Your breast milk is important to your baby. Why? Because while his immunity foundation is not yet mature enough, your breast milk provides the extra care he needs to fight off infections and diseases.

Breast milk aids your child’s underdeveloped immunity foundation

Your breast milk contains live cells that defend his little body from harmful organisms. It also contains helpful substances like antioxidants that mute your baby’s inflammatory response (or how the body responds with pain, redness, heat or swelling to an infection or injury). This means your baby gets protected minus all the discomfort. Plus, your breast milk promotes the maturation of your baby’s gut lining, keeping dangerous organisms from attaching to it and doing damage. On top of that, breast milk is very easy to digest, so tummy aches and constipation occur less.

Breast milk allows you to “share” your antibodies with your baby

Your breast milk also contains antibodies (proteins that recognize and kill dangerous foreign bodies) that stimulate your baby to produce his own. So as you nurse, you are producing antibodies against viruses you encounter—and you are actually transferring these to your child via your milk. This helps prevent your baby from getting sick or at least helps him recover faster.

Breast milk strengthens the potency of immunization

Studies also show that breastfeeding enhances the effectiveness of vaccines. Breastfed children showed higher levels of antibodies than their formula-fed counterparts.

These are but a few reasons why breast milk is still best for babies. So mom, remember that when you’re giving your baby your breast milk, you’re actually giving him your very best!