Strollerderby

You're asking if the statement "failure to breastfeed one's baby is associated with higher levels of infant maltreatment, including neglect, emotional and physical abuse, and sexual molestation" can be read as anything but "judgmental and divisive".

No, of course it can't. I'm not sure how the original study presents the data, but the way it is written here makes it sound like by "failing" to breastfeed, I am now at an increased risk of beating my child.

As you touched on, mothers who chose to breastfeed are generally wealthier, better educated, and older than mothers who chose not to. I would expect that these younger, less educated, poorer mothers are also more likely to abuse their children, statistically speaking. I don't think breastfeeding has anything to do with it.

Study findings reported in this way are exactly what fuels the guilt passed on to mothers who were unable to breastfeed.

Why was this even studied?  The researchers could have instead studied the price of the parent's vehicle, one could easily assume that the more expensive the car, the less likely the abuse...therefore you should have a more expensive car if you don't want to abuse your children.  Or maybe...just maybe someone would use common sense and realize that it has nothing to do with the car or breastfeeding.  Mother's who breastfeed are usually wealthier and better educated than those that do not...the abuse is not directly related to breastfeeding...both are a result of being raised in a poor socioeconomic class.

It could be related to bf but not the way these researcher have concluded. I would be curious if these women who abuse their children also suffer from Postpartum depression.

We know from research that women who breastfeed have a lower incidence of postpartum depression.

So, mistreating children would seem likely related to the mothers emotional well being, her coping skills, the support system, and other social factors as mentioned by the op. Not if she breastfed or not.

Posting this study just seems gratuitous. I can't imagine that this is anything besides correlation, not cause. I'm a breast-feeding mom, and even I feel pretty disgusted that this would even be posted. Trying to generate a bunch of comments? Make bottle-feeders feel bad? I can't imagine that this does anything to promote any actual discussion.

This is so stupid.  When I saw this in the paper I said, "of course breastfeeding mothers neglect and abuse their children less--they're already going to the effort to let their children GNAW ON THEIR BODIES FOR SUSTENANCE."  Geez.  

Can we all say it together, one more time, Correlation does not imply causation!

en.wikipedia.org/.../Correlation_does_not_imply_causation

In other fascinating news, "Being Poor Causes Stupidity!"

It's so obvious that this is a case of correlation, not causation, that I can't imagine any reason to even mention causation as a possibility other than to offend people and make women who bottlefeed feel guilty.

More manufactured mommy wars. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Breast feeding does not equal "good parenting". It does not even come close. There is so much more involved in the raising of healthy human beings.It is merely a way in which one chooses to feed their child. This all seems bogus, unfair and divisive to me.

"Or is it a case of correlation, not caustion, with mothers in the groups least likely to breastfeed -- poor, young, less well-educated -- also at risk for abuse and neglect for environmental reasons?"

Of course it is.

It's complete BS to say that not breastfeeding predisposes a parent to abuse. Women who don't breastfeed, as has been said at great length in various Babble forums, also tend to be poor women, uneducated women. In other words, women whose life circumstances are horrendously stressful. And that is a context for abuse.

I wonder as in the Breastfeeding = High IQ study, if this study also ignored the intelligence, education and financial standing of the parents.  Because if you add in poverty and low education, abuse and neglect happen more frequently for all children regardless of age, ethnicity or how they are fed.

If not breastfeeding predisposes someone to abuse a child, and if men can't breastfeed ... ladies, keep an eye on your husbands and baby daddies. Hell, even your non-breastfeeding life partners. Because clearly they haven't bonded with your baby as well as you have, and therefore are more likely to abuse them. Such crap.

I am going to stop reading this blog. Everytime something like this is posted, it's like being kicked in the stomach. After the heartache of not being able to breastfeed, I am tired of being continually subjected to story after story about how I must be lazy, uneducated, unintelligent, and now potentially abusive!

This study is ridiculous, but typical, and redundant.

See here:

bestparentever.com/.../36-breastfeeding

Theresa - don't even listen.  Not breastfeeding does not equal bad parenting, despite studies like this.  I doubt adopted babies are all breastfed and I seriously doubt that the numbers in this study would corelate to that group.  

Breastfeeding is one of those things everyone has to have an opinion about.  If you do breastfeed, you get persecuted if you breastfeed "too long" (anywhere from over 6 months to over a year starts attracting scrutiny).  If you don't breastfeed at all, you attract scrutiny until the baby is in the "too old to nurse" time.  

We're lucky to live in a time where being unable to nurse does not mean potential starvation for our children.  We're also lucky to have another option when there isn't even paid maternity leave in the USA.  

One more thing - why does everyone care so much about the first 6 months of a child's nutrition?  I think the "formula taboo" should be transferred to junk food marketers.  What's worse - a baby who gets formula in addition to being taught good nutrition, or a breastfed baby who grows into a junk food addict?

I am so tired of being made to feel like horrible parent because I was unable to breast feed.  When people see formula, they judge, mainly because of articles like this. Like many others posted, there are so many other factors involved in all of these studies than a bottle or a breast.  

I can't feel guilty any more!  I would have if I could.  I'm sure in a lot of ways I'm a better mom than some who breast feed.  I HATE these studies!