breastfeeding

[annem]

Today i've read an article 'Breast Milk Boosts Babies' Brain Power'

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200711 ... dbed5.html

have you noticed that your baby is more clever or less ill due to breast milk?

I'm stressing as i've been told i may not be able to breast feed and everywhere i look it goes on about how great it is. I even heard an advert for breast feeding at the dentist yesterday! I've seen no adverts for formula since being told i may not be able to breastfeed

 

[Hellokitty]

Thats an interesting article, I'm not sure about IQ, its not something I think you can measure at this early stage. I do think bf babies tend to pick up less bugs in the very early weeks, but I think it probably levels out after a few months. Difficult to say without proper scientific measurements.

The last few sentences are especially interesting, particulary for those of us that bottle feed...

"Our findings support the idea that the nutritional content of breast milk accounts for the differences seen in human IQ.

"But it's not a simple all-or-none connection. It depends to some extent on the genetic makeup of each infant."

Since the first findings about breastfeeding and IQ appeared a decade ago, many infant formula makers have started adding fatty acids to their products.

However, the two groups of children taking part in the gene study were born before fatty acid supplementation of infant formula began

It would be interesting if they could repeat the experiment in a few years.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I am reasonably sure that the fact that I have and still am breastfeeding Ellie she has had less illness, than if I wasn't. She is in nursery (has been since 5months old) and so is subject to a lot of general bugs etc. Yet by some miracle aside from minor colds she has only had 1 stomach bug and 1 bad viral infection. Fingers crossed and I hope I haven't just jonxed it. However this is not a controlled study and I don't have anything to really compare to as she is not 1 of twins where I was bottle feeding the twin (if that makes any sense).

Please don't stress about it though, if you can't breast feed then you can't and there are lots of very healthy, intelligent babies / people who weren't breastfed.

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Just read the article properly are note:

Since the first findings about breastfeeding and IQ appeared a decade ago, many infant formula makers have started adding fatty acids to their products.

However, the two groups of children taking part in the gene study were born before fatty acid supplementation of infant formula began.

 

[Squiglet]

Tia's bright... but then I wouldn't say she was any more intelligent than most of the kids in her class...She struggles with the same things as most kids do, although, she's a fast learner... She seems to struggle with things then all of a sudden it comes to her over night... now if feeding a baby boobie milk was related to walking then I'd have to say YES... it does improve it as she walked at 9 months. But other than that I don't know.

Breast milk might give a kid a good head start but if you look at it 8 years later then it might not be true.

I know I was breast fed and I never found school difficult and got into private schools on scholarships, but I think that's more inherited from my Grandmother and father who have always been whizzes academically although their lives meant they didn't get many choices... My grandmother was forced to stay at home, get married etc. Girls didn't go to uni then.

If you can't breast feed hun, you can't... please don't get worried about it. If your child is going to be a genius it will be through genetics not breast milk. And I can assure you that 99.99% of all mothers who breast feed won't have genius children.

Give your LO and healthy diet (lots of fruit and veg) and lots of love and they will excel in their work regardless.

 

[Freya]

Hi,

Don't stress. It is true breast is best! BUT I couldn't breast feed However my daughter is the brightest in her class (in fact she was the youngest in her intake last September but still the brightess). I think lots of factors come into intellignece including a language rich environment, lots of stimulus from parents etc.

The same with illness she has been no more / no less ill than her peers (she has had the usual chicken pox etc but nothing else major). Once again ensure everything is properly sterliesd and you should be fine.

Good luck with everything

 

[valentine]

I've seen no adverts for formula since being told i may not be able to breastfeed

It is illegal for companies to advertise formula for babies under six months, I think.

Good luck with everything - and if you are struggling with any aspect of feeding (breast/bottle/mixed/weaning etc) - remember to ask on this part of the forum for advice and support - I've found it really helpful.

Valentine Xxx

 

[clairescunny55]

i breast fed millie until she was 10 months old, and she is very very bright, health visitor came yesterday and she said shes doing things a 4 year old should be doing. whether this is due to being breast fed..who knows?

 

[budge]

Today i've read an article 'Breast Milk Boosts Babies' Brain Power'

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200711 ... dbed5.html

have you noticed that your baby is more clever or less ill due to breast milk?

I'm stressing as i've been told i may not be able to breast feed and everywhere i look it goes on about how great it is. I even heard an advert for breast feeding at the dentist yesterday! I've seen no adverts for formula since being told i may not be able to breastfeed

not sure if BF babies are more intelligent than bottle fed babies. im not interested in other babies so i don't ake much notice
I think they have better complexions as babies and are less fat than bottle fed ones on average.
Non of my kids have had very serious illness' either and non have allergies that i know of. But that could be the case even if they were bottle fed.

you should try and breastfeed your babies at the very least.

It is on the whole the best thing for them in most cases. The milk you produce is made specially for your baby so what could be better ???

 

[annem]

Thanks everyone, you've made me feel a lot better about it. Hopefully i will be able to breastfeed, its just not very nice thinking you don't have a choice.

Thanks valentine, i'm sure i'll be in that section a lot! I just had not seen any adverts for any formula (not a bad thing though). It just seems one of those things that everywhere i look at the mo it makes me feel bad about maybe not being able to breastfeed.

Nicky_Jones thanks for pointing that out. I'll just have to find formula with fatty acids.

As you say Squiglet i can still feed her well on healthy food when i wean her.

Thanks again everyone, its made me feel a bit more positive!

 

[Freya]

babies are more intelligent than bottle fed babies. im not interested in other babies so i don't ake much notice


That is so true - I hate this comparison thing that mums do between their babies. I know some of it is natural but some mums are way too competitive even at a very early age - not good.

 

[trixipaws]

my daughter is breast-fed but its hard to tell how intelligent she is at only 5 months lol! she did roll at 2 months and shes so close to crawling already but i cant say if that has anything to do with what she's fed.

she hasnt been ill yet, has a beautiful complexion and no rolls of fat or dimples, but again i cant say for sure its because she is breast-fed.

breast is definately best hun, but formula is not rat poison and u certainly will NOT make ur baby mentally challenged by formula feeding.

if u cant (or dont really want to) breast feed dont feel bad, and no-one should make u feel bad.