Did you know breastmilk not only boosts a babies immune system, but it also aids in brain development? It makes kids smarter and the longer they receive breastmilk during the first year, the higher their IQ. The smallest of preemies who have been breastfed also require less special education classes when they get to school. It's really amazing. Formulas try to replicate the beneficial parts of breastmilk, but breastmilk is a pretty complex substance. Every woman's milk is different and it's composition also varies by time of day and amount of time elapsed since giving birth. Apparently the longer you breastfeed, the more fat content produced in the milk to adapt to the caloric needs of a growing baby.
There's an interesting chapter in this book: What's Going On In There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot, about breastmilk and brain development. In fact this whole book is very interesting. I read it once and I need to make time to read it again. I've spent pretty much every waking minute around around my son ever since he came home from the hospital. Even when he was the tiniest little thing, I'd always talk to him and I really believe he understood a lot of what I was saying. I fully believe babies understand quite a bit. Probably way more than we'll ever know. I think their abilities are underestimated because they physically can't control their bodies yet. They spent 9 months, or less, swimming in the womb and when they are born their muscles are like jello. Only when control over their body is gained, can a baby begin to communicate back. Sign language pretty much proves my theory. Using sign language, a toddler can communicate pretty complex thoughts way before they have gained the physical ability to talk. Just because they can't talk yet, doesn't mean nothing is going on in there.
There's an interesting chapter in this book: What's Going On In There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot, about breastmilk and brain development. In fact this whole book is very interesting. I read it once and I need to make time to read it again. I've spent pretty much every waking minute around around my son ever since he came home from the hospital. Even when he was the tiniest little thing, I'd always talk to him and I really believe he understood a lot of what I was saying. I fully believe babies understand quite a bit. Probably way more than we'll ever know. I think their abilities are underestimated because they physically can't control their bodies yet. They spent 9 months, or less, swimming in the womb and when they are born their muscles are like jello. Only when control over their body is gained, can a baby begin to communicate back. Sign language pretty much proves my theory. Using sign language, a toddler can communicate pretty complex thoughts way before they have gained the physical ability to talk. Just because they can't talk yet, doesn't mean nothing is going on in there.
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