Breastfeeding in the news this morning

[Jackieharris]

From what I heard on the radio a Brazilian study has linked breastfeeding with intelligence & 'success' later in life.

I've not read the study or seen any details so not sure about validity/is it applicable to UK/how long the sample bf for etc.

But I did also hear that in Scotland the bf rate at 10 days is less than 50%. I'm quite shocked at that. I'd have guessed it would be more like 70-80%.

Can't see this study/news changing that though.

What are the chances of GO announcing spectacular new investment in bf support in today's budget?

"I bf and ff,frankly it has made diddly squat difference to my dc like it made diddly squat to me,my mother etc."

You have absolutely no idea how breastfeeding or not breastfeeding has impacted (or will impact) on the health and development of your individual children.

None of us do. Ditto many other lifestyle choices which usually have no observable sequelae, such as drinking and smoking in pregnancy, or eating a poor diet in pregnancy.

Hence the need for research.

It's not clear what sort of cyst this was - abscess? tumour? blocked duct? galactocele? I have never heard of a baby dying from poisoning after a cyst of any sort related to breastfeeding and sometimes, the details surrounding terrible tragedies like this become unclear in the recounting, so it's just not possible to comment on it.

Beloved there is scorn re any neg research against bfing and co-sleeping.The hypocrisy always makes me laugh.

And what my familiy was fed as babies has made diddly squat difference,sorry to disappoint.All healthy living into 90s, bright degree level educated.Not entirely sure what we should be gnashing our teeth over.

I think the point is that no one can tell, in individual cases, what makes a difference, LPM. That's why it's only large studies with sufficient numbers in to be able to control for confounders that show up anything significant.

Negative research about breastfeeding and co-sleeping - not sure what you're referring to? What research is that? The only research I know linking breastfeeding with co-sleeping is descriptive - where there is breastfeeding, there tends to be more co-sleeping. That's not really negative, is it?

No I meant any research about either as separate entities.

I get you....sorry.

Examples?

The study was discussed on bbc radio 4 More or less programme.
I think the opinion was that the study was basically flawed as no statistical analysis was compiled of parental intellect, as a baseline data assessment.
Therefore the intellect measurement of the follow up could have been due to parental genes not breastfeeding.
Think we have enough to beat ourselves up with as parents, without getting upset over breastfeeding.
Speaking as a mum that could not breastfeed first child although managed to breastfeed subsequent twins.
All grown up now and all equally bright in their chosen fields.

www.nhs.uk/news/2015/03March/Pages/Breastfed-babies-grow-up-to-be-brainier-and-richer.aspx is a good explanation and analysis of the study, explaining limitations and strengths.

that s a good explanation, but doesn't pick up that the difference in education is Less than one year (what extra qualifications do you get in one year?) and the difference in IQ is not that significant to life skills/life functioning/careers.

A year's education and 4 IQ points may not appear to mean that much (especially as measuring IQ is a flaky ol' thing at the best of times :) ) , but of course it might in some contexts - in Brazil, it meant 30 per cent rise in income, on average, which the researchers said was linked to the extra intelligence.

It might not be the same in other countries. However, a year's extra education in some places means the difference between getting a high school diploma and not; even in the UK it could mean an extra bunch of GCSEs.

At the lower end of IQ, when we are getting towards a diagnosis of learning disabilities, an extra four points might make a difference to everyday independent living, too.

This study was conducted in the wealthier part of Brazil where there is a smaller gap between rich and poor. But the gap is still greater than in the UK. 30% rise in income is going to be much more closely tied to education than in a country like the UK. Also interestingly low income, and those from poor social economic backgrounds may have breastfed for longer due to the price of formula in 1980. Inflation was huge then. So it's much more likely they just kept on using what was free. So in many of the cases those that are high earners may have climbed up a social class from their parents. Very significant in a country like Brazil.

Do you know what strikes me as odd about this study. The focus on an outcome of wealth and intelligence. It does not surprise me in our goal-obsessed, capitalist society.

I say this as someone who breastfed. What I'm more interested in is how happy, secure and confident these adults turned out to be. And those things don't necessarily correlate with how much you earn or what your IQ is.

That's where the study lost my interest. If you could show me a study that proves breastfed babies become happier, are more loved, more secure etc then I'll take notice.

I think the point is, income and educational attainment can be measured. Objectively. Intelligence tests purport to measure a particular form of intelligence. Objectively. Of course the things that can be measured are not necessarily the most important things in life. But income and educational achievement are not trivial, especially in a society like Brazil where neither can be taken for granted.

altered beast, hear! Hear! Excellent post.

There seems to be a range of posters saying that bf is not that important because success (however we want to measure that - health, wealth, education, happiness) is all down to things like class, income, home life etc.

And that is presumably great for mothers whose children have good versions of all those other things.

My kids were breastfed in a damp house on a low income and have missed out on various educational opportunies and other enriching opportunities (seeing loving family members for example) due to income.

I don't rubbish research on the impact of class, income, education or housing on children's life chances on the basis that a. it's probably all correlation and is down to something else or b. such research makes me feel like a bad mother. I accept such research is useful and that there are multiple factors influencing child development, not just one.

And if there hadn't been campaigns around breastfeeding based on such research, I wouldn't have breastfed. I certainly didn't know anyone else who had ever breastfed. And perhaps those extra IQ points or that extra resistance to various illnesses has made a difference to my kids, that other women's kids are getting from other things that I couldn't provide.

And perhaps women should stop feeling guilty and think they did the best they could within the context of what they were able to provide, and that very mothers are going to be able to provide the best of everything.

alteredbeast and purdeypie, do you not see that it's all a bit western-centric to dismiss research into educational attainment and security of income and material well-being because of the idea that having these 'things' does not mean happiness? To ignore it, because it is 'goal orientated' and reflects a capitalist society?

Of course, no one sensible thinks that less-easily measurable aspects of life, like confidence and self-esteem and love are not massively important....but there are many parts of the world, inside the UK even, as almondcakes points out, where doing well educationally and getting a decent job actually work towards reducing inequalties, and you don't have to be anti-capitalist or pro-capitalist to think that's a good thing!

I don't think breastfeeding rates will really impact on third world problems no.

Ah, well, if you think that infant health and well-being in the third world is unaffected by breastfeeding, and that as a result the health costs (monetary and otherwise) faced by these societies are unaffected too, despite all the (I would say, uncontroversial) evidence to the contrary, then I am not surprised you dismiss the Brazilian study because it does not meet your need to see a proven effect on happiness, alteredbeast.

As far as I recall, the regular infant feeding surveys in the UK ask women why they don't intend to breastfeed and why they stop breastfeeding if they started, amongst other things.

Although I've just seen a few articles online about the 2015 survey being cancelled which is a shame, as it's been running every 5 years since 1975. I guess the current govt don't see infant feeding support as a priority!

Breastfeeding isn't going to solve climate change, or generate enough money to improve health care for all people. Or stop exploitation of children through cheap Labour.

I don't deny there are health benefits to breastfeeding. I breastfed my three children. But I find certain factions of the breastfeeding community belligerent and really this isn't going to be helpful to women worldwide.

The study shows a correlation. How could it possibly have allowed for all variables? Really the sample size used was small etc. Also outcomes measured as I said are odd in the context. IQ and income are elitist measurements. Yes intelligence and income can improve your life chances but I'd rather put my energy into studying other more significant issues for women and children worldwide.

And phrases like 'the best start in life' irritate me.

Surely 'the best start in life' is a mum that loves you dearly and unconditionally.

If we are talking climate change the eco-impact of dairy production, transportation and waste is not insignificant. When the floods and other disasters come, a culture that has lost its bf skills and acceptance will suffer greatly cos safe ff will not be possible.

In the developing world, where war, displacement and natural disasters cause greater devastation because of poor infrastructure etc, breastfeeding can be an essential contribution to keeping infants and toddlers alive.

For some mothers, their breastfeeding is indeed something they feel they do for the planet as well as their babies :)

The sample was large and well controlled but obv it cannot tell the whole story. No study can.

Your insistence that studies of this sort should be ignored, or are meaningless, because IQ is an elitist measure is bizarre.

I don't like to think that a lot of mothers feel guilty or like they've failed by a study that can't tell the whole story.

Income is an elitist measurement. So bankers and lawyers is what we're all aiming for? It's not bizzare, my concerns are certainly valid.

I don't want mothers to feel guilty either. I want them to have the support they need to be confident happy feeders whatever they end up using.

But that doesn't mean suppressing research because it asks questions about material outcomes.

Most adults can understand that research asks a range of questions, and is not a personal comment on their own lives. I do understand that feeding is emotional territory - sometimes that emotional response turns to the feeling that they are being judged and criticised. Not sure what we can do about that, except to work for all mothers getting whatever help they want, and I do that already :)