London - Breast, it is said, is best. But if you want a better behaved baby it seems that bottle-feeding might deliver faster results.
A study has found children who were breast-fed cried more, smiled and laughed less, and were harder to get off to sleep than those given formula milk.
However, the Cambridge researchers point out that while bottle-fed babies may seem more content, it may be that they have simply eaten too much. Like adults who comfort eat, they may have been calmed by eating or drinking more than they should.
The team also highlights that the irritability linked to breastfeeding is natural, and not a sign of stress or even hunger. Instead, it is the baby’s way of seeking attention and security from its parents.
In one of the first studies of its kind, the temperament of more than 300 babies was assessed when they were three months old.
Mothers were asked almost 200 questions about their children, from how they responded to being washed and dressed, to how easy they were to get to sleep. The results varied little between boys and girls but there was a clear link with the method of feeding, the journal PLoS ONE reports.
Researcher Ken Ong, of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, said: “What might account for the difference is that bottle-fed babies possibly get more nutrients than is typical. Research suggests these infants may be over-nourished and gain weight too quickly.
“Our findings are essentially similar to other stages of life; people often find eating is comforting.”
Breastfeeding has been shown to protect against obesity, eczema and ear, chest and tummy bugs. It can also reduce the mother’s risk of some cancers.
Despite this, Britain has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe. Around three-quarters of new mothers start breastfeeding but by four months this number has dropped to a third.
Rosie Dodds, of the National Childbirth Trust, said: “Mothers may experience breastfeeding as stressful in this society where bottle feeding is seen as the norm.
“We hear from mothers who say once both they got the hang of it, breastfeeding was a breeze.”
THE CRY THAT MAKES PARENTS JUMP
Parentsare naturally programmed to respond quickly to babies in distress, says research.
Scientists tested the reaction times of 40 men and women using an arcade game called Whack-A-Mole, which involves hitting buttons that light up at random.
Each volunteer played the game three times after listening to one of three sounds - a baby crying, bird song or an adult in distress. Researchers at Oxford University found reaction speeds were faster after the baby’s cries.
Professor Morten Kringelbach said of the study, published in the journal Acta Paediatrica, said: “Our findings suggest that baby cries are treated as ‘special’.” - Daily Mail