Breast-Feeding Linked to Academic Achievement, Study Finds

Mothers should breast feed their babies especially if they are under six months. It helps the baby to grow into a more healthier adult. I heard that babies who are breast fed tend not to be overweight adults and does not get sick as often especially as growing children also if the baby is lactose intolerant breast milk would be best not every baby can digest formula. Another thing, women who don't want to breast feed I think is either squeamish about breastfeeding or selfish.

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Isn't it possible that the link is more to do with the kind of parenting that is more typically associated with those who breastfeed rather than the breastmilk itself? Are my kids some kind of fluke because they're intelligent while also having had to be formula fed?

I definitely have to applaud all the effort that is going into trying to make more people aware of the benefits of breastfeeding but people need to stop preaching it as though it's child abuse if you can't or don't want to breastfeed.

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I always find these studies interesting. Whether they're true or not, who knows, but if they are I obviously must be the exception to the "breastfeeding linked to academic achievement" movement. Having never received a drop of breast milk as a child, I excelled in school, graduated top of my high school class, and held a 4.0 throughout college, graduating a full year early. You would think judging by this study that I, as a formula fed child, would be less intelligent.

Seems to me that while breast milk is best for a child, it certainly doesn't mean that child is academically more proficient than a formula fed child. I know plenty of children who were formula fed that excelled in school and plenty of breastfed children who are average at best. I really believe it's the parents' commitment to their child that influences academic and social standing, not what food they were fed as children.

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Bravo for you Amanda, but maybe you would have graduated TWO years ahead of schedule had you been breastfed.

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I'm skeptical about these studies, mostly because the people I know who have been breastfed don't fit these results and are actually largely less intelligent and socially capable than the formula fed people I know. However, my evidence is only anecdotal, so I could be wrong. I think breastfeeding only gives a minimal advantage and that it matters more how a child is raised as opposed to whether or not he/she was breast or bottle fed.

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'...and the highest achiever's at so and so school are .......... because they were breastfed for six months!' WTF!

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Studies like this are demonstrating that OVERALL, children who are breastfed score higher academically vs children who are formula fed. Meaning that there are, of course, children who are breastfed who do not score as high and children who are formula fed that do score high. It's looking at the children's academic scores as groups, not at individuals. It is just one more reason that breastfeeding is best, but it's up to each mother to decide if it is something she can and wants to do because it's not easy and is a big commitment.

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I don't buy it. I know of a group of five siblings, all breastfeed for at least a year, who are now in their forties and NONE of them have excelled in anything. All have average intelligence, did just okay in school, only one went to college. The two that are closest to me are not that bright. It is strange but it seems from my experience that formula fed children/adults are usually smarter than breastfeed children/adults.

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