Boffins back Val on breast milk

Breastfeeding supremo Val Finigan has hailed as a step forward new research which backs up claims she has long made.

Val’s persistent message has been “breast is best,” when it comes to feeding newborn babies. And now scientists have discovered that breastfeeding helps babies to develop a more sophisticated palate.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen found the flavour of breast milk undergoes subtle changes depending on what the mother has eaten.

Val said she had long believed that was the reason babies who were breastfed seemed more willing to eat different foods at weaning than if they had formula milk.

She said: “The taste of formula milk never varies, but babies who breastfeed are more used to flavours transferred to breast milk from the mother’s diet.”

Midwife Val said she was excited about the findings, which would help her campaign to promote breastfeeding.

She said: “It’s one thing us telling mothers why it’s best to breastfeed, but it is good that there is more evidence which backs up what we already know.”

Breastfeeding is already associated with increased intelligence, greater social mobility and protection against ill health, and this is another reason to add to the list.

The research was sparked by a study which showed babies enjoyed a meal of carrot-flavoured cereal more if their mothers drank carrot juice while breastfeeding. Distinctively flavoured capsules, including banana, liquorice and menthol, were given to breastfeeding women, and samples of milk given up to eight hours later revealed a detectable flavour of varying degrees.

Breastfed babies were then found to be happier eating meals laced with certain flavouring than those fed on formula milk.

The research was reported in the New Scientist publication.