Is it true that breastfed babies have higher IQs when they're older?

Question

You might say that I'm a little dull...
...not exactly stupid, but I could definately be smarter.

Does this have anything to do with the fact that I was bottle-fed as an infant?
Or what about the fact that my mom smoked when she was pregnant with me?

Answer 1

No. My daughter was not breast fed and she is 16 and has finished high school early because she tested out of her senior requirements.

People naturally learn at different rates and in different styles and have different talents. Anyone can be brilliant in the right field for them.

What has the most effect on IQ is what you experience and learn before you are 5. What is provided to you in that time shapes your entire life.

I am sure that you are quite intelligent. You just need to see where you excel, every one does in some way.....

Answer 2

Not true. My grandmother did not breastfeed my dad or uncle and they both have very very high IQ's. It just depends with the person, their learning style, and the attention they need. It is said that breastfed babies have higher iqs, but it's really how you teach your child. Children under the age of 9 learn so quickly that you can teach a child 3 different languages and they can catch on instantly. Some parents spend so much time teaching their children flashcards, languages, history, etc, when they are only four years old. Some parents spend more time on the childhood rather than the "get started to Havard". I don't buy into all that breastfeeding makes a child smarter, if that were true don't you think there would be a whole lot more Einstines in this world?

Answer 3

Perhaps as a general 'rule' -- but not always. My oldest brother was breastfed, but the rest of us kids got bottles. I'm the last of the children AND bottle-fed, to boot; but I scored highest on the IQ tests and made it into the best colleges. So that's TWO 'rules' that didn't hold for us. (Supposedly being first-born gives higher IQ, too.)

That said, IQ is a pretty meaningless yardstick in most things. Character, demeanor, and motivation have a lot more effect on nearly all varieties of success. So don't sweat it...

Answer 4

Yeah, my spouse and that i watched it. i presumed it became on TLC. besides. It became conversing approximately how formula manufacturers are attempting to duplicate the DHA and foodstuff that are contemporary in breastmilk yet that they do no longer take up the comparable way so babies are not getting the advantages the comparable. Plus some thing approximately how the casein interior the cow's milk even even with the undeniable fact that filtered out inflicting bulking up and sustains lifestyles yet does not reason the comparable synapses to enhance interior the strategies, and eyesight isn't as stable. extra ear infections, colds, etc. by way of loss of stay cells. It became exciting. i think breastfed babies if nursed for no less than 6 months are smarter by way of some IQ factors and babies breastfed longer double that and extra.

Answer 5

I am an advocate of Breastfeeding. However I think formulas - these days come close to giving babies the same amount of fat & DHA needed for brain developement. Years ago...they didn't and I think it could have an effect on IQ's. However I do not believe every genius or scientist in the world right now was breastfed. Smoking ....I just don't know. I consider myself intelligent, not a genius and my mother smoked. I have two intelligent sibilings. It can do so many other things to the child though. Lots of sickness, failure to thrive, asthma.

Hey, your spelling and grammer are better then most I've seen on this site. Your doing fine!

Answer 6

It's what they say but I wouldnt bet my money on it. I was bottle fed and my IQ is 165. Genetics is a strong thing, look at your parents, are they scientist or living at the local home for the mentally handicapped. That will clue you in on where you should stand mentally, then there is also the possibility you were dropped as a child.

Answer 7

Ok, everyone is giving anecdotal evidence. Just because you, your sister or your child have a specific IQ and were formula fed, that doesn't mean anything, quantitatively.

There have been a number of scientific studies performed that indicated that breastfed babies do, even when accounting for parental IQ and economic status, have higher IQs. That's not MY opinion, that's peer-reviewed scientific evidence.

I have linked the studies below so that you can look at the evidence for yourself.

It has proved impossible for formula manufacturers to produce a synthetic milk that even comes close to breast milk's myriad of compounds, fatty acids, and immunological properties. They keep trying to make new and improved formulas to try to come up with something that even approximates breast milk.

Answer 8

Stupid people are born everyday...breastmilk or no breastmilk they will still be stupid.

Genetics and parenting are of the higher factors in intelligence. Give birth to a kid and breast feed till your boobs fall off, but if you don't help educate your kid, then your boob fed baby will still be stupid. You can't just rely on breastmilk people...get involved with your children (that doesn't mean pop in a baby einstein video and stick them in front of that for hours on end)

Answer 9

No. My sister and i were both bottle fed as infants, and we both have high iq's. It has alot to do with genetics, not so much as how you were fed. The fact that your mom smoked might have a slight effect on this, but nothing major, as my mom also smoked while pregnant.

Answer 10

Whether they do or not is irrelevant. The intelligence quotient only measures a persons ABILITY to learn, not how smart they, in fact really are. You can have a person of average intelligence that is FAR smarter than one who measures in the "genius" range. For some it is harder to learn, but it doesn;t make them dumber or mean that they will learn less.