Yet another study to guilt FF mummies....

[littlelove]

I've taken IQ tests quite a few times as I was considered 'gifted' in school and was put into advanced programs (ff from birth btw), and my test results could vary by up to 7 points depending on the day! If I'd gotten enough sleep the night before, if I was stressed about something else, if I was hungry when I sat the test etc. could all make the results vary. So 3 points??? Meh!

If I was struggling with bf-ing, bub & I weren't happy and thriving, and I wanted to switch to ff I certainly wouldn't worry about my bub losing 3 IQ points as a 30yo!

[Chunkydunks]

One thing they didn't mention was the quality of the formula 30 years ago and how many of those people in the study were from disadvantaged families who may not have had access to commercially made formula. Even here in Aus, 30 years ago the formula available wouldn't have been up to the standard that it is now and many people were still opting to use things like Carnation milk.

There has been so much research and development for formula that it's honestly silly to compare the quality of it (and how it would have helped babies developing brains) 30 years ago to the quality of it now.

[MsViking]

Agree with previous comments...

And seriously, I think everyone pretty much recognises the benefits of bf'ing by now. There have been so many studies and findings... Honestly isn't it time there were some robust studies done on why people don't bf, or why those who want to, "fail" to?? I feel like the entire pro bf'ing message just centres around "just keep persisting and you'll get there" without truly acknowledging that countless women in today's society struggle to do it, and the reasons for that. Like most things it's all about the mother and what she's doing 'wrong' rather than looking at the myriad reasons why it's hard and why so SO many women don't or can't continue. Let's get some more findings on what women actually need to better support them (if they want to bf), rather than simply persist in ramming the same old message down their throats.

[Clementine Grace]

It's just one study, on one element of raising a child. There are studies done on all elements of raising children. Daycare, controlled crying, co sleeping, childhood obesity etc. I don't think it's intention is to guilt mothers into breastfeeding. Or make them feel guilty for not breastfeeding. Its 3 IQ points. There would be hundreds or thousands of factors to consider when determining intelligence.

[delirium]

Agree with previous comments...

And seriously, I think everyone pretty much recognises the benefits of bf'ing by now. There have been so many studies and findings... Honestly isn't it time there were some robust studies done on why people don't bf, or why those who want to, "fail" to?? I feel like the entire pro bf'ing message just centres around "just keep persisting and you'll get there" without truly acknowledging that countless women in today's society struggle to do it, and the reasons for that. Like most things it's all about the mother and what she's doing 'wrong' rather than looking at the myriad reasons why it's hard and why so SO many women don't or can't continue. Let's get some more findings on what women actually need to better support them (if they want to bf), rather than simply persist in ramming the same old message down their throats.

Oh yes. I've been saying this since I become a parent 10 years ago. But as long as the ABA, bfers and med pros keep up the mantra that women aren't 'educated' enough, nothing is ever going to change. Bfing rates will stay low, women will torture themselves for being bad mothers, bfers will continue to judge from their high horses and around and around we will go.

I've banged on and on that it's often a lack of support and too much pressure, but what would I know..... I just feel guilty apparently

[babyla]

3 years ago this would have gotten into my head very negatively.

Now I don't need a gold star from studies to tell me I'm doing, have done or will be doing the right thing. I feel for mummas who might be in the head space I was in back then. It can be a hard road when sleep deprived with a newborn struggling to feed and seeing things like this.

To be fair it's not the research which can be upsetting it's the way its reported in the media. That article didn't even link to the research.

[LisaKitty]

I agree - a correlation with economic standing and class here is obvious. I can breastfeed, because I can either stay at home, or take my baby to work with me and nurse him there. But that's a very unique situation. I could never do that at 98% of the jobs in America right now, for example, factory work, retail of any kind, manufacturing of any kind, etc.

[Cue]

This whole discussion assumes that IQ testing is a definitive measure. My understanding is that IQ testing isn't without controversy - there are questions about cultural bias and definitions/components of intelligence.

I don't have a problem with any legitimate, well-conducted research. However, every study is just a tiny piece of a much bigger puzzle so any conclusions drawn are tentative at best.

[beebs]

I'm the same as @Delirum and @babyla - a couple of years ago this kind of thing would have crushed me too. But now I'm all like "3 IQ points" big deal

[Robyn400]

Science is great and studies give us some great things, but the problem is the only way you could conclusively prove something like this is if you had a baby, breastfed it for however long you needed for the study, and tested the iq at whatever point you wanted. You'd then need a time machine to go back and bottle feed instead of breastfeed that exact same baby, make sure it lived the exact same life in all other aspects and redo the iq tests. Then you could say whether breastfeeding made a difference. But until they invest in that time machine, these studies are always going to have so many other factors that could affect things like intelligence. Even if you got identical twins and fed them differently (which would be about as close as you could get to above), they're not going to live the EXACT same life so will still have different factors.

And if I got my hands on a time machine, I'd be going back to enter those winning lotto numbers before I worried about 3 iq points.