To think breast fed babies are more intellegent

[thecatamongthepidgeons]

Because their parents tend to be more intellegent not because they were breast fed?
More intellegent parents are more likely to choose to breast feed regardless of any dificulties they face if they think it will benefit their children.

"I agree with you that the OP is making a wrongful assumption that intelligent mothers will breastfeed against the odds"

But length of breastfeeding does correlate strongly with social class and education.

The women who breastfeed longest tend to be the best educated.

Assuming that breastfeeding problems such as mastitis, issues surrounding supply, nipple trauma etc affect all women equally across social classes, it does seem that better educated women are less likely to stop breastfeeding because of any difficulties they might face.

Re: work issues, professional women are both the most likely to return to work, and also the most likely to breastfeed for 6 months +. Women who are least likely to breastfeed, or who who stop the earliest are also those who are least likely to ever have worked before having children.

We should be asking ourselves the question - why should education and social class in the UK have such a massive influence on women's decision to breastfeed and their likelyhood of success with it?

"the bf/socio-economic status thing is not universal but cultural". True!

Re: studies

This is a good place to track down research

here

just seen this

daily fail

lenack, I've spent a lot of time working in university research settings, so it's not blind faith. However, I think that what you're saying is much more nuanced, lenak, and I agree with the problems you've set out. My slightly ranty (sorry!) response to you was largely coloured by annoyance that people seem to think the most basic confounders aren't considers by professional researchers - you'd hope that peer review would have studies like that out on their ears, or even the grant application process.

Yuck, overuse and misspelling of name. Sorry!

I bf all three of my children

2 are very intelligent. One has special needs.

My breasts clearly were not paying attention during much of 1996.

It's my first, whoop whoop !

"I bf all three of my children

2 are very intelligent. One has special needs".

At the most bf adds a few IQ points. Parents wouldn't expect to be able to see the difference made by bf in individual children.

But you knew that didn't you?

It was a joke.

Sorry Pagwatch.

It's just there are so many other posts that say the same that aren't joking!

I was just about to add a for your comment Pagwatch so don't despair!

We should be asking ourselves the question - why should education and social class in the UK have such a massive influence on women's decision to breastfeed and their likelyhood of success with it?

Because (and this is of course a huge generalisation) education women of middle or higher social class are much more likely to:

a) ask for help and be more assertive in asking for that help
b) be listened to by professionals
c) to have done more independent research i.e. books, internet and know what is available and therefore more likely to question attitudes that some professionals may have.
d) have peer support from friends relatives who have breastfed.

educated not education

lenak I think d is critical. I live overseas, in HK where overall bf rates are pitifully low (due partly to cultural factors, partly due to v short mat leave provision and very cheap childcare).

However, amongst the western expat population, bf rates are extremely high- I would guess close to 80% bf at 6 mths. Why? Because immigration restrictions mean that the western expat population comprises almost entirely the subgroup in the UK who are most likely to bf and they hang around together- going to the expat meet ups etc.

This becomes self fulfilling because when you go to a baby group/ baby class, nearly everyone is bf, so it is easier for you to do it and you have friends with slightly older children who bf etc etc. and tell you where all the "bf friendly" places are, give you advice etc

I am surprised you were to bf what with yer head jammed so far up yer arse.

I was formula fed.

I had a secondary school reading age by the time I was three.

My mum just didn;t like the idea of bfing

Spudulika But length of breastfeeding does correlate strongly with social class and education.

The women who breastfeed longest tend to be the best educated.

Assuming that breastfeeding problems such as mastitis, issues surrounding supply, nipple trauma etc affect all women equally across social classes, it does seem that better educated women are less likely to stop breastfeeding because of any difficulties they might face.

Really interesting - I stand corrected! I would fit to that demographic as I would be one of those people who did BF for over 6 months despite numerous problems, although I know I am in a minority amongst my equally intelligent friends. I think a lot of it is about the support you have access to too.

It's my first also!

I thought it was funny Pag, not about your gorgeous DS2 obviously, but breasts not paying attention in the second half of the nineties.

I wonder what they were up to?

Habbibu, but have you considered that maybe the differences in outcomes are down to the differences in demographic of those who bf vs those who don't?

:o

KnittedBreast is right to a point - poverty leads to poor outcomes for children. That isn't really under debate.

yy, lenak - also d explains why the socio-economic status and bf correlation isn't global - normalisation across society = increased social support.

ho ho very 'intellegent' spelling there..deliberate?

I was only BF until 6 weeks. Is that why I have 10 GCSEs, 4 A levels, a degree and a DIP RSA?

Maybe if I'd been BF longer I'd have a masters too

Oh and both my mum and dad don't have any educational qualifications. They weren't BF so they must be fick.

So how's that work then?

I think if people read the entire post they would see the OP was not putting down formula feeds but actually saying it made no difference to intelligence.
The few IQ points between results are hardly significant as tests taken at different times would also be differnt by a few points.
Personally I think it odd how those who CHOOSE to FF ignore results of studies if it suits their life style and get so defensive if they think they are being judged even if they are not.
Of course the Mums who can not BF should not be judged they are doing the best they can for their babies.

feeders