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.

ARGH. Nobody, but NOBODY is saying that FF makes children "backward".

Excellent link, Jareth. I did have a blank moment before cottoning on...

comesit - yes, but a couple of points only at popn level. Other benefits of that duration of bf will have been more significant.

ARGH. Nobody, but NOBODY is saying that FF makes children "backward

• Just less forward than BF babies!

Sorry too busy scoffing cheesecake to come back. But yes delicious. Thank you Hubby done well. Will ask mil if he was BF!!!

But Noddy, it's a small difference, and not a stick to beat formula feeders with. Like I said, there are studies which will throw up things for everyone where they could do something "more optimal" for their children's development at at population level - it doesn't mean a lot of anything at individual level.

All of you who are saying you didn't breast feed/weren't breast fed because of difficulty are really missing the point!

But YABU. I was breast fed BUT chose not to breast feed...because I didn't want to , take a minute to work that one out!!!

True Habbibu, I just don't like using the word 'intelligent' for this argument. There is a hell of a lot more important things that contribute to a childs development than FF or BF.

The OP does have a point: women from higher socio-economic groups are more likely to BF. women from higher socio-economic groups are more intelligent on average.

These observations are based on large cohorts not individuals, so swaying that you were FF and brilliant doesn't change this.

IWouldNotCouldNotWithAGoat - of course not, so instead, why not try to draw conclusions from one of the many countries which has a breast-feeding culture? I.E. One that doesn't tend to just have middle class Mums who breastfeed?

Then it would be clear to see that the benefits of breastfeeding are there for all, not just for the better off.

Do you understand what I am getting at...?

The reason one could try to claim that breast fed babies in Britain would be better of anyway since their Mums are more intelligent, is only because in Britain (unlike many other countries) so few women b/feed, and those who do are the more intelligent middle class ones.

In other countries - the vast majority of women breastfeed; not just more intelligent, middle class women, and yet regardless of this, the benefits of breastfeeding (including intelligence) are there for all.

Abride, modern studies correct for this, so she doesn't have a point, really. If she'd said, "it's quite small and not as relevant as other factors" then she'd have had a point.

I am supposed to be studying. I suspect that's why I'm glued to this thread

"The reason one could try to claim that breast fed babies in Britain would be better of anyway since their Mums are more intelligent, is only because in Britain (unlike many other countries) so few women b/feed, and those who do are the more intelligent middle class ones."

I hate that attitude.

Abr1de - Women from higher socio economic groups are more likely to breastfeed in Britain.

This is the point I keep trying to make. In other countries, it is not only women in higher socio economic groups who breast feed, but everyone (of at least the vast majority) who do.

So the higher socio economic argument simply does not stand up, if everyone is doing it.

We are talking about Britqin, aren't we?

But you can't draw any conclusions AT ALL if you only look at one country. And not only that - one country (i.e. Britain) which has a formula feeding culture!!!!

Why is this so difficult to understand?

5 dollar the rather pointless study was done on British women not women from all these other countries so I don't get your point.

This whole subject is completely and utterly pointless,there are far more important things which have a far bigger impact on intelligence to worry about.

Jareth - it's not an attitude. It's a fact.

Like it or not - research and statistics show that breastfeeding in Britain is far more common amongst older, better educated, middle class women.

"The reason one could try to claim that breast fed babies in Britain would be better of anyway since their Mums are more intelligent, is only because in Britain (unlike many other countries) so few women b/feed, and those who do are the more intelligent middle class ones."

I hate that attitude

I agree!

1)There are plenty of very dull middle class mums who are not as intelligent as they think they are just because they married a banker or their daddy was a Vicar!

2)Class does not make you intelligent. You may have more opportunities and role models but there are plenty of working class people who are just as and more intelligent who go places without this help.

It was the way you phrased it.

"so few women b/feed, and those who do are the more intelligent middle class ones" is offensive

" Women from higher socio economic groups are more likely to breastfeed in Britain." is more accurate.

It's the insinuation that if you're anything other than middle-class you're too stupid to realise the benefits of BFing.

YABU

MilaMae - exactly - the study was done on British women. Let me try to spell it out...

1. Britain has a formula feeding culture; the vast majority of women formula feed

1. Those who do breast feed tend to be older, bette educated, middle class women (note I say tend to be)

1. Therefore, if you look at Britain alone, it would be easy to draw the conclusion that breast fed babies would be more intelligent anyway, since they are likely to be born to women who are intelligent themselves

1. But - it ignores the fact that Britain is not only one country in the whole of the world, but just one country at this point in history.

1. if you look at the overall, worldwide picture, including countries where everyone - or at least the vast majority of women - breastfeed, you will see that the benefits (including, allegedly, intelligence) are there for all, not just those of a higher socio economic standing.

Does this make sense??

5dollar, stop assuming people are idiot. We can read and know what you're trying to say. Chill.

well done me.. typo in my 'i'm not an idiot' post

You know what I meant :)

I think Jareth has a point there.