The mother’s immune system serves as the baby’s immune system, especially for the first six months during exclusive breasfeeding.  Breastfeeding and human milk fills an “immunologic gap” between the time when placetnally acquired immunity protects the fetus before brith, and approximately age three to four when the child’s own immune system is robustly fuctional.  Current global reccomendations are: immediate breastfeeding in the first half hour of birth; exclusive breast feeding for six months, followed by breastfeeding with complementary foods for two or more years.  There are multiple mechanisms whereby milk componenets protect the nursling: active attack of pathogens, including: inactivation, binding and destruction; binding nutrients needed by pathogens, creating an inhospitable milieu for pathogen growth and reproduction; and enhancing growth, activity, effectiveness, and maturation of the infant’s own immune system.  The mother’s secretory immune system provides targeted protection against pathogens to which she or the baby has been exposed.  The lymphcytes provide additonal protection in the infant’s gut.  Milk contains soluble components with ummunologic properties and living cells that are immunologically specific.  Non-breastfeeding human infants experience and acquired imunodeficiency that increases the risk of infections and other diseases.  The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and ummuonmodulating agents in human milk are multi-functional, act synergistically and compensate for developmental days in the infant.  Breastfeeding is strongly protective against allergys, delaying the onset and lessening of symptoms in the child.  Dietary prophylaxis during pregnancy and exclusive breastfeeding for six months is reccomended.  Breastfeeding avoids infant exposure to dietary allergens and slows or prevents absorption of all allergens through the gut.

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