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.

migrating - No, we had wetnurses so it wasn't not able to bf = death for baby! Let's also remember that there is a lot more misinformation around now about bf and a much smaller support network for many mums because we are in a bottle feeding culture.

Milmae, using phrases such as 'the ideal' and bf has 'benefits' put bf on some sort of pedestal rather than accepting it as the norm.

Comeandsit - I would be interested in seeing a link to that if you have it. TIA

just to add comeandsit - that's not breastmilk's fault - it is lack of support and misinformation about bf that has led to that.

what, even for the poor working class?? Somehow I doubt that and I can't see that as being a realistic option in today's society either can you?

And what about the babies who couldn't feed? No amount of wet nursing would help really, don't you think?

I BF both my children but i don't accept your evangelical approach to this

It's looking at both diorreah and respiratory and I don't think you can go by admissions.If a baby is in a smoking family or has a mother who prepares bottle inadequately they're more likely to be there in the first place.

Also only 12% were even hospitalised, 1 % of hospitalisations were due to diorreah and 3% respiratory given that the vast maj of babies aren't even hospitalised it aint a lot.

Sorry but you're stat twisting again.

I'm aware diorreah is mispelt but I can't face looking it up.

The staggering detail there actually bubbleymummy is that there is only a 2% diff between exclusive and partial.
Mixed feeding should definitely be talked about more.

"Do we need to rehash over it unless we are making decisions for a future child?"

Some of us are interested in the subject of infant feeding beyond what's going on in our own homes.

You know - like some people have an interest in education policy, or maternity care - even when they haven't got children at school or a baby to birth.

For those of you who don't find it interesting or worth discussing - don't let the door bang your arse on the way out!

"its an ideal and has huge benefits"

What, like walking is an 'ideal' and has huge benefits as opposed to using a wheelchair?

Or going to the toilet is an 'ideal' and has huge benefits over having a colostomy?

What are the 'benefits' in your view MilaMae?

"I don't get why some studies in child rearing we are expected to treat rationally and with restraint yet others we're supposed to blow up out of all proportion and worry over."

Well I don't think you are supposed to 'blow up' some research out of all proportion.

It's completely up to you what you choose to turn your attention to.

I feel that how a baby is fed during its time of fastest growth and development IS important. Which is why I like to come on threads like this and discuss it - helps me sharpen up my ideas and my argument as to why this is something worthy of public attention.

You obviously don't feel it's interesting at all, or of much significance.

It begs the question why you ALWAYS pop up on these threads rubbishing research which you haven't read and that you clearly don't understand.

What vested interest have you got in spending so much energy on something you think is trivial and pointless - discussing infant feeding?

bubbley -

I'm not doing all this again, I have only been here to offer my support for ALL and I have gained information from many who have debated this with me kindly. That it all. Once again, thank you to whose whom engaged with me in this debate.

MilaMae - it's diarrhoea - hth.

spudulika I actually deal with this on a day to day basis in my work and find the obesessions on here unnerving and odd.

What do you count as an 'obsessive' behaviour on a thread - someone who's prepared to keep coming back and arguing their case in the face of cynicism and contempt?

If not - what do you mean by 'obsessions'?

Cause there are some people who pop up on thread after thread after thread repeatedly justifying their decisions to stop/not start breastfeeding, and rubbishing the evidence.

Like MilaMae.

Would you class that as 'obsessive behaviour'?

I think the point is that if you cant or dont bf then the research will not make one iota of difference to people who have already done it.So the quoting research facts will alwayd cause offence and naturally people will be defensive at the suggestion that they have possibly harmed their child,come on who wouldnt in all honesty?Im sure not one parent has never done something that research has shown is detrimental.Look at all the people who still co sleep after all the sids studies,i personally wouldnt take the chance but have never said that on my ante natal thread as many on there are doing it,i just do what i think is best and allow them to do the same.

Thanks ruby obviously a subject close to my heart.
Thanks for acknowledging that.

...and the people that co sleep will be tutting away at those that have baby in a different room pre 6 months.
Too true Ledkr.
Funny how in real life I have never met such supportive people as new mums but I have also never been on an internet forum as judgey as mn.

conflict drives this forum pomme and it is renowned for holding no punches, you don't need to be here if you don't want to. It is part of the reason why MN is so famous, it is far from dull. AIBU is THE place for debate, it is disingenuous to think otherwise.

Milamae - what on earth do you think I am twisting? I have lifted a quote directly from a study which looked at respiratory infections and diarrhoea separately: "an estimated 53% of diarrhea hospitalizations could have been prevented each month by exclusive breastfeeding and 31% by partial breastfeeding. "

Again you have thrown this 'smoking family' and 'badly made up formula' into the equation. I seriously think I have explained this to you about 20 times in the last month - yes, a baby (any baby- ff or bf) from a smoking family is more likely to suffer a respiratory tract infection. That is not what we are looking at. If you take a bf baby from a smoking family and a ff baby from a smoking family (i.e. the smoking family is the controlled variable) then the ff baby is more likely to have a respiratory tract infection.

pommedeterre - yes, in that particular study the difference was quite small for ebf v pbf for respiratory tract infections but it was more significant for diarrhoea (53% vs 31%)

Didn't say I didn't like it ongakgak :)

true I bet even the most vitriolic MNs are sweet as pie in RL

we all aim to be good enough mothers and we make various health and social choices,inc infant nutrition. attachment, unconditional love,home environment and stimulus all additional factors in upbringing and socio-economic outcomes.

one choice of nutrition (be it ff or bf) wont imbue your baby with enhanced intellect.there is absolutely no adequate research to affirm this

soemthing we can all do is love,
cuddle,
squeeze,
talk,
read to,
chat to
...

good for parents , good for baby

these threads are sad, esp when someone shares a fraught experience of inability to bf and that they feel guilty.

really good mums are not deermined bu mode of feeding .and no feeding mode makes your baby a bigger faster brainbox

i haven't read all this thread but excuse me??

i am intelligent, i am studying an open uni degree (wuth honours) whilst being a single parent and after 2 weeks of agony i couldn't produce enough milk for my daughter - it shows iuntelligence that i could recognise the sad fact, as many other mothers have had to and made the decision regardless of what people like you may think.

is op a troll????

auro - you did try to bf though. (the Op is arguing that you were more likely to try because you were educated) Perhaps if you had better rl support/advice it would have worked out differently for you.

no i tried because i wanted to, my intelligence didn't enter into it no, i just didn't produce enough milk

auro, that could have been down to poor latch - the excruciating pain would suggest that too. It really is awful that people who want to bf don't get the help they need to continue when they encounter problems.

think so yes auro and be carefull,some of the posters on here will tell you that you could have produced milk if you had "persevered" and to some persevere means being in agony for as long as it takes or spending your whole day expressing to the detriment of your sanity,your other children and the enjoyment of your new baby.All because they think it can all be overcome despite them not knowing you or your circumstances and your body.

how about if someone decides to bf dc1 and then decides not to bf dc2,has their intelligence changed?