12 Apr Did you know kissing your baby changes your breast milk?
It may interest you that the irresistible urge to plant kisses all over your baby will also help to boost his/her immune system. Kissing your baby, sweet baby snuggles, smelling their tiny head, and even the spit up that baby left on your shoulder are all ways that your body is understanding everything your baby is experiencing.
That’s how your body can instinctively know how to keep your baby safe. Kissing also strengthens your connection by increasing oxytocin, a bonding and pleasure hormone, in both mother and child. But kissing does more than connect you. If you’re breastfeeding, kissing your baby is one of nature’s ways to help you sample baby’s microbes. This is how your body learns everything it can about how to protect your baby. Your body will take the microbial information and change the composition of your breastmilk to support the baby.
Breast milk is a LIVE fluid that contains a range of germ-killing substances, healthy bacteria, antibodies, white blood cells, antimicrobials, cell wall protectors, and proteins that helps to protect the body against bacteria and viruses.
If your baby is sick, your milk will be flooded with the antibodies needed to keep them healthy. If your baby is going through a growth spurt, your milk will become more fatty. Baby’s need the extra calories to support their growing and learning. If it’s hot outside, your milk will be more watery to quench your baby’s thirst. If you have been exposed to a virus, your milk will include antibodies to protect your baby from any possible infection. You are giving your baby a shield against viruses they have not encountered yet.
The amazing thing is that your breastmilk changes to best support your baby.