Breastfeeding varies between Latte and tea for babies

October 4, 2009 by Baby Chums
Filed under: Baby Health, News

Babies who are breast-fed receive a different milk throughout the day. Scientists say it’s the natural equivalent of Latte in the morning and de-caff tea at night.

A report claims that breastfeeding in the morning gives babies a boost because it contains natural stimulants. Night feeding will help babies sleep thanks to soothing chemical compounds.

Mothers who express milk for feeding from a bottle should make sure it is given to baby at the same time it came from the breast or potentially disrupt sleeping patterns.

Researchers from Spain discovered the chemical make-up of breast milk changes throughout a day.

Researcher Cristina Sanchez said ‘You wouldn’t give anyone a coffee at night, and the same is true of milk.

‘It has day-specific ingredients that stimulate-activity in the infant, and other nighttime components that help the baby to rest.

‘It is a mistake for the mother to express the milk at a certain time and then store it and feed it to the baby at a different time.’

A woman’s body adapts the amount it produces of nucleotides - compounds used to regulate a baby’s sleep or promote activity-Breast milk has three different nucleotides - adenosine, guanosine and uridine - and the combination between them decides whether a baby is restless or sleepy or normally active.

The scientists from the University of Extremadura looked at samples of breast milk taken at eight different points of the day from a group of new mothers.

Breast milk expressed in the mornings should be given to babies at the same time of day so it doesn’t disrupt their sleep

The nucleotide concentrations during the night were at their most sleep-inducing but less so during the day.

NHS experts say breastfeeding gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life.

Research published earlier this year found women who breastfeed are less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, and heart disease.

Other studies have shown breastfeeding helps protect mothers against ovarian and breast cancer, and osteoporosis in later life.

The report was featured in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.