Breastfed babies cry more, laugh less, and generally have "more challenging temperaments" than formula-fed infants, a study has found. But such behaviour is normal, and mothers should learn to cope with it rather than reach for the bottle, according to researchers.
One study followed 3500 children through adolescence and into adulthood. When assessed at age 30, those whose primary source of nutrition as children came from breastfeeding performed better on intelligence tests. They also had higher educations and greater incomes.
The World Health Organization recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then gradually introduced to appropriate foods after 6 months while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or beyond. Stopping breastfeeding is called weaning. It is up to you and your baby to decide when the time is right.
It's actually quite normal when the breastfed baby only wants mom! As long as you're seeing enough wet nappies each day and you're able to sooth her when you're holding her, there's no reason to assume there's a problem.
Researchers claim that certain properties in breast milk spur the growth of healthy bacteria in baby's belly. In turn, this bacteria regulates your little one's moods and hormones.
Evidence, in general, is consistent with the hypothesis that LC-PUFAs in breast milk may enhance cognitive development (15). In humans, children who are breastfed have higher IQs than children not fed breast milk (16, 17), and this advantage persists into adulthood (17).
Breastfeeding creates a bonding experience between mother and child because it promotes skin-to-skin contact, more holding and stroking. Many experts say that affectionate bonding during the first years of life helps lessen social and behavioral problems in both children and adults.
Breastfed children were almost twice as likely to be highly anxious, while children who had been bottle fed were over 9 times as likely to be highly anxious about parental divorce/separation.
In fact, some women can find that breastfeeding triggers or further contributes to stress, or even more severe maternal mental health issues, such as postpartum anxiety and/or depression. Other situations where breastfeeding could be more challenging for a new mother might include: Chronic physical/medical illness.
India. In India, mothers commonly breastfed their children until 2 to 3 years of age. Cows milk is given in combination with breast milk though use of formula has been on the rise.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding up to 2 years or more. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that moms feed their babies only breastmilk for the first six months. Then they say to keep breastfeeding for at least one year.
Breastfeeding was positively associated with IQ performance in children and adolescents. On an average, more breastfed participants had high IQ scores than non-breastfed participants (19).
But does that mean that breast isn't best? A study conducted by researchers from Cambridge, London and Paris found that formula fed babies seemed to smile more and cry less than breast fed and combination fed babies.
Breastfed babies have fewer infections and hospitalizations than formula-fed infants. During breastfeeding, antibodies and other germ-fighting factors pass from a mother to her baby and strengthen the immune system. This helps lower a baby's chances of getting many infections, including: ear infections.
Myth: Babies who have been breastfed are clingy.
All babies are different. Some are clingy and some are not, no matter how they are fed. Breastfeeding provides not only the best nutrition for infants, but is also important for their developing brain.
Many women experience common side effects to breastfeeding, such as back pain, chest and wrist pain. Many also experience bruising on the breast, cramping, and Osteoporosis. None of these should stop you from choosing to breastfeed; you should be aware should you start experiencing the symptoms.
The Benefits and Potential Harms of Breastfeeding
Consequently, breastfeeding mothers are more likely to report positive mood, less anxiety, and increased calm compared to formula feeding mothers (1, 8).
If you're struggling with breastfeeding challenges, a lactation consultant or postpartum doula can offer help. But if you decide that breastfeeding isn't for you, rest assured your little one will get all the nutrients they need from formula, and the two of you will still bond.
The proportion of infants who acquired their milestones overtime increased with exclusivity of breastfeeding. Infants who had never been breastfed were 40-50% more prone to have some sort of motor delay than breast fed infants (10.7% vs 7.3%).
The breastfed group showed a greater number of above-average IQ test scores (35 vs. 23%; P = 0.479) and better SI scores (78 vs. 55%; P = 0.066) compared with the bottle-fed group. The number of girls with normal BMIs was significantly higher in the breastfed group than in the bottle-fed (68 vs.
It is normal for breastfed babies to gain weight more rapidly than their formula-fed peers during the first 2-3 months and then taper off (particularly between 9 and 12 months). There is absolutely NO evidence that a large breastfed baby will become a large child or adult.
There is also growing evidence that breastfeeding may be related to psychological functioning and adjustment. Children who are breastfed tend to have fewer behavioral problems at age 6 (Liu, Leung, & Yang, 2014), age 9 (Park et al., 2014), and age 14 (Oddy et al., 2010).