"National Breastfeeding Awareness Day", is breast milk no longer nutritious after 6 months?

Breastfeeding is the best choice for both babies and mothers, and no other food can replace it. Today is National Breastfeeding Promotion Day, and the theme is: Breast milk, the first shot of vaccine for babies.

From the description of the topic, we can know the importance of breastfeeding to babies. In this article, we will talk about the benefits and misunderstandings of breastfeeding.

1. Benefits of breastfeeding

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Persisting in breastfeeding is not just about ensuring the baby's food and clothing, it is also of great significance to both the baby and the mother.

- For babies: Breastfeeding can meet all the nutritional needs of babies before 6 months of age, ensuring healthy growth of babies. It can enhance babies’ immunity, increase their ability to resist infection, reduce the risk of allergic diseases, benefit babies’ brain nerve function and cognitive development, and reduce the risk of long-term chronic diseases in babies, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, etc. in adulthood. [1]

- For mothers: Breastfeeding your baby can help reduce postpartum weight, help restore your baby’s pre-pregnancy weight as quickly as possible, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer in the future. [1]

In addition, breastfeeding also helps the emotional communication between mother and baby.

2. Misconceptions about breastfeeding

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Since many new mothers have no experience and do not understand the relevant scientific knowledge, it is easy for them to fall into various misunderstandings in rumors. The following two are often heard:

-Breast milk has no nutritional value after 6 months?

The older generation always says that breast milk becomes thinner and less nutritious after 6 months.

In fact, breast milk itself is nutritious, whether the baby is before or after 6 months of age, but it cannot meet all the needs of the baby's physical development.

Whether breast milk is thick or thin is not a criterion for judging whether it is nutritious. When the fat content of breast milk is high, it will appear thicker. The fat content in breast milk generally increases rapidly one week after delivery and then remains stable, but there are also individual differences. [2] In addition, the protein in breast milk is mainly α-lactalbumin, which is soluble in water, giving breast milk a thin texture.

Therefore, no matter the color, thickness or density of breast milk, as long as it is milk from a healthy mother, it will be nutritious.

Studies have also shown that breastfeeding for more than six months can reduce the risk of infectious diseases such as diarrhea, otitis media, and pneumonia in infants and young children. Other studies have also mentioned that extending the duration of breastfeeding can reduce the risk of asthma in children. [1]

Therefore, do not think that breast milk over 6 months old has no nutrition. Even if your baby has started to add complementary foods, you should still continue breastfeeding, and it is best to persist until your baby is 2 years old.

-Colostrum is dirty and can’t be drunk?

The older generation believes that colostrum is yellowish, has been stored in the breast for too long and is dirty, so it cannot be drunk.

In fact, colostrum is the breast milk secreted by the mother within 7 days after giving birth. It is the "first gift" after the baby is born and is extremely precious. It is important to ensure that the baby's first food is the mother's colostrum. The yellow color of colostrum is related to the higher concentration of β-carotene in it than in transitional milk and mature milk. β-carotene is yellow. [3]

The protein content of colostrum can reach 20-30g/L, which is 2-3 times that of mature milk. 90% of the protein is α-lactalbumin, and the amino acid pattern is most suitable for infants. It also contains immunoglobulins and cytokines, such as secretory IgA, interleukins, lactoferrin, lipase, lysozyme, etc., which are helpful for the infant's immune system, intestinal maturation and digestion and absorption. [1]

Colostrum can meet the nutritional needs of newborns very well. Don’t waste such a good thing and make sure to give it to your baby.

3. How should breast milk be stored?

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Some mothers secrete too much breast milk and their babies cannot drink it all; some mothers have to work during the day and have no time to feed their babies themselves, so they will express the breast milk in advance and save it for family members to feed. So, how should the expressed breast milk be stored? [1]

①Store at room temperature: If stored at room temperature of 20-25℃, do not store for more than 4 hours.

② Short-term refrigerated storage: It can be stored in the refrigerator (about 4°C) for up to 48 hours. However, if the refrigerator door is opened and closed frequently, it is best to use it within 24 hours.

③ Long-term frozen storage: It is recommended to place it in the freezer of the refrigerator, maintaining -5℃~-15℃. It can be stored for 3~6 months. If it is placed in a freezer with a temperature below -20℃, it can be stored for 6~12 months.

It should be noted that:

-When freezing breast milk, do not use glass bottles to avoid cracking. It is best to use disposable milk storage bags or bottles.

- If you plan to breastfeed your baby, take out the frozen breast milk in advance and thaw it in the refrigerator (no more than 24 hours). The leftover breast milk cannot be stored again.

- Breast milk stored in the refrigerator needs to be heated in warm water before being poured into the bottle.

Summarize:

If you can breastfeed, you must insist on breastfeeding. Formula milk is a second-best option. Prospective parents should also learn more about baby feeding before the baby is born so that they can better raise the baby.

References:

[1] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents[M]. People's Medical Publishing House. 2022

[2] Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou. Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia 2nd Edition (Volume 2)[M]. People's Medical Publishing House, 2019

[3] Patton S, Canfield LM, Huston GE, Ferris AM, Jensen RG. Carotenoids of human colostrum. Lipids. 1990;25(3):159-65. [3] Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol Committee. Human milk storage information for home use for full-term infants. Original protocol March 2004, March 2010. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2010;5(3).

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