Breastfeeding and children's intelligence not linked

Verity. · 02-02-2018 03:53PM

Still breastfeeding our nine month old, and I'm so glad I persevered. Although the onus is all on me to feed (unless I pump), it's just so easy. No laborious washing or having to plan bottles to leave the house. LO is meeting all the developmental milestones and has never been sick.

There's no doubt it can be a rocky start, it's what puts many mothers off it. But once you hit the six week mark it's plain sailing and an absolute gift. It's an amazing bonding experience too.

diomed · 02-02-2018 05:11PM

somesoldiers wrote: »

I have a huge problem with breast feeding in public....the baby's head always gets in the way and you can't get a good look at the diddy

I must be very immature because I laughed bigly.
(fwiw I've seen thousands in Africa, probably tens of thousands.)

andekwarhola · 02-02-2018 07:35PM

Its essential benefit as a staple in the passive-aggressive armoury of online parenting is well documented.

Roger Hassenforder · 02-02-2018 08:13PM

it allows new fathers re-establish their sleeping patterns after the disruption of a new baby

Paddy Cow · 02-02-2018 08:16PM

lazygal wrote: »

The main thing is sterilising the formula because it has harmful bacteria if the bottles aren't prepared correctly.
I've breastfed two children, one to 14 months and another to four years and counting. It wasn't because I thought I'd turn them into geniuses. it was because it works for us.
Bottle feeding is a pain.

Am I reading this right - you're breastfeeding a four year old?

Edit: did you mean months?

s7ryf3925pivug · 02-02-2018 08:19PM

Human milk ogliosaccharides (2fl hmo) are newly available formula ingredient that have been shown to provide a lot of the benefits to immunity that breast milk does. While their use has been approved in tbe EU unfortunately no products are currently on the Irish market that include them.

Even if unable to breast feed, new mothers can gain a lot of the benefits to themselves if they can pump and dump.

The breast feeding zealotry you have to work through to find any info on alternatives is unfortunate. It's not an option for everyone. If you're actually trying to research the topic then you probably dont need to have "breast is best" shoved in your face at every oppurtunity.

somesoldiers · 02-02-2018 08:23PM

Interesting fact (or maybe not) but supermarkets are not allowed include formula in their club card points under some EU rule as it encourages non breast feeding.i always forget when I get to the counter in Super Valu and am trying to use just spend enough to use my Spend €50 get €8 back voucher

Also some foreigners are buying up boxes for f formula and shipping it back home so they have quotas of two per person inmost places,found out interesting formula fact #2 when researching #1.Find that hard to believe though at €13 a pop

Lucyfur · 02-02-2018 08:28PM

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Am I reading this right - you're breastfeeding a four year old?

Edit: did you mean months?

Loadsa women are extended breastfeeders, feeding well beyond the WHO recommendation of 2 years.

wexie · 02-02-2018 08:30PM

somesoldiers wrote: »

Also some foreigners are buying up boxes for f formula and shipping it back home so they have quotas of two per person inmost places,found out interesting formula fact #2 when researching #1.Find that hard to believe though at €13 a pop

I think that's because there have been so many scandals of tainted formula worldwide they'd be happy to send stuff home they know is safe.

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:32PM

mojesius wrote: »

It beats having to sterilise bottles and measure out formula all the time and nappies are less toxic.

And also happens to be free.

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:34PM

donegaLroad wrote: »

The biggest benefit of breastfeeding is strengthening your childs immune system as they develop.

Not to mention the psychological positives of mother/child bonding.

The_Valeyard · 02-02-2018 08:35PM

Breasts are like the Borg, the mothers breast can adapt to suit the babies need and fill in what it is missing. Mental stuff but really cool.

Lucyfur · 02-02-2018 08:36PM

conorhal wrote: »

And also happens to be free.

You just don't tell your partner about all the online shopping you do while trapped under a boobin' baby.

<. <

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:37PM

Lucyfur wrote: »

Loadsa women are extended breastfeeders, feeding well beyond the WHO recommendation of 2 years.

Bitty?

(Yeah, little Britton ref)

Not moving to solid food when a child's system is adapted to it is like a needy bird keeping a fledgling in the nest until it forgets to fly.

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:43PM

Lucyfur wrote: »

You just don't tell your partner about all the online shopping you do while trapped under a boobin' baby.

<. <

That's just 'efficient time management and multi-tasking'...

wexie · 02-02-2018 08:46PM

Lucyfur wrote: »

You just don't tell your partner about all the online shopping you do while trapped under a boobin' baby.

<. <

That's not funny, my wife had to take groupon off her phone when random stuff started arriving at the house that she swore she didn't order.

Looked into the order history.....3am.... 2.30 am.....4 am.....

anyways, steam cleaner is kinda handy to be honest

ceadaoin. · 02-02-2018 08:48PM

conorhal wrote: »

Bitty?

(Yeah, little Britton ref)

Not moving to solid food when a child's system is adapted to it is like a needy bird keeping a fledgling in the nest until it forgets to fly.

I'm pretty sure the 4 year old isn't being sustained solely on breast milk. That would be impossible. Some kids have the odd feed for comfort at that age.

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:50PM

wexie wrote: »

That's not funny, my wife had to take groupon off her phone when random stuff started arriving at the house that she swore she didn't order.

Looked into the order history.....3am.... 2.30 am.....4 am.....

anyways, steam cleaner is kinda handy to be honest

Yeah, but who hasn't fallen prey to the promised life enhancing benefits of a JML product in the blurry hours of the morning regardless of gender. I for one, love my veg spiralizer and super sharp knives that can cut cans....

conorhal · 02-02-2018 08:55PM

ceadaoin. wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the 4 year old isn't being sustained solely on breast milk. That would be impossible. Some kids have the odd feed for comfort at that age.

Some parents feel the odd need to infantilise children rather then let them develop. Comfort them in a way that is age appropriate rather then regressive. lest you end up with.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356084/I-ve-gone-child-Husband-father-seven-52-leaves-wife-kids-live-transgender-SIX-YEAR-OLD-girl-named-Stefonknee.html

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:05PM

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Am I reading this right - you're breastfeeding a four year old?

Edit: did you mean months?

No years. Natural weaning is perfectly normal. Of course he eats food.

ceadaoin. · 02-02-2018 09:07PM

conorhal wrote: »

Some parents feel the odd need to infantilise children rather then let them develop. Comfort them in a way that doesn't is age appropriate rather then regressive. lest you end up with.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3356084/I-ve-gone-child-Husband-father-seven-52-leaves-wife-kids-live-transgender-SIX-YEAR-OLD-girl-named-Stefonknee.html

Ok so that guy is sexual deviant because of his mother breastfeeding him too long? You know this how? I think he has bigger issues than that

6+? Yes they should probably phase it out. But I can't bring myself to get worked up about a 4 year old still being breastfed tbh. Why would you care?
I think making it into something shameful and forcing the child to stop before they are ready would potentially cause more issues in the long run

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:08PM

Most children wean when they lose their milk teeth. That's why they're called milk teeth.

conorhal · 02-02-2018 09:18PM

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Ok so that guy is sexual deviant because of his mother breastfeeding him too long? You know this how? I think he has bigger issues than that

6+? Yes they should probably phase it out. But I can't bring myself to get worked up about a 4 year old still being breastfed tbh. Why would you care?

I don't, I'm being facetious.

I'm just saying that developmental phases have their biological reasons, we develop, we reach stages of maturity and move forward. Moving backwards rarely encourages growth. Such is life.
Personally I think attachment parenting and breastfeeding children long after it's a developmental necessity, is more about the psychological needs and dependencies of the parent then the child. That's not very psychologically healthy for either party or conducive to their independent development because of it's a co-dependent reliance on a comfort space that inhibits development for both parties.
In extremis, you get Norman Bates, in reality you get a percentage of adults that have been trained to find their comfort zones in their parents rather then their own defined parameters and thus have problems as 'fledglings' leaving the nest, because they have not been taught new coping strategies.

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:23PM

I've had nights away from my child with no issues. I work outside the home. We're definitely not attachment type parents.

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:26PM

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

Would you breast feed him/her in front of their friends?

No, he only has one feed a day before I go to work.

Roger Hassenforder · 02-02-2018 09:30PM

lazygal wrote: »

No, he only has one feed a day before I go to work.

Soz.
I thought i replied to wrong person

I think its beautiful, and love (in a paternal caring way) to see a baby being BF.
but i think 4 is a bit too old, and might be more about the parents need than the kid.
Its like seeng a 5yr old with a dodo. Theres a time to move on.

SEPT 23 1989 · 02-02-2018 09:32PM

Did Nestle sponsor this report?

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:33PM

He's four. It's normal. It doesn't seem normal because we live in a formula centric country.
And he's never had a Dodi. Now that's artificial, placing rubber to mimic sucking on the breast in a mouth.

s7ryf3925pivug · 02-02-2018 09:33PM

Is it not going to be weird for someone to remember sucking on their mom's tit?

lazygal · 02-02-2018 09:34PM

Alaya Deep Tuition wrote: »

Is it not going to be weird for someone to remember sucking on their mom's tit?

Why? It's the biological norm.
And it's OK to call them breasts.

Breastfeeding and children's intelligence not linked

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