The human breast milk is one of the most balanced meal provided by nature as it contains all the classes of food , minerals and vitamins necessary for a child’s nourishment as well as growth. Mature human milk contains 3%–5% fat, 0.8%–0.9% protein, 6.9%–7.2% carbohydrate calculated as lactose, and 0.2% mineral constituents expressed as ash. Its energy content is 60–75 kcal/100 ml. Colostrum being the first milk expressed by a woman in the first few days after birth, is highly nutritious as well as containing other nutrients that are necessary for the nourishment and building up of the immune system. It is also beneficial to the digestive system and its development. As such a cross laboratory analysis of the colostrum showed that Protein content is markedly higher and carbohydrate content lower in colostrum than in mature milk. Fat content does not vary consistently during lactation but exhibits large diurnal variations and increases during the course of each nursing. Race, age, parity, or diet do not greatly affect milk composition and there is no consistent compositional difference between milks from the two breasts unless one is infected. The principal proteins of human milk are a casein homologous to bovine beta-casein, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, immunoglobulin IgA, lysozyme, and serum albumin. Many enzymes and several “minor” proteins also occur. The essential amino acid pattern of human milk closely resembles that found to be optimal for human infants. Possible special functions of milk proteins and enzymes other than as a source of amino acids, are as yet largely speculative. The principal sugar of human milk is lactose but 30 or more oligosaccharides, all containing terminal Gal-(beta 1,4)-Glc and ranging from 3–14 saccharide units per molecule are also present. These may amount in the aggregate to as much as 1 g/100 ml in mature milk and 2.5 g/100 ml in colostrum. Some of them may function to control intestinal flora because of their ability to promote growth of certain strains of lactobacilli. Human milk fat is characterized by high contents of palmitic and oleic acids. the former heavily concentrated in the 2-position and the latter in the 1- and 3-positions of the triglycerides. Fatty acid composition of milk fat varies somewhat with the composition of diet, particularly the fatty acids which it supplies. Phospholipids, amounting in the aggregate to about 75 mg/100 ml, include phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, and sphingomyelin. The principal mineral constituents of human milk are Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, and Cl. Calcium concentrations reported in various studies vary from 25–35 mg/100 ml. Phosphorus at 13–16 mg/100 ml is much more constant but is lower in proportion to casein and calcium than in the milk of most other species. Iron, copper, and zinc contents of human milk vary considerably. A long list of other trace elements has been reported. About 25% of the total nitrogen of human milk represents nonprotein compounds including urea, uric acid, creatine, creatinine, and a large number of amino acids. Of the latter, glutamic acid and taurine are prominent. All of the vitamins, except K, are found in human milk in nutritionally significant concentrations The first 1000 days of a child is very critical, i.e., from conception, pregnancy, 1st year and 2nd year.Intestinal microbiota acquired remains with us throughout life. Adequate breastfeeding provide this microbiola. The Differences between Human breast milk and other mammals’ We will compare human milk with cow milk because it is the readily available milk. There are lots of differences between the protein content of human and cow milk. The cow milk as shown above have higher content of protein (cassein) which is required for the rapid growth of calves. The human baby is unable to digest the protein cassein ( this tells the reason why babies are found throwing up much often) when milk is coagulated using acid or enzyme, cassein separate as a white mass. Cow milk is also found to contain more unsaturated fatty acid while the human milk contains more healthy fat and fatty acid. REASONS WHY BREAST MILK IS BEST FOR BABY 1. It is the most nutritionally sound food you an provide to your baby. 2. It is very easy to digest by the baby’s system. 3. It helps strengthen your babies natural immune systems or defense. 4. It protects the baby from diseases(presence of IgA). 5. It is natural and contains important probiotics (microbiota). ROLE OF A PHARMACIST IN CHILD NUTRITION 1. Check out every child as a potential patient and counsel base on the feeding pattern and weight. 2. Advice mothers on the effects and the need for adequate breastfeeding and in cases where there is absence of breast milk, on the need for the use of fortified probiotic milk as we’ll as right brands to be used. Contributors: Peer Group 7 Pharm. Stephanie Akpojeme, Pharm. Anuoluwapo Odusanya, Pharm. Enyi Augustine Uchenna, Pharm. Akosa Izukanne, Pharm. Oluwadara Akinleye, Pharm. Yusuf Temitope, Pharm. David Somtochukwu, Pharm. Kelechi Nwokedi, Pharm. Ebere Angela, Pharm. Tijesu Folorunsho, Pharm. Ameh John, Pharm. Dinfa Dombin
