Breastfeeding makes kids smarter? Parents are clueless? Sex starved wives!

In today’s dish there is so much to talk about but I want to focus on prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding. According to a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry, children who were breastfed exclusively for at least three months had better intelligence scores later in life than those who received formula. Breastfed children received better results in verbal, non- verbal and overall intelligence tests and significantly higher academic ratings in reading and writing at the age of six than those who received formula. And the numbers are impressive. The breastfed children scored 7.5 points higher on verbal intelligence scores, 2.9 points higher on non-verbal intelligence scores and 5.9 points higher on tests measuring overall intelligence. The study’s results confirm other research that has suggested the positive effects of breastfeeding. However they don’t know for sure if these results come from the breast milk, the emotional and physical attachment that occurs or the parents.

I chose to breast feed both of my kids. What I didn’t expect was the polarized opinions about breastfeeding and choices moms make. Proponents of the breastfeeding had a religious like fervor that frankly freaked me out. “Yes, of course I want what’s best for my baby,” I would reply when the “Breast is Best” church leader questioned me. I was taken aback. I made a choice to try to breast feed but I knew it was going to be challenging. I was open to adjustment. I had to go back to work when each of them were just 6 weeks old…and I worked in a corporation that wasn’t exactly breast friendly. I traveled for my work. I’ll never forget putting my Medela pump through security at the airport. The security guy didn’t believe me when I told him what it was for so he asked me to show him. Are you f—in kidding me?!!! He wasn’t! Within minutes there I was placing the cups over my clothes…they even plugged it in to see. Yep, terrorism by breast pump.

But let me get back to making my original point. I wanted to breastfeed my kids because I believed it was natural and good for them…oh and I heard it helped you lose the pregnancy weight too. (Ok I’m vain.) I thought I would do it as long as we could. I never thought that if I couldn’t do it or if another woman chose not to that it somehow made me or her less of a dedicated and loving mom. But if you read some of the mommy message boards out there women are brutal to each other when it comes to this topic. Parents who breast feed are mother earth. Moms who don’t, well call social services. It is NUTS!

With my son I was able to nurse until he was 11 months old but not exclusively. The pumping and freezing combined with traveling was too much for this mom. After he bit me for the third time with those little puppy teeth I figured we’d both had enough. I hope it didn’t lower his IQ too much. My daughter on the other hand was nicknamed “shark”. I would hum the theme to Jaws every time she was about to latch on. I lost a nipple…or at least a good chunk of one to that kid. No, I’m not making that up but I haven’t had reconstructive surgery yet either. Notice I said “yet.” It is not a pretty site. She gave up nursing at six months old. She thought the bottle was the coolest bong on the planet and compared to the slow delivery and work of the breast she turned on me. I cried. Fortunately, she is the brainiac of the family so she could afford a few IQ points.

Until tomorrow
Shay

Links from Today’s Dish
What to Do When He Says No
Speed Racer Zooming to Theaters
Baby Milestones - Potty Training

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