Breast Milk 'Does Not Boost IQ'

BBC ^ | 10-3-2006

[blam]

Breast Milk May Not Be Enough (Vitamin D)

[HitmanLV]

Milk does a body good.

[KoRn]

Breastfeeding is the ONLY way to go. It's better for the baby and costs MUCH less than buying formula. All of our children were breastfed, and they were super healthy. It was always difficult for me when my wife had to work and I was taking care of the baby though. They tend to not like the breast milk as well when it's coming from a bottle. Still, well worth it!

[nevergore]

Darn....but I keep trying....

[RichInOC]

Baby: "It can't hurt, can it?"

[Scotswife]

I was only successful in breast-feeding one of my 6 children.
A breast specialist has confirmed that I have an inflammatory problem that prevents me from comfortably feeding my children this way. The result is that I usually could not handle it past 1 week and would start bottle feeding.

There was no difference in the intelligence or health between my breast fed baby and the others.

[Newbomb Turk]

Somehow deep in my heart I doubt God screwed up when he created woman.

I guess it's not good enough that breast feeding has worked for thousands of years.

No offense intended to all of those wonderful mothers that choose not to breast feed for any reason. You probably know better than me, I just a hard headed guy.

[Paleo Conservative]

[busstopsindetroit]

This doesn't really surprise me. Though I breastfed all of my children I have always believed that studies of intelligence, behavior etc. are not controlled enough for socioeconomic factors-they can't be, let's face it, crack babies aren't breastfed. That's the extreme I realize, but the point is it's very hard to attribute intellience to one factor or another when so many factors are in play.

There are however medical benfits to breastfeeding in terms of fewer illnesses, infections etc. that I do not believe can be attributed solely to environment. At the very least premature babies who are fed breastmilk fare better than those who aren't, I would tend to think this is too early for socioeconomic factors to come into play. There must be some physiological benefit to feeding children the way nature intended.

[Boiler Plate]

Just don't tell your honey.

[nevergore]

Okay....I promise to never tell her that it won't improve my IQ....

[metmom]

Breastfeeding is at the least easier on the babies digestive tract.

It's far more convenient that carrying around bottles and getting up in the middle of the night to heat up foul smelling formula just to have the baby throw it up all over the place.

It's lots cheaper, too.

I nursed all three of mine and none of them have the food allergies that both my husband and I have. Both of us were raised on the *better living through chemistry* philosophy; either formula or Pet Evaporated Milk mixed with water.

I simply don't understand how anyone could think anything is better than, or even equal to, mother's milk. It's designed to provide the perfect nutrition for the baby of any species

[msnimje]

This is why our grandmothers took babies out for a 30 minute afternoon "airing."

[sageb1]

"Women do not breastfeed because of any benefit to their baby, they do it because it feels like the natural thing to do."

Um. Because it is?

[landerwy]

ping! Your subject! LOL ;0)

[GoldCountryRedneck]

"Breastfeeding is at the least easier..It's far more convenient....It's lots cheaper, too...."

And... the packaging is FAR more attractive! :)

~GCR~

[metmom]

LOL

[thomaswest]

But you forget. If a child sees a naked breast on TV, then he will be scarred for life, likely become a pervert, never have family values, etc.

It is wise to prevent infants from ever coming in contact with a breast.

[warsaw44]

Metmom, What kind of food allergies do you have? I have some very odd food allergies and I think I was bottle feed.