Breastfeeding Does Not Make Baby More Intelligent
A link between breastfeeding and higher IQ was first spotted in 1929, and has been a controversial subject ever since, says Geoff Der, lead researcher. He said that not only do breastfed children generally perform better on intelligence tests, but they also tend to come from more advantaged backgrounds.
Breastfed babies are more intelligent because a higher percentage of highly educated mothers tend to breastfeed, say researchers from the Medical Research Council (UK) and the University of Edinburgh.
A higher percentage of breastfed babies are brought up in a mentally stimulating environment. You can read about this study in the British Medical Journal.
Benefits of the breastfeeding for the baby:
– Babies who are breastfed have better stabilized blood sugar levels
– Breastfed babies are less likely to have diarrhea
– Breastfed babies are less likely to have respiratory infections
– Studies have also indicated that breastfed babies are less likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure) and obesity later in life
– Breastfed babies have fewer illnesses. The mother’s milk provides the infant with antibodies. 80% of breast milk cells kill bacteria, fungi and viruses (they are macrophages)
Breastfeeding benefits for mother
– It is less complicated. No bottles to organize, no formula to mix
– It helps the mother get back to her normal weight
– It helps get the uterus back to its normal size more quickly
– Breastfeeding often suppresses ovulation. This makes it less likely that the mother will get pregnant
– Breastfeeding is cheaper than bottle-feeding
Effect of breast feeding on intelligence in children: prospective study, sibling pairs analysis, and meta-analysisGeoff Der, G David Batty, Ian J DearyBMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.38978.699583.55 (published 4 October 2006) Click here to view abstract online
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today