contains nutrients useful quality for growth and development of intelligence infants and children.
3. In addition to a high protein, milk has a comparison between Casein Whei and appropriate for babies. Whei with Casein ratio is one of the benefits of breast milk compared to cow's milk. Breast milk contains more whey is 65:35. This causes the protein composition of breast milk is more easily absorbed. While cow's milk has a ratio of whey: Casein is 20: 80, so not easily absorbed.

Composition of Taurine, DHA and AA in breast milk

Taurine is a kind of second amino acid in breast milk that most function as neuro-transmitter and play an important role for the maturation process of brain cells. Experiments on animals showed that taurine deficiency will result in interference with the eye's retina.

Decosahexanoic Acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) is an unsaturated fatty acid chain length (polyunsaturated fatty acids) required for the formation of brain cells is optimal. The amount of DHA and AA in breast milk is sufficient to ensure growth and intelligence of children. Besides that DHA and AA in the body can be formed / synthesized from its constituent substance (precursor) of each of Omega 3 (linolenic acid) and Omega 6 (linoleic acid).

Immunological Aspect

1. Breast milk contains anti-infective agents, clean and free of contamination.
   Immunoglobulin A (Ig.A) in the colostrum or breast milk levels are quite high. Secretory Ig.A not absorbed but can cripple a bacterial pathogen E. coli and various viruses in the digestive tract.
2. Lactoferrin is a protein which is a component of the immune substance which binds iron in the digestive tract.
3. Lycosim, an enzyme that protects babies against bacteria (E. coli and salmonella) and viruses. Lycosim amount in breast milk 300 times more than cow's milk.
4. White blood cells in the breast milk in the first 2 weeks of more than 4000 cells per mile. Consists of 3 types namely: Brochus-Asociated Lympocyte Tissue (Balt) antibodies Respiratory, Asociated Lympocyte Gut Tissue (GALT) antibody airways, and Asociated Lympocyte Mammary Tissue (MALT) antibodies breast tissue.
5. Bifidus factor, a type of nitrogen-containing carbohydrates, supporting the growth of Lactobacillus bifidus bacteria. These bacteria maintain the acidity of the gut flora of infants and useful to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria

Psychological aspects

1. Confidence for breastfeeding mothers: that mothers can breast milk production is sufficient for the baby. Breastfeeding mothers are influenced by emotions and love saying the baby will increase the production of hormones, especially oxytocin, which in turn will increase milk production.
   
2. Mother and Infant Interaction: The growth and psychological development of infants depends on the unity of the mother-baby.
3. The influence of direct contact mother-infant attachment: the bond of love the mother-baby occurs due to various stimuli such as touching the skin (skin to skin contact). Baby will feel safe and satisfied because the baby feel the warmth of the mother's body and heard the mother's heartbeat has been known since the baby still in the womb.

Intelligence Aspects

1. Mother-infant interaction and content of the nutritional value of milk is needed for the development of the nervous system of the brain that can improve infant intelligence.
2. Research shows that the IQ of breast-fed babies have a 4.3-point IQ points higher at age 18 months, 4-6 points higher at age 3 years, and 8.3 points higher at age 8.5 years, compared with infants not given breast milk.

Neurological Aspects

1. With breast sucking, swallowing neural coordination, sucking and breathing that occurs in newborns can be more perfect.

Economic Aspects

With exclusive breastfeeding, mothers do not need to pay for baby food to 4-month-old baby. Thus it will save the household expenditures for buying formula and equipment.

Delays Pregnancy Aspect

With exclusive breastfeeding can delay menstruation and pregnancy, which can be used as a natural contraceptive commonly known as lactation amenorrhoea method (LAM).