http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7385097.stm


"More evidence is being put forward that breastfed babies eventually become more intelligent than those who are fed with formula milk.

Canada's McGill University found breastfed babies ended up performing better in IQ tests by the age of six.

But the researchers were unsure whether it was related to the breast milk itself or the bond from breastfeeding.

The study of nearly 14,000 children is the latest in a series of reports to have found such a positive link."

....there are ways to verfiy this....

Makes sense to me! The all natural / organic way has always been the preferred choice!

I think it is a great and natural thing. The babies get needs nutriments from the mother breast milk.

if mom is on a healthy diet herself ??

Even if mom isn't eating the healthiest diet, the milk will draw the nutrients from her body to make the milk healthier than formula. They did a study in Manchester, England that even with all the pollutants in the air that the mom's were breathing in, the mother's milk was healthier for their babies than formula. Any mom who truly loves their child will breastfeed, even for the first few months of the child's life. There are antibodies in the mom' milk that will give the baby's health a boost.

waow.. i didn't know that !

I've done my research, it was a huge deal when I had my daughter. Her father was jealous that I got to bond with the baby when breastfeeding, so he tried to tell me that bottle feeding was better. I found all kinds of info to back up breastfeeding, besides which, we have the fact that humans have been breastfeeding for thousands of years, if it wasn't better for us, then why didn't we die out long ago? I do know that some women don't want the shape and amount of firmness in their breasts to change by breastfeeding, but, if you are that worried about your body changing, why have a baby? There are other benefits to breastfeeding, one of which is that when a woman breastfeeds, her uterus will contract faster and better than women who do not breastfeed. This is a huge benefit when the women age, since a week uterus can end up collapsing. So, not only is breastfeeding best for your baby in so many ways, but it benefits the mom too.

I don't know. . my son wasn't breastfed. He couldn't be. He's allergic to milk proteins, and breast milk and any other kind of milk (even soy) was like poison to him. He almost died when he was little before the doctors figured out what was wrong. . .And he seems to be doing pretty good in the "smarts" area now.

I don't think a study would be able to single out breast milk (although it is the "best thing") as a sole contributing factor. Genetics would have to be taken into consideration as well other things. I know the article says that they tried to minimize these other factors, but there's no way that all the children were brought up in exactly the same way with the same genetic backgrounds and being exposed to the same type of stimuli. Such things would play a big part in the final outcome. . .

Some people are more inclined to throw their children into the hands of a babysitter and not think much more about them, while others are really focused on giving their children the best and most attentive care. . .and, if it means much, I'm sure that type of woman is more likely to breast feed (though not necessarily). So, maybe its not so much the actual breast milk as it is the person that's giving it.

Aww, poor munchkin. There are some babies, yes that cannot digest the milk. And as long as they get a lot of omega 3s, they will have good brain development. Breast milk also lowers the chance of SIDS. There are so many reasons for breastfeeding, but there are times when it just isn't feasible due to the baby's health.

I did not breast feed my daughter she is smart and healthy.

thanx glorybebe

Wow! I really take offense to that! Are you saying that I don't love my children because I chose NOT to breastfeed? And it had nothing to do with changing the shape of firmness of my breasts either! Mine are no more perky than my friends who did breastfeed! I did not bond with my first baby until I stopped breastfeeding!

Anyway, I'm not here to get into a heated debate. Yes, breastfeeding is beneficial but there's no reason to make someone who formula fed feel like less of a mom. The most important thing to a child is that they are loved and cared for.

Sorry if I offended, but I went through a living hell with my ex and his mom because they didn't want me to breatfeed, they wanted me to use the bottle because of the bonding thing. I am biased, I know. My ex's mom didn't want to breastfeed because it made her feel 'funny'. And so, I wasn't supposed to because she didn't. Ugh, I guess I can't really explain, but, after going through what I did, I have a strong opinion about it. Again, I didn't mean to offend, but there have been some really silly remarks made to me as to why the child was not breastfed, and they were so bizarre that I wondered how anyone could put themselves before their child, as to a couple of women I had talked to did.

I believe this should be a personel choice by the mother.or the doctors. My sister wasn't able to be breast feed due she was allergic to milk.

I understand, but bottle feeding Moms get a lot of harassment too. The choice should be up to the parents. I was utterly repulsed by the idea of breast feeding. I have no idea why. Doesn't bother me when someone else does it, just when I tried I felt like throwing up everytime. Once I switched to formula, I felt better about myself and my new baby. Both of my children are happy, healthy and smart. Too smart for their own good sometimes!

As for this IQ thing, I was formula fed and I graduated with honours from high school, got a BSc in biology and an honour diploma in chemical and bioscinces technology. I think my IQ is just fine, thanks!

"More evidence is being put forward that breastfed babies eventually become more intelligent than those who are fed with formula milk.




Well that blows that thoery out of the water. Congrats on your honours.

I also think that genetics aren't being given enough credit. If you graduated with such high honors and your children are quite intelligent, would it not seem most likely that the intelligence came from your genetics which ever way you were fed or your children?

And ues breastfeeding isn't for everyone, but at least you tried it, there are many women who don't even try.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I wasn't able to feed my son milk anyways, but even if I had I wouldn't have breast fed. I felt the "throwing up" thing too when I tried. I was formula fed as well. Graduated at 16 with a full scholarship, though I didn't use it. . .(no, I'm not stupid, I had my reasons) IQ 165. . .my brothers is even higher. . . So I don't think the formula bothered us too much. If we would have been breast fed we would have just been raving geniuses or psychotic maniacs well. . I guess my brother already is sort of a raving genius

But people that do want to do it, that's fine. There are alot of benefits. . . but I think more of the smarts thing has to do with the parents themselves and genetics. Some people are more inclined to higher IQs in the first place, while others aren't. . .While the breastfeeding may help boost the IQ a few points, the major players are still the most significant. And IQs aren't fixed, they can go up or down as time goes on. My science teacher made me take the test when I was 14, and, to be honest, my attention span probably wouldn't allow me to finish it again. I'd probably get like 100 if I tried it. But I like to hope its still 165. . .

The majority of the clever people I know seem to have been breastfed...

I dunno, I didn't breastfeed my daughter, she's a 20yo MBA student on full scholarship in Japan. She seems to have done ok, not too mention, she's never been sick a day in her life. And I mean NEVER. She's seen a doctor 4 times in 20 years. LOL. She's not even vaccinated (well, sort of, she did get some vaccinations before going to live in the So. Pacific because there was a serious threat of illness there and less than sanitary conditions).

My sister bottlefed one of her daughters, mostly because my sister had eclampsia and the drugs they used to control the eclampsia made breastfeeding impossible. Her second daughter was breastfed. Frankly, I think the bottlefed kid is the higher IQ of the two. It's pretty hard to pull the wool over that kids eyes; trust me, I've tried and usually end up being humilated by a 4.5yo. LOL. The breastfed daughter... it's too early to tell if she's "smarter" she IS very different from the elder, quieter, more independent, but I don't think that has anything to do with breastfeeding... mostly, I think she's just a lot like her mom. My sister is DEFINITELY more bonded with her bottlefed child, they have a very special connection, but that's probably because she's firstborn.

Honestly, these days, if you bottlefeed a baby people do treat you like you're committing child abuse. I don't think there's any difference between a bottlefed kid and a breastfed kid.

I never tried to breast feed my daughter like Relle said I just felt sick about it and wanted to throw up. Does it bother me to see other women do it.....nope I just could not. And this whole "Bonding" word what does that really mean? My little girl and I are very very loving and close. We are mommy and daughter all the way. Bonding........who came up with that?

see ?

See what?

I agree. See what?