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Breastfeeding boys do better in school

January 12, 2011 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

Here is more evidence that dads should help moms breastfeed for as long as possible, and for at least six months.

The New York Times reported today on a study in Australia of 1038 babies who were later tested for academic performance at age 10 in math, reading, writing, and spelling.  After controlling for mom’s age, marital status, income, and other factors, they found that baby boys who breastfed for at least six months showed better performance for all subjects.

Breastfeeding an infant
Image via Wikipedia

The effect was only for boys.  Researchers believe this may be because boys are more vulnerable to stress, and female hormones may have a protective effect.

The study, published in the January 2011 issue of Pediatrics, had a large sample and tracked kids over a long period of time. However, it could not control for all variables including length of maternity leave and marital situation.  The New York Times reports, “The results add to the strong evidence that breast-feeding as long as possible is beneficial for child health, but particularly for brain development,” commented the lead author, Wendy H. Oddy.  Oddy is an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Western Australia.

Related articles
  • Breastfed Kids May Get Higher Test Scores (webmd.com)
  • Breastfeeding ‘could make boys more intelligent’ (telegraph.co.uk)
  • Are Breastfed Babies Smarter? (abcnews.go.com)
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Filed Under: Baby, Father, Medical

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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In this insightful episode of Great Dad Talks, expert guest Dr. Travis Parry explores the intricacies of modern fatherhood, particularly focusing on entrepreneurial couples and achieving family balance. Dive into his personal journey as he discusses the profound influence of his father, the importance of managing stress, and the surprising role of financial stability in marital happiness. Together, we unravel the keys to balancing business growth with family priorities and how couples can align their financial values for long-term success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or simply keen on strengthening your family dynamics, this conversation is packed with wisdom and practical advice.

Check out Dr. Parry’s website at travisparry.com

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