Contaminants in Breast Milk

Contaminants in Human Milk: Risks Against Benefits

Among the more fundamental disadvantages of not being breastfed is a loss of immunologic protection afforded by maternal colostrum, a "pre-milk" fluid secreted only during the first days after delivery, as well as numerous other bioactive factors that help protect the infant through the first two years of life, when the immune and nervous systems are incompletely developed. Nevertheless, given the tendency for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants to accumulate in human milk, researchers and parents alike are asking whether the nursling's exposure to these pollutants might reduce or even override the health benefits.

. . . One of the features unique to primate infants is slow early development of the immune system, during which time energy and nutrients are devoted to the growth and development of other systems such as the central nervous and musculoskeletal systems. According to Sellen [Daniel W. Sellen, nutritional anthropologist], lactation is thought to have evolved around 200 million years ago as a means of transferring the protective functions of fully mature immune systems across generations; all mammals derive essential protection from their mothers' milk.

Lots of info in this article. I suspect that many people overlook the importance of the immunological components in breast milk, as well as the noninflammatory and probiotic properties. These immunological ingredients do not exist and can not be synthesized in any baby formula.

In June, I wrote an article on the topic of contaminants--Toxins in Breast Milk.