Breast milk

"Mother's milk" redirects here. For other uses, see Mother's Milk (disambiguation).
Two samples of human breast milk. The sample on the left is the first milk produced by the mother, while the sample on the right was produced later during the same breast pumping cycle.

Breast milk (sometimes spelled as breastmilk) or mother's milk is milk produced by the mammary glands in the breast of female humans. Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for newborn infants, comprising fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and a varying composition of minerals and vitamins. Breast milk also contains substances that help protect an infant against infection and inflammation, such as symbiotic bacteria and other microorganisms and immunoglobulin A, whilst also contributing to the healthy development of the infant's immune system and gut microbiome.[1]

  1. ^ Association, Australian Breastfeeding (2017-07-03). "Breastmilk composition". Australian Breastfeeding Association. Archived from the original on 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-01-29.