In addition to the known nutritional and immunologic benefits of breastfeeding, researchers have discovered that when babies are breastfed, it increases their brain power right around the time they begin attending school.
UK Study Looks at Breastfeeding Benefits
Researchers in the UK studied cognitive abilities of five year old children in order to see if breastfeeding as an infant made any difference. They used the British Ability Scales tests which encompass naming vocabulary, pattern construction, and picture similarities subscales.
The research team reported a number of compelling results in the children who were breastfed including:
- The increase in cognitive abilities among the five year olds increased with the duration of breastfeeding.
- There was a significant difference in the mean scores between the group of children who were breastfed at all versus those who were never breastfed.
- Some of the biggest differences were found in children who were preterm at birth: the breastfed group far surpassed the non-breastfed group of five year olds.
- The differences between the groups suggest that breastfed children will be 1 to 6 months ahead of children who were not breastfed at the same age.
Why Does Breastfeeding Improve Cognitive Ability?
While the study results definitely showed that breastfeeding was associated with higher cognitive functioning at 5 years of age, study authors are not exactly sure why this happens. It is possible, they explain, that the fatty acids in breast milk provide superior cell development in the brain. Conversely, those very same fatty acids found in breast milk could very well be lacking in infant formula.
There is also potential for some of the differences in the child's brain ability to be caused by social differences. "Perhaps children who are breastfed get cuddled more, and this confers some sort of advantage to them as well," says Amanda Sacker, one of the study's authors.
More Reasons to Breastfeed
Regardless of the reason for the differences, it is abundantly clear that breastfeeding for as long as possible during infancy has tremendous benefits not only for the baby, but also for the new mother. Not only does breastfeeding increase a child's cognitive abilities during school years, research has conclusively shown that breastfeeding has the following benefits for babies and mothers:
- Breast milk contains antibodies to fight diseases and illnesses, which formula does not have.
- Breast milk is easier to digest for babies than formula.
- Breastfeeding provides cost savings to the family.
- Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer in mothers.
- Breastfeeding reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease in mothers.
- Breastfeeding lowers risk of hypertension and type-2 diabetes in mothers.
References:
- Quigley, M.,et al., "Breastfeeding is Associated with Improved Child Cognitive Development: A Population-Based Cohort, The Journal of Pediatrics, published online 8/12/2011.
- Schwartz, E., "Lactation and Maternal Measures of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease," Obstetrics and Gynecology, January, 2010.
- Rabin, R., "Breast-Feeding Benefits Mothers, Study Finds," NY Times, April 2009.
- James, DC, "Position of the American Dietetic Association: promoting and supporting breastfeeding," J. Am Diet Assoc, Nov. 2009.
Brenda Lane - Brenda Lane is a published author, Lamaze certified childbirth educator, DONA certified birth doula and approved birth doula trainer.
