1. Nutritional
• Meets infant nutritional requirements.
  
• Changes in composition to meet infants changing needs.
  
• Easily digested and effectively used.
  
• Species-specific.
  
2. Infant’s health
• Protects against illness.
  
• Reduces allergies.
  
• Protects against infections.
  
• Provides long-term protection against diabetes and cancer.
  
3. Mother’s health
• Reduces bleeding after delivery.
  
• Promotes involution of the uterus following delivery.
  
• Reduces risks of pre-menopausal ovarian and breast cancers and osteoporosis.
  
• Delays ovulation.
  
• Protects against anaemia and pregnancy.
  
4. Psychological
• Fosters mother-infant bonding.
  
• Provides emotional and psychological wellbeing for both mother and infant.
  
5. Economic
• Saves families the cost of purchasing breast milk substitutes.
  
• Reduces health care costs.
  
• Saves time.