Is infant formula linked to slower brain development?

I'm going back to work and I'm not going to be able to breastfeed or pump and formula is looking like my only opption. However I'm worried that formula isn't as good as the breast and may be linked to lower IQ's and brain development. Is there any studies proving this or disproving this, or has anyone formula feed their child and had their child turn out perfect?

Is infant formula linked to slower brain development?
They say that breastfed babies have higher IQs and many other advantages, if you wanted to , im sure you can take 5 min bathroom breaks and pump , your work should let you pump, but formula of course is great, i was a formula baby and i dont think it affected me.
Reply:no way, I breast fed my child for two years, he has


no advantages from any of the other children his


age, he may be healthier in the long run, but he


is not smarter, OUr bond may be greater, but he


is not smarter. Report It

Reply:no way, I breast fed my child for two years, he has


no advantages from any of the other children his


age, he may be healthier in the long run, but he


is not smarter, OUr bond may be greater, but he


is not smarter. Report It

Reply:My child used formula from the fourth month. I couldn't eat enough food to make the milk he needed. I always bought the most expensive formula, though. This is a time you don't want to pinch pennies because the early development is important. It will cost a lot of money but your baby is worth it. My baby is fabulous.
Reply:my son has been formula fed since he was 2 weeks old and he crawled at 5mo, pulled up at 6mo, walked at 9 mo and by 12 mo can say over 10 words(including outside and doggy clearly!), said a 2 word sentence at 11mo. and if i ask where any thing is he goes up to it and points to it.he has several friends his age, 2 of which were breastfed and are not as advanced as he is at this point(not to say it is because of breastfeeding). it is not as true now as it once was when peope tell you that formula lowers I.Q. there are dha and ara in formula now which is the same thing needed for brain development that is in breast milk. at this point in time they have really stepped up formula to make it as healthy in every aspect as possible it is practically the same thing.so don't worry do what you need to! good luck and God bless!
Reply:no thats a load of crap about the iq i know alot of ppl who were formula fed and they are very very smart and very normal yes breastmilk is better but formula is still good ( i know lots of ppl will dissaprove) im formula feeding my son and my midwives r stunned because his doing things he shouldnt be doing at his age ( his only 6 weeks )
Reply:I don't think it actually "lowers" it, but it IS proven that breast milk can "higher" (?correct word?) it.
Reply:my child is just fine and his ben formula fed since he was two weeks old. now there are vitamins and things that are in breast milk,in formula. so i think your baby will be fine. dont worry momma.
Reply:let's think of breastmilk as the biological standard....so while on poster was trying not offend any formula fed ppl or formula feeding mommies......YES then formula does lower IQ





we have to stop looking at breastmilk as some kind of elevated thing with some fringe benefits....it's the base line....it's natures standard and anything else but is the substandard





now.....many formula fed babies turn out just fine....but many have grave health problems as well.....and many have health annoyances (that for some reason are considered "normal".....formula fed culture that doesn't know any different) that would otherwise have been avoided by breastfeeding





are you sure you want to give up so easily?...do you really just want to shrug your shoulders without a fight?....it is by law your RIGHT to pump....your employer must comply....your baby is important
Reply:i dont think that giving your child formula is going to lower your childs iq, formula has every vitamin your baby needs in it, it is the best alternative to breastfeeding so if you cant breastfeed then formula is the next best choice, i formula fed all of my kids and im not a good eater my breastmilk would only be as good as the vitamins and stuff i was eating so it wouldnt of been as good as formula
Reply:even breast feeding for a week give your baby an advantage. breast milk has been linked to faster brain developement but that doesnt mean that if you have to formula feed that you babies brain isnt going to develope at the proper rate. One thing you have to remember is that all babies, breast and formula fed, develope at thier own pace so you cant really rely on studies like this.
Reply:Yeah, I saw a formula feed kid yesterday sprouting and extra arm. And he had bright green skin. He even knew his ABC, although backwards.


He looked pretty good to me.





That is so mean to say. I was formula feed, and I'm not stupid. Buy a pump %26amp; stop judging others.
Reply:"Human breast milk enhances brain development and improves cognitive development in ways that formula cannot. One study has found that the average I.Q. of 7 and 8 year old children who had been breastfed as babies was 10 points higher than their bottle fed peers. All of the children involved had been born prematurely and tube fed the human milk, indicating that the milk itself, not the act of breastfeeding, caused this difference in I.Q. level. Another study to support this statement was done in New Zealand. Here an 18 year longitudinal study of over 1,000 children found that those who were breastfed as infants had both higher intelligence and greater academic achievement than children who were infant-formula fed."





http://www.promom.org/101/





**And breast milk is not (and most likely NEVER will be) the same as breast milk, or even come close to it.
Reply:when you go to work your work is required by law to have a place and a time when you can pump if they don't you can sue them. This comes from A breast feeding class I took from the WIC program. Here are some links.


http://www.breastfeedingworks.org/brochu...


Also here is a toll free # for you to call 1-888-451-2499 it's for breastfeeding mothers and tell them your situation they will help you with all your needs.