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You're not wrong, generally, but sometimes the way we first did things really is the best way. Studies show breastfeeding & baby-wearing to be beneficial: -Bre

You're not wrong, generally, but sometimes the way we first did things really is the best way. Studies show breastfeeding & baby-wearing to be beneficial: -Breastfed individuals were more likely to be upwardly mobile (http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2013/04/24/archdischild-2012-303199 http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2013/04/24/archdischild-201...) -Breastfeeding improves brain development in infants (http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/06/breastfeeding http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/06/breastfeeding, journal article here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811913005922 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811913...) -Increased Carrying Reduces Infant Crying (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/77/5/641.abstract http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/77/5/641.abstr...) -Baby wearing & co-sleeping decreases crying & GORD (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15780481 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15780481) That is not to mention the psychological benefits of physical closeness which I assume you don't need cites for.

rayiner 13y ago
Most of those studies suffer from a key flaw: they ignore maternal education/income. Since more educated women from higher-income families are more likely to breastfeed, you would expect breastfed children to score better in areas like brain development. The bottom-line for my wife and I in making the choice was: is there any improvement in IQ in the long-term? And the answer seems to be no: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-02/breast-feeding-is-not-how-mothers-make-kids-smart.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-02/breast-feeding-is-n... (study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633819 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633819).
- Domenic_S 13y ago
  The first study I linked accounted for maternal IQ: > In an ordinal regression model, markers of neurological development (cognitive test scores) and stress (emotional stress scores) accounted for approximately 36% of the relationship between breast feeding and social mobility. The second looked at white matter and sub-cortical gray matter volume which you can either find significant or not significant. Your own article says: > Of course, breast-feeding is a healthy thing to do. It enhances the baby’s immune system, and builds a bond with mom which I consider positive things. But it also makes bizarre claims, like: > Working mothers, already strapped by the expenses of new parenthood, cannot necessarily afford to shell out hundreds of dollars for a breast pump and accessories. ...and how much does formula cost? Ultimately, you've got to just do what you think is best for your kid, and it sounds like you did. As your article says, there is no One True Way. But if having a career makes you compromise on what you think is best for your kid, that's a problem (with the construct of 'careers'), that's my point.
  - rayiner 13y ago
    > The first study I linked accounted for maternal IQ: > In an ordinal regression model, markers of neurological development (cognitive test scores) and stress (emotional stress scores) accounted for approximately 36% of the relationship between breast feeding and social mobility. That quote is referring to the baby's cognitive test scores, not the mother's. See also: http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/07/breastfeeding-and-iq-steer-et-al-2010.html http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/07/breastfeeding-and-iq-st.... Also: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10224215 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10224215 ("Significant relations between breastfeeding and Woodcock Reading Achievement scores at 11 years were also reduced to nonsignificant levels after the inclusion of maternal IQ and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment.")

rayiner 13y ago

Most of those studies suffer from a key flaw: they ignore maternal education/income. Since more educated women from higher-income families are more likely to breastfeed, you would expect breastfed children to score better in areas like brain development. The bottom-line for my wife and I in making the choice was: is there any improvement in IQ in the long-term? And the answer seems to be no: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-02/breast-feeding-is-not-how-mothers-make-kids-smart.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-02/breast-feeding-is-n... (study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633819 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633819).

Domenic_S 13y ago
The first study I linked accounted for maternal IQ: > In an ordinal regression model, markers of neurological development (cognitive test scores) and stress (emotional stress scores) accounted for approximately 36% of the relationship between breast feeding and social mobility. The second looked at white matter and sub-cortical gray matter volume which you can either find significant or not significant. Your own article says: > Of course, breast-feeding is a healthy thing to do. It enhances the baby’s immune system, and builds a bond with mom which I consider positive things. But it also makes bizarre claims, like: > Working mothers, already strapped by the expenses of new parenthood, cannot necessarily afford to shell out hundreds of dollars for a breast pump and accessories. ...and how much does formula cost? Ultimately, you've got to just do what you think is best for your kid, and it sounds like you did. As your article says, there is no One True Way. But if having a career makes you compromise on what you think is best for your kid, that's a problem (with the construct of 'careers'), that's my point.
- rayiner 13y ago
  > The first study I linked accounted for maternal IQ: > In an ordinal regression model, markers of neurological development (cognitive test scores) and stress (emotional stress scores) accounted for approximately 36% of the relationship between breast feeding and social mobility. That quote is referring to the baby's cognitive test scores, not the mother's. See also: http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/07/breastfeeding-and-iq-steer-et-al-2010.html http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2010/07/breastfeeding-and-iq-st.... Also: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10224215 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10224215 ("Significant relations between breastfeeding and Woodcock Reading Achievement scores at 11 years were also reduced to nonsignificant levels after the inclusion of maternal IQ and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment.")