Human Milk, Nutrition and Infant Development
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2025 | Viewed by 2045
Special Issue Editors
Interests: newborns and infants nutrition; lactation; human milk banking; donor milk; human milk processing; infant development; breastmilk bioactive compounds and microbiota; childhood obesity
Interests: breast milk; oral feeding; prematurity; preterm infants; complementary feeds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Human milk and its impact on infant development is a topic widely discussed in scientific and medical literature, and has highlighted the critical role of breast milk in infant health and development. Mother's milk is regarded as the gold standard of infant nutrition, with research into its composition and effects underscoring its significant nutritional and protective value. Nutrition during infancy profoundly influences health later in life, and substantial benefits are associated with breastfeeding and the use of milk from human milk banks. The importance of breastfeeding cannot be overstated, particularly for preterm infants, though the benefits extend to all children.
The composition of human milk is variable and depends, among other things, on maternal and environmental factors. A key consideration is the bioavailability of its active compounds and their role in optimal infant development. Despite advances in infant formula, replicating the full spectrum of properties found in breast milk remains a challenge, making breast milk the preferred source of nutrition in the first months of life.
In addition to providing essential nutrients, breast milk actively supports infant health by delivering unique bioactive components. It plays a critical role in protecting against infections, supporting neurological development, regulating appetite and promoting a healthy gut microbiota. Research into components such as human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and human milk miRNA continues to reveal the significance of this unique food in human development.
This Special Issue invites original studies, literature reviews and meta-analyses exploring the composition and biological role of human milk in child development, with a particular focus on the following topics:
- The composition of human milk, including donor milk, and its health benefits for infants;
- The effect of human milk on the development of the digestive, nervous and immune systems;
- Challenges in human milk research;
- Human milk epigenetics and long-term health benefits.
Dr. Elena Sinkiewicz-Darol
Prof. Dr. Robert D. Roghair
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- human milk
- human milk processing
- donor milk
- infant feeding
- personalized infant nutrition
- lactation
- human milk microbiota
- human milk epigenetics
- infant development
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