But children who had been breastfed were significantly less anxious than their peers who had not been breastfed. 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.
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.
Breastfeeding and mother–infant attachment
Moreover, in a prospective longitudinal study of 675 mother–infant dyads, increased duration of breastfeeding was associated with maternal sensitive responsiveness, increased attachment security, and decreased attachment disorganization when infants were 14 months of age [71].
When you breastfeed, you're creating a bond with your baby both physically and mentally. The act of breastfeeding establishes a hormonal bond. You and your baby both release oxytocin – the hormone responsible for love and bonding – while breastfeeding.
An infant's intestinal tract responds to its mother's milk by sprouting receptors that detect the hormone, activating neurochemical signals that can travel all the way to the brain. These signals may influence a baby's stress response and the development of brain regions that regulate emotions such as fear and anxiety.
As the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) states, “There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to parent or child.”
Newborn babies do not begin to prefer mother, father or anyone at first. In fact, it usually takes infants until they're about 2 or 3 months old before they start to show a strong preference for mother, father or anyone. While a baby is primed for social interaction soon after birth, its abilities are pretty limited.
Here's a secret mothers have known since the beginning of time: breastfeeding is the most pro-active, sustainable action a mother can take, and it is so easy.
Be careful not to feed your baby every time she cries. Some babies cry because of a bloated stomach from overfeeding. Let your baby decide when she's had enough milk. (For example, she turns her head away.)
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding along with introducing appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or longer.
New mums should be advised that it is normal for their baby to cry more if they are breastfed, say experts. The Medical Research Council team says this irritability is natural, and although formula-fed babies may appear more content and be easier to pacify, breast is still best.
Consequently, breastfeeding mothers are more likely to report positive mood, less anxiety, and increased calm compared to formula feeding mothers (1, 8). Beyond the psychological benefits, breastfeeding provides substantial nutritional, cognitive, emotional, and immunologic benefits for the infants and their mothers.
According to studies, breastfeeding is the most powerful form of interaction between the mother and the infant. Due to the physical closeness, the baby is more close to the mother than to anyone else in the family. As per a few studies, breastfed mothers are closer to their babies as compared to bottle-fed mothers.
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).
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. The study also showed that formula fed babies settled to sleep more easily.
With “dry” breastfeeding your baby does not actually drink significant amounts of milk, but he is able to smell and taste the droplets of milk that remain in your breast after pumping.
Not worrying may be easier said than done, but truly, parental preference is a normal and healthy part of toddlerhood. It can pop up between ages one to three, as children become more independent and learn to express their opinions.
Studies have shown that by three months of age your baby can discriminate between their mother's face and the face of a stranger.
While some babies are able to recognize their names as early as 4 to 6 months, most should reach this point consistently by 7 to 9 months. Second, take note of consistency. Your little one should turn to look at you or vocalize (make noises) when you say their name.
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 National Health and Medical Research Council's infant feeding guidelines recommend exclusive breastfeeding to around 6 months of age. It also recommends mothers continue breastfeeding while introducing appropriate solid foods until 12 months of age and beyond, for as long as mother and child desire.
In Mongolia, breastfeeding is celebrated and public breastfeeding encouraged with 65 percent of babies being exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding also tends to continue until after the second birthday.
In addition, breastfeeding is negatively associated with behavioral and internalization problems (Hayatbakhsh et al., 2012, Heikkila et al., 2011, Liu et al., 2006, Liu et al., 2014, Yi et al., 2005) as well as psychological stress (Montgomery et al., 2006) and other mental health outcomes like depressive and anxiety ...
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.