Benefits of mother's milk in development of infant's nervous system

Investigators at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego, found that babies who get exposed to a carbohydrate called oligosaccharide 2'FL found in breast milk affect their neurodevelopment.

The researchers found that 2'FL is higher in mother’s milk in the first month of a baby's life. 2'FL in breast milk reduces in the sixth month of the baby’s life. As a result, the first month’s breast milk is more beneficial for



neurodevelopment than later months.This clearly indicates that early exposure to this carbohydrate is more beneficial to infants.

Many studies have confirmed the positive effect of breast milk on cognitive development. But the new study identified the composition of breast milk that was causing this effect on neurodevelopment.

The team suggested that mothers who cannot breastfeed their kids can add 2'FL to the nutrition of their babies for better cognitive development.