Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

There was no choice, so both my brother and myself were bottle fed.

We both never struggled academically, and were both very healthy kids.

We were both reading and writing before we went to nursery, something we may have not been taught to do that early if we were both wasting time having 'bitty'.:D

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

Well Gayle obviously she takes after her mother then:D

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I don't see how any statistics about this could even be reliable... how do they know the children wouldn't have ended up being bright anyway? I don't think breast is best even if it does rhyme :p I think bottle is best because it's generally easier to adapt to for most women and avoids as much stress. Lots of mothers get really worked up about breast feeding and it's just not necessary.

Milk formula isn't going to make your baby lack intelligence, so unless there are medical reasons for not using it like allergies then I think every mum should feel ok about using it.

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I breast fed both of mine... just cos I couldn't be bothered faffing with the bottles :D

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

Bottles are a faff, but was more convenient that way, otherwise I doubt I would have moved for 6 months with the way my two fed

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I do believe that I.Q. is hereditary, and that, yes, believe that breast feeding probably enhances the brain cells, not actually makes them intelligent.

Remember, that I.Q. comes in many forms, not just being clever academically, but showing intelligence in sociology, business dealings, wit, assessing situations, astuteness on solving problems, etc.

Remember that many a dyslexic person can harbour a very high I.Q. ratio.

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

Bless you emzy .. you are an exception, and no need to explain ... xx

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

That crossed my mind too ... why should babies have all the fun:rolleyes:

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

Was sterilising them not painful tough? :D

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I'm sure if I took the Mensa test I'd be classified as an imbecile.

My brain just doesn't do that logic nonsense.:D

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I have an above average IQ, and i was bottle fed

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

You can use statistics to prove any point, if you try hard enough. I don't believe breastfeeding will make enough difference to matter where IQ is concerned.

Take my children. I breastfed my son and my younger daughter for a couple of months each but my elder daughter, my first child, was only breastfed for 3 weeks as I became ill and couldn't continue. All 3 of them are very intelligent but it's my elder daughter who was the most academically gifted, taking O and A levels in her stride where the other 2 had to work that bit harder to achieve results.

My elder daughter has a son and she didn't breastfeed him for more than a couple of weeks. He got a bursary to Manchester Grammar School where he got 9 GCSEs (5 A and 4 A*) and 3 A levels, did a B Tech at college and is now at Salford Uni doing a BA. My granddaughter, only 8 years old, wasn't breastfed at all, due to physical problems with her mum (my younger daughter), but is showing every sign of being as clever as her cousin.

I think intelligence is part inherited and part the result of environment. I certainly don't think that any mother who doesn't breastfeed, for whatever reason, should beat herself up with worry that she has made her child less intelligent. It's a lot of nonsense.

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

No matter what everyone says about their clever kids Westender, first point accepted; your second point, of course don 't beat yerself up at the end of the day for not breastfeeding .. gosh, we are soooo lucky now that we have supplementary good feeding to fall back on. Nonsense ?? no, do not believe that is the case .. if possible to breastfeed .. go for it anytime .. 'tis nature's way.

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I meant that the hypothesis that breastfeeding boosts IQ is nonsense, not breastfeeding itself.

Re: Breast Feeding, makes you more intelligent
 

I think that because of the properties in mother's milk, would agree to differ that it cannot boost the brain cells in the development of the early stages of infanthood. Just lots of people getting the incorrect idea that it gives an immediate high I.Q. .. :D