'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:
وَوَصَّيْنَا
الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ
فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
"Give
thanks to Me and to your parents. I am your final destination."
(Qur'aan, Luqman 31:14)
No comments:
Post a Comment