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.

Can we please stop with the ironic "intellegent"? It is hurting my eyes.

it's an interesting study (linked below) in that the effect seems to last through to aged 14 (which is where they have got to so far).

fascinating.

I read that piece of research too - very interesting.

upsylazy not you obviously.

Hilarious comment on the diameter of the breast being key under that Telegraph article...

boo have you eaten all that cheesecake?

nothing like a bit of cliche on a sunday evening...

I don't geddit [dim]

The UK is just one country.

It is just in this country - and maybe a couple of others - where breastfeeding is delineated along class lines. Yes, it's true that here in Britain breastfeeding is more likely amongst older, better educated middle class women.

But, with all due respect, Britain is not the centre of the universe. Plus, it has a massively entrenched formula feeding culture. Breastfeeding is NOT the norm here.

The are other countries which have a far better breastfeeding culture - Scandanavian ones, Antipodean ones, African and Asian ones - and the benefits of breastfeeding are there for all, regardless of class, since so many more women breast feed.

Also, this is just one point in history. Back in the past, breast feeding was obviously much more widespread, because there was no alternative. Again, the benefits of breastfeeding were there for all to avail themselves of, since so many more women breast fed.

The conclusion that 'breast fed babies are more intelligent because their mothers are more intelligent' stands up only if you just look at Britain, and further, if you just look at Britain at this point in history.

So in other words, it doesn't stand up at all.

Actually, the research looked at bf for at least a week, which is interesting - quite a short time.

jareth, think Trinity was railing over mispellings of pigeons and maltesers.

I'm with you HappyLander, My mother ff, I had to ff after 5 weeks of bf, We're all still top of the class! (pun?) it's what you eat when you are pregnant that counts in my opinion!

comeandsit - your bfing would fit into that study. It's large scale and shows differences at a population, not individual study.

But any of us could find any study which would show that something we were doing was not optimum for our children's development - it doesn't mean that the research is a personal attack or that it isn't worthwhile.

individual level, not study.

The words to consider in the OP are "tend" and "likely".
There is a correlation in the country between socio-economic status and breastfeeding rates.

Oh...you know, I'm going to watch telly instead!

I read about the same study here - it sounds like a case/control study so fairly sound methodology, but without earth-shattering results, I mean it isn't exactly the difference between Einstein and the previous incumbent of the White House, is it?

FWIW I was ff and have a high IQ (but am not high powered in any way so go figure). My DDs were BF for 13 months and are both also very intelligent, but I BF because i wanted to, found I had more milk than the average Friesian cow and was too lazy for the whole faff with bottles, sterilising, getting up in the night actually meaning getting up and all that.

I thought the researchers were very nuanced about the whole thing and put a lot of emphasis on providing better support and help for the women who want to bf rather than getting into a bf vs ff slanging match, and on that topic I can't disagree with them. I had lifesaving help from a midwife who really knew her stuff and nipped problens with positioning and oversupply in the bud, whilst a good friend of mine had s*d-all help from the so-called professionals in here area - that kind of patchiness just shouldn't be allowed.

Yes, bonkers, and it was corrected for in the study.

ironic "intellegent"? You noticed then, I would do a smile but my comp won't let me, fail.

That's true 5Dollarshake, but it would be quite difficult to draw any conclusions on the correlation between breastfeeding and intelligence in, say, 14th century Guam! .

This theory has been discredited twice,only last Jan in fact. It's such a tedious topic.2 or 3 points which could go either way depending on the study is soooo not even worth thinking about.

Anybody with half a brain cell to knows that maternal influence, lifestyle and genes are what is important and make anything else totally inconsequential. A week of breast feeding does not a genius make,come on.

I can't believe they actually pay people to carry out these pointless "studies".

Supposely postnatal depression lowers children's intelligence. I think a mother is better to formula feed and be happy than have postnatal depression.

I love breastfeeding and I think there are many reasons to breastfeed other than a few IQ points. However what is best for my family is not necessarily the best for everyone,

Thank you Habbibu, do they think it could have made a difference? It's encouraging to think that it could, thats all.

My Father is a medical Dr and was FF as were we five children half FF/BF - Many more women did this in the 60's and it was totally acceptable.

I FF my daughter as there is no way I would say she might have been more intelligent if she had been BF. She is very quick and alert and has been walking since 10 months. She never stops! (not that that makes her more intelligent than any other baby but she certainly isnt backward in what you are suggesting!) In other countries as someone mentioned above FF is seen as something done by the rich or those who can afford it. In many countries the mothers simply can't get the nutrients in their own body to produce milk that would give the amount of nutrients that a baby needs. We are just lucky because we live in a developped country and take it for granted.

Many women also choose or have FF because of many different reasons such as medication or illness. In my own instance I will probably be on Heparin/warfarin after I give birth and although I think heparin is safe for breast feeding I would probably prefer to FF again.

Yes

On another note, I wish the the studies reported were the ones that show the million and one other benefits of BF, when the supposed IQ benefit is tiny.

reallytired "Supposely postnatal depression lowers children's intelligence."

Link please?