Breastfed babies will be smarter

Babies who are exclusively breastfed for the first 3 months or longer will have a higher IQ score of 6 points, when they are 6 years old, compared to those who do not get full breast milk.

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The results also support a previous study that children and adults who are breastfed as children will score better on cognitive tests such as thinking, learning, and remembering.

"Full and long-term breastfeeding will make children smarter," said lead researcher Michael S. Kramer at McGill University, Canada.

Why breast milk can increase cognitive ability is still unclear. But maybe something in the milk, or skin contact between mother and baby, has worked.

In the study, the group gave breast milk to more than 7,000 newborns in Belarus. Another 6,700 babies were breastfed plus other foods.

When children are 6.5 years old, they take an IQ test. Those who are exclusively breastfed are above average 7.5 points in the language field, higher than 2.9 points in the nonverbal area, and more than 5.9 points in general intelligence. .

In addition, breastfed babies also have better test scores in reading and writing compared to other children. Kramer thinks mothers should breastfeed absolutely for the first 3 months, if possible, for 6 months, and try to stay longer for at least 1 year.

"Women who can breastfeed completely for at least the first 3 months will help you increase your 3-4 IQ score."

Dr. Ruth Lawrence of the University of Rochester, USA, also thinks that breastmilk contains some amino acids not found in powdered milk, which are essential for children's brain development. Breastmilk also has cholesterol that milk powder does not have. This substance is important for brain tissue and neural tissue.