An interesting benefit of breast feeding...

[nothing2lose]

In 1970, around the time I was born, Australia had a breast feeding rate of less than 10 percent at six months (an all time low).

Interestingly, as breast feeding rates are now 50 per cent better at the same stage, the collective national IQ hasn't peaked and we are facing a childhood obesity crisis.

Nothing is as black and white as this study suggests.

Feed your children everyone. And stop worrying how your neighbor is feeding theirs (unless theyre not feeding them at all!)

[BellyBelly]

Birth interventions are also at an all time high

[boomba]

But if we can educate and support women who want to feed we need to worry about our neighbours children.
The info we can get out the better :-)

[Phteven]

Good point Boomba. Isn't worrying about our neighbour's children at the heart of a village. A village always has a nosy busy-body after all

I'm glad I was breastfed - I need all the help I can get lol.

I wonder if any research has been done yet into generational impact of breastfeeding or lack thereof. Maybe the fact that we're getting into 3rd generation formula fed infants might have something to do with soaring childhood obesity rates.

[Astrid]

Good point Boomba. Isn't worrying about our neighbour's children at the heart of a village. A village always has a nosy busy-body after all

I'm glad I was breastfed - I need all the help I can get lol.

I wonder if any research has been done yet into generational impact of breastfeeding or lack thereof. Maybe the fact that we're getting into 3rd generation formula fed infants might have something to do with soaring childhood obesity rates.

There has been studies on cats. Basically from what I can recall problems did not appear in the first generation, but in the ones that came after and they were so bad, that the study basically had to stop/was stopped due to the cats being unable to breed/survive (**disclaimer I am doing this from memory, so I could be wrong, will google now to see if I can find a reference to the study). I recall hearing about this, but it was in an article/discussion about why we "suddenly" seem to have an issue with gluten.

ETA: Pottenger's s cats - Study on how inherited degenerative disease is caused by improper nutrition that weakens the genetic code you pass to your children. *Warning - don't look up if you are a bit sensitive*

[onthefly]

Yes, I think that's a very likely scenario, unfortunately.
The truth is that formula - in its changing forms over the decades - has been tested on children in the marketplace and the effects have become so normalised now because of it's prevalence.

[Astrid]

I also think what happens, is that no-one asks "where you formula fed as a baby?' when you see a medical professional. They ask all the other history and family history, but never that. I my heart, I believe DH's extreme case of diverticulitis is connected to what he was fed as a baby (in conjunction to existing genetics), his mother was also formula fed (both not straight away, but after 6 or so weeks). I think we would have a greater picture of what risks are if they added that one question to all medical questionnaires.

[onthefly]

There are no absolutes, N2L, and there are many variables. But I don't think we should discount the importance of early nutrition because of that.
THough I don't know what data you are referring to, just generally I would add - breastfeeding in studies is often not defined (one breastfeed in 24 hours or 100% breastmilk?), and there is evidence of a duration effect when it comes to breastfeeding - i.e., the longer the better (or, conversely, the shorter the worse, I suppose).

Marushka - absolutely.

I know some people read these things and interpret it as people trying to make other people do this or that. It's not about making mothers breastfeed. Hell, most mothers - the overwhelming majority even - want to breastfeed. It's about acknowledging that it's important - not just for individual mothers and babies, but for our community as a whole - and, crucially, recognising the vital role that other people play in ensuring mothers are actually able to breastfeed like they want to.