The importance of breast milk

Breast milk is more than food. It’s an adaptive form of medicine which changes in reaction to differing needs. Is the baby male or female? Premature or full term? First child or not? Survival needs or abundance? Illness or health? This researcher, Katie Hinde's discoveries are mind blowing!

Below is a summary of some of the key research performed by Katie Hinde and what they learned. This opens up many interesting discussions around the vital importance of milk production for babies. It also illuminates why pregnant women need greater support and stress reduction, in order to support a babies behavioural development and temperament.

I regularly assist women in increasing breast milk production, and also with preconception detoxes to reduce the toxicity they may pass to their babies in the hind milk. Click on this link if you would like to book an appointment.

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Research by Dr. Katie Hinde — Summary of Key References

 Sex-Biased Milk Composition

Hinde & Capitanio (2007)

Current Biology

– First-time rhesus macaque mothers produce higher-energy milk for sons.

Hinde (2009)

American Journal of Human Biology

– Sons receive richer milk; daughters receive more volume.

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 Individual Variation in Milk

Hinde (2009)

American Journal of Physical Anthropology

– Large natural variation in milk fat, protein, and energy among rhesus macaque mothers.

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 Milk Cortisol & Infant Temperament

Hinde et al. (2011)

Developmental Psychobiology

– Cortisol levels in milk predict temperament in male infants, but not females.

Hinde et al. (2015)

Behavioral Ecology

– Milk cortisol across lactation reflects maternal life history and shapes infant behavioral development.

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 Bioactive Components & Infant Outcomes

Hinde, Milligan & Martínez-Malagón (2016)

American Journal of Primatology

– Bioactive compounds (growth factors, hormones, etc.) vary with maternal and infant characteristics and predict infant growth.

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 Milk & Immune Response (Related Field Evidence)

Hassiotou et al. (2013)

Clinical & Translational Immunology

– Immune cells in human milk dramatically increase when mother or infant is sick (retrograde flow mechanism).

(Not Hinde’s study, but supports concepts discussed in her work.)

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 Lactation & Infant Development (Book Chapter)

Hinde (2012)

In Building Babies

– Review of how milk composition programs infant growth, immunity, and behavior.