Breastfeeding: would this new study make you more likely to breastfeed or bf for longer? Or not?
HelenMFM
admin
Hello everyone.
There a HUGE study published today, suggesting that the longer you breastfeed your baby for, the higher your baby's IQ will be as a adult.
It also suggests that the longer you breastfeed your baby for, the longer he or she will stay in education and the more he or she is to earn a higher wage.
The study was conducted in Brazil on nearly 3,500 babies, from all walks of life.
Most of the babies, irrespective of social class, were breastfed; some for less than a month, and others for more than a year.
And those who were breastfed for longer scored higher on measures of intelligence as adults.
The scientist who conducted the study, Dr Bernardo Lessa Horta, from the Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil, says his study offers a unique insight because the breastfed babies he studied were evenly distributed across all social classes.
Obviously, breastfeeding is a hugely sensitive issue and we know many mums can (oh so wrongly) feel upset or guilty if they're unable to breastfeed.
But if you are able to breastfeed, or are pregnant and want to give it a go, would this study make you more likely to carry on breastfeeding for longer?
We'd love to know!
Replies
I've been determined to breastfeed my child ever since we learned in school that that's what breasts are for. I don't know how long I will do it for, I aim to hit at least 6 months, but I doubt I'll still be breastfeeding after a year. Studies won't change my mind or influence the duration of time. I will feed as long as it feels right to.
I'm not sure it would make much difference. I think there is so much evidence for breast feeding that if that's your choice you will feed but if you don't want to breast feed it won't change your mind. Before I had my daughter I wanted to breast feed & hoped I'd be able to feed exclusively for the 1st 6 months. I am 1 of the lucky ones in that I did that then continued to feed her up to 1 months when I stopped so I could start to ttc my son. I've now been feeding him nearly 5 months & hope to be able to do the same or even longer.
I personally have loved breastfeeding my brood but I did so mostly because I know its healthy, accessible and also free. I think the study's fine but there must be more contributing factors involved and not just purely because they are breastfed. I wasn't breastfed as a child but have still achieved in education