Breast milk contains ingredients in concentrations that change over the course of the day. Researchers think milk is chrononutrition, carrying molecular messages to help set a baby’s internal clock.
Breast milk is far more valuable than the competitors we include in the GDP.
Catherine Constable
As US mothers returned to breastfeeding, the market for infant formula dried up, leading formula makers to seek new markets in developing nations. Here’s how that led to a recent outcry.
Not always simple, but worth it.
Tomsickova Tatyana/Shutterstock
A chemist explains how some molecules in human breast milk help fight infection. Understanding their properties could lead to better infant formulas that share the health advantages of breastfeeding.
Sunrise at noon in the Arctic. Little exposure to sun was a piece of the genetic puzzle.
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve
Why was one gene mutation that affects hair, teeth, sweat glands and breasts ubiquitous among ice age Arctic people? New research points to the advantage it provided for ancestors of Native Americans.
It’s not suitable for women with heart problems, but otherwise is a safe and effective option.
Alex Pasarelu
Domperidone raises levels of prolactin, which increases the production of breast milk. It’s safe for mothers and babies, but not all women will experience the same increase in milk volume.
Employers should be doing more to support breastfeeding mothers.
via shutterstock.com
South African health authorities educate the public about breastfeeding but without supportive legislation and strong communication, it will never be normalised.
Some mothers in countries such as India and Cambodia sell surplus milk to make maternity leave affordable.
Sander van der Wel/flickr
The potential for exploitation is rife in the international market for breast milk. Fair trade and fair pay regulations are crucial to protect consumers in Australia and suppliers abroad.
Deputy Director, Intellectual Forum at Jesus College in the University of Cambridge, and Researcher for the Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University, University of Cambridge