Why is maternal milk important for the immune protection of the baby?
Besides being nutritionally significant, maternal milk participates in the defense of the baby against infectious agents. Soon after delivery the mother makes a more fluid milk called colostrum that is rich in immunoglobulins (antibodies). These antibodies are not absorbed by the baby's circulation but they cover the internal surface of the baby's bowels thus attacking possible antigens and making more complex the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria within the organ.