I’ve recently read a couple of studies that seem to support breastfeeding even more than before! I’ve always heard that breastfed babies can have higher IQ’s than their formula fed peers. Historically, there has been debate as to whether this phenomenon is due to breast milk itself or the differences in how moms who breastfeed interact with their children. WebMD released an article “Does Breastfeeding Boost IQ?“, that discusses the results of a study published in Archives of General Psychiatry. The study shows that children who were breastfed, scored 7.5 points higher on verbal IQ and 5.9 points higher overall. This increase is attributed to long-term, exclusive breastfeeding. It is recommended that mothers breastfeed exclusively for the first 3-6 months and to some degree for the first year.  The CDC reports that the rates of breastfeeding in the United States are up to to 77% for babies born in 2005-2006 versus 60% for babies born in 1993-1994.   This is great news for our future generations!

Another study, reported by BabyCenter contributor Susan Markel, M.D., shows that iron in infant formula may actually delay development.  The study supported by National Institute of Health (NIH) shows that infants fed iron-fortified formula scored 11 points lower in IQ.

It’s important to note that many factors influence a child’s development and isolated studies do not always tell the whole story.  Also, iron is important in a child’s development as it helps in the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.  However, I believe that nature knows best and our bodies are made to produce milk to meet the nutritional needs of our babies. I encourage all moms to try to breastfeed for 3 months exclusively, as there is no question that breast milk is good for your baby! For more information on the benefits of breastfeeding, visit La Leche League.

Tags: breast milk, Breastfeeding, breastfeeding boosts iq, iron in formula and developmental delay, la leche league