Mother's milk and immunity. Breastfeeding and immunity Does a nursing mother have immunity?

The topic of breastfeeding in recent decades has been characterized by unprecedented relevance, which is caused by the emergence of many infant formulas for feeding infants.

Undoubtedly, all parents want to raise a child with good health, therefore, from birth, they are responsible for his nutrition and creating favorable conditions for normal development. At the same time, every mother wonders whether immunity is transmitted to the child through breast milk. .

Not all pregnant women are familiar with the concept of “children’s immunity,” but every person is still obliged to have the necessary information when setting out on the path of parenthood. The fact is that it is the formation of children's immunity that determines the child's health for the rest of his life. Therefore, parents are simply obliged to pay due attention to strengthening the child’s body’s defenses.

In the medical field, immunity is usually understood as a unique system designed to minimize the negative impact of external and internal factors on the human body. It is no secret that in conditions of good immunity, a child is less likely to suffer from various diseases and developmental disorders. But against the background of a decrease in protective forces, for one reason or another, various colds and other ailments develop.

Stabilization of the child’s immune system occurs only after three months of age. Until this moment, the body does not produce the necessary immunoglobulins, which, accordingly, must be obtained from the outside.

During the gestation period, the deficiency of this important element in the child’s body is compensated by nutrition from the mother. After the baby is born and in the first months of his life, immunity is formed through breast milk .

Breast milk and baby's immunity

The results of numerous studies give every reason to say that breastfeeding a baby has a positive effect on his health. As medical practice shows, breastfed babies are less likely to experience lung and ear infections, infectious diseases and disorders of the functioning of the digestive system, which cannot be said about children whose parents preferred to feed with special formulas.

Such a high efficiency of mother's milk is quite easy to explain. The fact is that breast milk is filled with antibodies, enzymes, fats and proteins that help strengthen children's immunity.

Of course, leading manufacturers of infant formula try to ensure that their products contain the maximum content of all nutritional components necessary for the normal development of the baby. However, breast milk has a much better composition and is also easier to digest.

So, breast milk contains a sufficient amount of:

Immunoglobulin A, which protects the body from the negative effects of foreign microorganisms and prevents their penetration inside. The habitat of this component is the respiratory tract, digestive tract, saliva, nasal cavity and vagina. This distribution ensures maximum protection.
Lysozyme is an enzyme that, in tandem with immunoglobulin A, provides sufficient resistance to pathogenic microorganisms.
Oligosaccharides. The main functions of this element include preventing the proliferation of pathogens, as well as curbing the development of infectious diseases.
Lipids that have a detrimental effect on bacteria that enter the body, damaging their outer surfaces.
Lactoferrin is a protein that helps destroy bacteria and harmful microorganisms by attaching to the iron necessary for their nutrition.

The composition of breast milk is also represented by such well-known proteins as interferon and fibronectin, which also help strengthen the body's defenses. Thus, it becomes obvious that sufficient immunity is formed with mother's milk .

Breastfeeding your baby strengthens his immune system, but this is not the only positive side of the issue. So, it has long been no secret that the child’s body is too susceptible to allergic manifestations. In addition, we should not forget that childhood allergies are dangerous not only due to the symptoms represented by a runny nose, sneezing and shortness of breath, but can also lead to more serious consequences. We are talking about asthma, which in most cases cannot be completely cured.

Leading experts insist that strong children's immunity is formed from breast milk, which is considered the most effective preventive measure in preventing allergies. Breastfeeding is strongly recommended even if the child’s parents are familiar with allergic manifestations firsthand.

Conclusion!

In order for your baby to grow up healthy, he must be breastfed until he reaches the age of three. This is the best thing a loving mother can do for her beloved child.

The topic of breastfeeding has been raised many times on our blog. Once again I want to touch on this topic. The issue is really important because breast milk is the best nutrition for a baby. This has already been proven by many studies by scientists from different countries.
I have already talked about, both for mother and child. Therefore, now I want to tell you about the importance of breastfeeding for health, in particular for the baby’s immunity.
There are several types of immunity – natural and artificial immunity. Artificial immunity is achieved by artificial means - vaccines or serums, and we will now talk in more detail about natural immunity.
Natural immunity is immunity to a particular disease received by the child’s body from the mother (placental or congenital) or acquired as a result of a previous disease (post-infectious). Natural immunity lasts for a long time.
It is worth introducing several medical concepts:

Antigens – these are organic substances that are genetically foreign to the body (proteins, nucleoproteins, polysaccharides, etc.). to which the body responds with the formation of antibodies or another form of immune response.
Antibodies (immunoglobulins, IG, Ig) are soluble glycoproteins present in blood serum, tissue fluid or on the cell membrane that recognize and bind antigens. Immunoglobulins are synthesized by B lymphocytes (plasma cells) in response to foreign substances of a certain structure - antigens. Antibodies are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects - such as bacteria and viruses. (wikipedia)

The secretion of the mammary gland contains immunoglobulins and associated antibodies to various antigens. For a long time, this function of colostrum and breast milk was not given significant importance, since it was found that breastfeeding does not affect the level of antibodies circulating in the blood of the newborn.
The discovery of secretory immunoglobulins forced us to reconsider the existing point of view on the immunological function of mother's milk. Numerous immunological and immunochemical studies have proven that in the external secretions that wash the surfaces of the mucous membranes of the digestive, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts, the predominant immunoglobulin is the dimeric form (SIgA). The highest concentration of secretory immunoglobulin IgA is found in women's colostrum - 16 mg/ml. Starting from the 2-3rd day of lactation, the level of immunoglobulins steadily decreases. From the 6th day it stabilizes, and over the next 8-9 months of lactation the milk contains 1 mg/ml of immunoglobulins. In the first days of natural feeding, up to 1,000 mg of this immunoglobulin enters the child’s intestines during the day. Further, although its concentration in the secretion of the mammary gland clearly decreases, it remains practically unchanged in the intestine. This is explained by an increase in the frequency of feeding with breast milk and an increase in the volume of its secretion by the mammary gland. When breastfeeding 5-6 times a day, the intestinal mucosa of children in the first months is covered with a layer of immunoglobulins, and most of our immunity, as is known, “lives” in the intestines. In addition to it, human milk contains immunoglobulins of classes G, M and D, although their concentration is much lower than the concentration of SIgA.
The secretion of the female mammary gland contains antibodies to various antigens: enterobacteria, streptococci and staphylococci, as well as enteroviruses, rotaviruses that primarily multiply in the intestines, influenza virus and other microorganisms.
Antibodies in milk and colostrum combine with the mucin layer covering the epithelium, thereby protecting it from foreign antigens.

The body's defenses determine mood, energy, desire and ability to do something, and this is all - quality of life. The immunity of a nursing mother may decrease during pregnancy and then during breastfeeding. How to identify possible deviations? You can improve your health both with the advice of official medicine and with “grandmother’s recipes.”

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Signs of a decrease in the body's defenses

Even during pregnancy, a woman’s immunity decreases significantly. This is necessary in order to tolerate the half-alien genetic material embedded in the baby. That is why all pregnant women are more susceptible to infectious diseases and other manifestations of immunodeficiency than others.

Childbirth, during which significant blood loss occurs even during its normal course, and then breastfeeding - all this continues to “test” a woman’s protective powers. And if you don’t feel sorry for yourself and don’t take the advice of doctors and loved ones, you can unnoticed not only worsen your general well-being, but also become seriously ill later.

Immunity is largely determined by blood cells, leukocytes. Some are responsible for an immediate reaction to the causative agent of the disease, others contain information about the pathology that was once suffered. But their work also depends on the woman’s hormonal background (the function of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands is especially important), on the condition of the mucous membranes (if they dry out, protection decreases), and many other factors.

It turns out that the woman who gave birth obviously has a reduced immunity. And whether this will manifest itself depends on the speed of its recovery.

The main signs of immunodeficiency include the following:

Sign

What happens in the body

Frequent infectious diseases

A woman’s body’s defenses after childbirth are obviously reduced. Depending on individual characteristics, the presence of chronic diseases and living conditions, immunodeficiency can manifest itself in different ways - from periodic herpes rashes on the lips to serious diseases and disturbances in normal life activities.

It is important to surround a woman after childbirth with care, provide her with a balanced diet and good sleep. If necessary, you can undergo an examination and get advice from a doctor on how to strengthen the immune system of a nursing mother with medications. Their independent use may not only not bring the desired effect, but also affect the baby.

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A person’s entire life is a continuous process of studying the world around him. Our immune system is also constantly learning. In order to effectively destroy the enemy, she must know him by sight. When an unfamiliar pathogen enters the body, the immune system carefully studies it and meets it fully armed the next time.

The newborn's immune system starts with a clean slate. In order to get stronger and turn into a reliable shield for the body, it needs to “get acquainted” with all microbes and viruses. In the meantime, while the first training is taking place, the child’s body is protected by the mother’s “experienced” immunity.

The fetus receives antibodies from the mother through the placenta

This has been happening over the past three months. Imagine a state that is at war and sends a request for help to two allies. One ally has an army of one hundred thousand, seasoned in many battles. The other has only a thousand soldiers, and even those are mostly recruits. Whose help will be more effective? Same with immunity.

The amount and types of antibodies that the fetus receives depend on the mother's immune status.

For example, if a woman was ill before pregnancy or was vaccinated, she will be able to provide protection for the child. If you haven’t been sick and haven’t been vaccinated, there will be no protection.

Another example is genital herpes. During childbirth (much less often during pregnancy through the placenta), the mother can infect the child. In a newborn, herpes leads to serious complications, including damage to the nervous system, mental retardation, and death. But if a woman gets sick before pregnancy, the risks are minimal. After all, her immune system has already learned to fight the virus and knows how to protect the baby. Infection in the later stages is much more dangerous: the immune system of the expectant mother does not have time to “learn” and take action.

Mom's bacteria protect baby after childbirth

When a child is born, the first thing that greets him is not obstetricians, but bacteria. The microflora of the mother's vagina immediately penetrates the newborn's body and begins to populate his intestines.

The intestinal microbiota performs many beneficial functions, and one of them is “training” the immune system. In addition, “their” bacteria protect the territory from “foreign” ones. Thus, during childbirth, the baby receives its first “vaccination”.

Antibodies are passed on in breast milk

It has been proven that breastfed children suffer from infections less often than bottle-fed children and recover faster.

There are several types of antibodies, all of them are present in. Most of all immunoglobulins are class A (while immunoglobulins G are transmitted through the placenta). They protect the intestines, because it is through it that harmful microbes often enter the body. Maternal antibodies are selective: they do not affect representatives of normal.

When the mother’s body encounters new microbes, it quickly produces the necessary immunoglobulins and passes them on to the child.

However, it's not just about antibodies. Breast milk contains all the nutrients necessary for the normal development of the baby’s own immunity: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, probiotics. And everything is in ideal proportions.

After six months the child becomes more independent

When a child receives ready-made antibodies from his mother, this is passive immunization. It only lasts for a while. After birth, the level of maternal antibodies gradually decreases and disappears after 6-12 months.

From now on, the baby’s body is left alone with a cruel world filled with pathogens of dangerous diseases. Fortunately, doctors know how to put children’s immunity through an accelerated and safe “young fighter course” so that they can fight back against the most severe infections. They are used as simulators. Such immunization is called active, that is, the child’s body itself produces antibodies; doctors only “teach” it.

At the same time, regular training takes place in the field. For example, insidious ARVI viruses lurk around every corner. There are about 200 varieties of them, and they are constantly mutating and changing.