For baby, a breast-milk cappuccino in the morning

London: Breast-fed babies receive a different milk drink depending on the time of day - the natural equivalent of cappuccino in the morning and Horlicks at night, say scientists.

Breast milk delivered in the morning gives infants a pick-me-up because it contains natural stimulants.

But the night-time version will help babies sleep thanks to calming chemical compounds, a report claims.

This means mums 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 - otherwise it could disrupt sleeping patterns. The report in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience might explain why some babies sleep or become active at odd times of day or night when working mothers express milk for use later in the day.

Spanish researchers discovered the chemical make-up of breast milk changes across a 24-hour period.

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."