In physiological terms, babies are the most demanding people on earth. The requirements of infant nutrition during infancy are greater than at any other time in life. Making sure that babies get the best possible infant nutrition in the early years can have lifelong benefits, setting the stage for better health in childhood and even later.

Breast milk is a marvel. It is uniquely adapted to the needs of the newborn and is a complete source of infant nutrition to aid the development and the biological independence of a growing baby. Babies have immature digestive systems, and at the same time an infant’s nutritional requirements are at their highest, digestion and absorption of food is limited by this immaturity. Although infants can digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates at birth, their ability to do so improves as they develop, as the GI tract lining matures and levels of digestive enzymes and stomach acids increase.

The maturation of an infant's gastrointestinal system occurs with the help of many factors. We know that complete infant nutrition is necessary for healthy growth and development and includes vitamins and minerals, hormones and many other components of the diet. The more researchers learn about infant nutrition, the more examples we have of the critical role played by micronutrients. While researchers have indeed identified many different nutrients that play key roles in specific systems and physiological pathways, in nearly all cases, it is the interaction of many different nutrients that determine complete and proper infant nutrition and healthy growth and development.

Making sure that babies get the best possible infant nutrition in these critical early years can have lifelong benefits. Researchers are finding that proper infant nutrition not only supports the foundation of healthy growth and development in the first few months of life; it also sets the stage for better health in childhood and even later.