Breast milk feedings make important contributions to optimal infant intestinal maturation. The current literature provides support for many important benefits attributable to breastfeeding. Breast milk feedings encourage helpful intestinal bacterial colonization and assist in development of the intestinal mucosa barrier. More importantly, breastfeeding provides immunologic properties that are delivered directly to the infant's intestinal mucosa. Breastfeeding also seems to have a protective effect in preventing allergic conditions.