[Natural breast feeding: basic information. II]

Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...

Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.

The female breast is a hemispheric projection of variable size positioned anterior to the pectoralis major and serratus anterior muscles. A fascia layer composed of dense, irregular connective tissue connects it to these muscles.
Each breast features a pigmented projection known as the nipple, through which milk emerges via closely spaced openings of ducts, referred to as lactiferous ducts. Surrounding the nipple is a circular pigmented area of skin named the areola, which appears rough due to...

Enteral nutrition delivers nutrients directly to the stomach or small intestine through a tube. This method is appropriate for patients who cannot eat but still have a functioning digestive system. It is also beneficial for individuals with swallowing difficulties, anorexia, malabsorption, or those who have undergone gastrointestinal (GI) surgery.
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...

Enteral nutrition encompasses various methods of delivering nutrition directly to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, bypassing traditional oral intake. It is particularly beneficial for patients who cannot eat by mouth but have a functioning digestive system. Key methods include nasointestinal feeding, gastrostomy, and jejunostomy, each suited to different clinical scenarios based on the patient's needs and condition.
Nasointestinal Feeding
Nasointestinal feeding involves placing a tube through...

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...