In addition...

In addition, mother's milk is protective against sudden infant death syndrome, insulin-dependnt sweet diabetes, allergic diseases, and other chronic digestive problems.[^4] The Value of Mother's Milk in Religious Texts What is perceived from a study of Islamic texts concerning mother's milk is the very important conclusion that mother's milk is the best and the most perfect food for a baby, and that nothing, even other natural animal milks, can be substituted with it.

Besides the attention paid by the jurists in legal texts[^5], the importance of mother's milk has been brought up in hadith sources and many traditions have stressed its importance in the form of short statements related to us from the Infallible Imams.

The Holy Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) describes mother's milk as follows: "There is no better milk for an infant than mother's milk."[^6] Similarly, Imam ʿAli (A.S.) is quoted as saying: "No milk is more blessed than mother's milk for the infant."[^7] Thus, if not saying breastfeeding a baby is an obligation upon the mother – which we will explain later on – it is, at least, recommendable and desirable ( musthab ), which is evidenced by its compatibility with the baby's body.[^8] The First Milk (Colostrum) Colostrum is a condensed liquid with a lemon yellow color which is the first milk excreted from the breast.

This liquid which is called aghuz (in Persian) excretes from the nipples from the second day of childbirth and continues to excrete for five days; during the next four weeks it gradually turns to mature milk.