Does Breastfeeding Really Make Your Baby Grumpy?
From the archive. This post was first published on the original Green Eggs and Moms blog and is kept here as it was.
Oh breastfeeding, your benefits are far too many to ignore!
Better immune system, lowered risk from obesity, better eye vision, fewer respiratory infections, reduced risk of SIDS and many, many more.
But wait. There is one downside to breast milk. (Did I just hear breastfeeding advocates fall out of their seats? Don’t worry, this little snag is miniscule).
Breastfeeding makes babies grumpy.
See? It’s not at all bad but quite funny actually.
According to a post from Independent.ie, a study has found that breastfeeding not only affected babies’ health but their behavior too.
The Study
Researchers worked with 316 3-month old babies who were either breast-fed, mixed fed or formula fed.
Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire to help researchers determine the behavior of their babies.
The Findings
Breast-fed babies cried more, laughed less, required more time to be soothed, and generally had a more difficult temperament compared to their formula fed counterparts.
Wondering what the value of all this is?
This was not written to deter moms from breastfeeding. Instead, it wishes to inform mothers with breast-fed babies how this super food affects behavior.
So, if your child is a bit grumpy, you know it’s not a sinister plot to test your patience to the limit, rather it’s the effect of breast milk. The upside – and this is an understatement – is that your child will gain all the health benefits of breastfeeding.
What’s a bit of grumpiness to put up with in the name of health, right?
What do you think of this study?
Photo:Creative Commons from .Dianna.
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