I am a healthcare executive who is also a reseach scientist and an advocate. I like being multi-layered. I like nuance. I like looking at data but I also mightily believe in my gut. The power of one’s gut can’t be underestimated. In the healthcare field it is quite ironic that there is this emphasis on evidenced based practices considering that around 75% of the time doctors cant figure out out what’s wrong. That number may be a slight exageration but many agree the percentage is quite high. Where am I going with this? Maybe I’m in the wrong field. Maybe I am perfectly suited for it due to my skepticism, use of gut, and my keen love of crunching data.
Now, I am heading to a larger point here. I’m not just waxing philosophical about my career choice.
I saw a few newsfeed noet a recent research study that supposedly found that breastfed children are not necessarily smarter. Oh No! You mean to tell me that I breastfed for 16 months and won’t have a smart child? I can only shake my head at this. Yes, I suppose it advances science to do such research and find our what are the benefits of breastfeeding. But I will tell you this. I don’t care whether it leads to kids being smarter or not. If you do a quick search on this study with certain key words, you get over 733,000 results. And this is just a few days after the results were published. I can tell you most research studies are lucky if a total of 100 people read them.
But back to me. I am glad that I breastfed and would do it again regardless of whether it leads to my kid scoring slightly higher on an exam. There are so many other benefits to it such as free food. Just kidding. But there are intangible benefits. I liked having my son so close to me and I hope that we remain psychologically close. There is something so beautiful to the act.
My sister didn’t breastfeed and that is ok. I am not one of those people that thinks that every mother has to have the same script. We have different lives and different contexts. For me it worked. If he gets a higher IQ that’s just the icing on the cake. But its not the end all, be all. Thus, I won’t even give such research any more attention. In this instance, I don’t need any data. Its my gut and heart that led.
Categories: childhood, Children, Culture, family, Health, mental health, Psychology, research
psychologistmimi 
I breastfed all three our girls, so we are four breastfeeding supporters. My 6 grandchildren had the same privilege, to be breastfed by their moms. It was our choice, and it was good.
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We nearly starved our first child trying to breastfeed her, there was an issue with the plumbing and it was very difficult and painful, made the switch to formula and she flourished. Number 2 went straight to the bottle after 3 days for those important nutrients and immunological benefits. did I say that right?
we wanted to and Mom was devastated when she had to make the choice. Pertinent piece for me. Thank You
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I am not a mom, but I plan to have kids someday. I believe that breastfeeding has a more emotional and psychological positive impact on kids/people. It creates a close bond. Some women, like my sister, can’t produce milk after their baby is born, so formula is the only option. I think that’s okay too, but doesn’t have the same effect as breastfeeding.
I was breastfed by my mom for the first 4 months of my life, and I am not a genius nor super smart. I am average in intelligence.
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I breastfed my little one for over 2 months because people kept saying about how it would be terrible if I were to bottle feed and I was producing so much milk that he couldn’t latch properly. This led to permanent breast damage and a lot of scarring. It’s sad how people feed like they have to but it’s cool if they can
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true. we shouldn’t make anyone feel guilty about whether they breastfeed or not. So many contextual factors.
thanks for sharing and hope you have a great week ahead. cheers
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I breastfed my son ( 31 years ago) and my daughter ( 29 years ago) and I loved doing it. I never considered if it would make them smarter. But it was just such a lovely time to be close to them and besides that it was so convenient; milk always ready at just the right temperature, anytime and anywhere!
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I think you’ve touched on a particularly challenging issue of science reporting. Many people don’t understand the nature of understanding evidence based practice and knowledge and will go with whatever latest study has been reported to them. Even to the point of not realizing that studies tend to focus on a narrow band of outcomes and its only with systematic review and meta-analysis should we really come to conclusion about whether or not to do something.
A similar issue occurred with flossing – a study showed no benefit to plaque/filling rates for people long term, which people claimed undermined any benefit of flossing. They didn’t mention gum disease, and other oral health issues which I’m confident flossing does help with.
Great post
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Great post!
Having a smarter child was, in fact, one of the main benefits touted during my childbirth education class (there were SO many things wrong with that class. But I digress.) I chose to nurse my daughter, and am continuing to do so, for purely selfish reasons. I love the connection we have while she’s nursing. I love that she now recognizes where the milk comes from and will gently pat my boobs when she’s ready to nurse.
And saving on formula doesn’t hurt either …
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Yeah, OK, I was selfish! I was kind of a nervous and stressed out mom who felt like the only way to keep them calm was to have a nipple in their mouth, and I was damned if I’d walk around 24/7 with a baby attached to my boob!🍼
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Haha. I get that.
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I’m currently bf my LO. He loves it and I love the bond that is created between mom and baby.
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I’m laughing at the “bond” comments. Not because I don’t believe in that–it definitely creates a bond– but because I have been nursing this guy for 18 months and I’m so over it. The momentsnate often more chaotic than sweet And he doesn’t sweetly pat my boob when he wants it, he hits it. 😂😂 Breast is best for us but I will be happy when I figure out how to wean him too!
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Interesting reading this post and comments. In response to the “bond” comments I totally understand ‘manicmagicalmomming’ and “chaotic rather than “sweet”! I breastfed three children and their personalities showed at the breast! Our first born bit me at 9 months while looking up at me and smiling! It hurt…..quite a lot! I (mistakenly) thought this was his way of telling me he didn’t really want to breastfeed anymore and I didn’t like being bitten!…. so at that point stopped breastfeeding him. Realised after two more children that had I continued it would have consoled him through teething and other painful physical pains of childhood. Nursing at the breast is SO much more than feeding as it provides comfort for both child and mother. After listening to and acting upon the advice of other’s who I thought knew better than me and not following my ‘gut’….another mistake, I allowed our third child to stop nursing at the breast when she chose to. No regrets as I now feel my choices were the right ones then even though I at times felt my breasts ‘belonged’ to her not me, and I had had enough!
Early childhood is such a short period of time in life! At the end of the day it is informed choices that are important and doing what we feel is right not what we think is! There is a subtle difference as this post states I believe!
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How long did your daughter end up nursing for?
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She was 6 years old when she had her last bedtime ‘suck’ as she called it by then. I believe your son is 18 months old and still nursing at the breast? In my experience the first 2 years are the most demanding! After that it is easier to ‘negotiate’ nursing as your little one may be learning the art of communication with you and vice versa!
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Wow. That’s awesome
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Thanks for sharing. It definitely is about context and understanding the little one 🙂
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Great post and sense of humor I may add. I am currently super struggling with breastfeeding. I did only at first my baby (now 2 months old) had to be bottle-fed day 5 being home from the hospital. I planned on breastfeeding forever, no not really. But at least a year. My baby got the colostrum the first two days but dropped weight significantly. I have inverted nipples (grade 3 supposedly) and I have been exclusively pumping (trying to latch her, here and there with a shield) and I only pump about 10oz per day. In your opinion, does this make a difference even though it is such a small amount?
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