Could breastfeeding be the secret to good behaviour?

Deciding whether or not to breastfeed, and for how long, can be a hard choice for any parent and there really is no right or wrong answer. However, a recent study, as reported on by the Metro, has found a possible link between breastfeeding and children with both lower behavioural issues and lower anxiety levels.

Looking at the long-term effects of breastfeeding a child, the study from the Archives of Diseases in Childhood, examined children’s behavioural traits when three, five, seven, 11, and 14. The study aimed to determine whether breastfeeding did have an effect on the behaviour of a child, and how big that impact could be.

From having fewer issues concentrating on tasks to having better social skills and less anxiety, the study determined that children that are solely breastfed until three months in age are likely to benefit. These benefits are even likely to develop regardless of other factors including socioeconomic status or maternal education.

The study concludes: “This study offers further evidence consistent with the idea that breastfeeding plays a crucial role in children’s socioemotional behavioural development.

“Longer breastfeeding durations are associated with fewer behavioural problems in the short and long terms, though future research is required to illuminate the mechanisms.”

Although the study doesn’t reveal the reason that breastfeeding has these advantages, the Metro reports that lead author Lydia Speyer, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, has her own theories. The main theory as to why breastfeeding can have such a positive effect is that it releases oxytocin in a baby which can have a positive effect on the baby’s mood and stress levels.

So, does this article give you pause for thought on your breastfeeding plans for a new baby? With research still in relative infancy surrounding the lasting effects of breastfeeding, it’s interesting to see the evidence that, at last for the first half of year of a child’s life, breastfeeding can make a big difference.

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