According to new research, babies who are fed on demand are more likely to have an increased IQ and to perform better at school.  According to the study, eight year-olds, whom were fed on demand as babies, have an higher IQ, four or five points ahead than those who were fed on an timetable basis.

The study was conducted by researchers from both then University of Essex and Oxford University. They both looked at three different types baby feeding processes:

• babies fed according to a schedule (e.g. every four hours when baby is only four weeks old);
• babies whom were not fed according to a schedule;
• babies whom were fed on demand.

All of the data was taken from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, taken from 10,000 babies who were born in Bristol during the early 1990′s. The study discovered that parents who feed their baby on demand, had higher IQ scores and performed better in the SATS tests from ages 5, 7, 11 and 14.  Parents who tried to feed their babies on a schedule but were unable to, had similar IQ and SAT test results as those babies fed on demand.

The study also discoverd that parents who fed their babies on a schedule tend to be younger, single, social tenants and less educated.

Maria Iacovou, from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex, said “the difference between schedule and demand-fed children is found both in breast-fed and in bottle-fed babies. The difference in IQ levels of around four to five points, though statistically highly significant, would not make a child at the bottom of the class move to the top, but it would significant.” She also added, “This is the first and study of it’s kind. Further research is needed before we can say that how you feed your baby has a long-term impact on his or her IQ and academic attainment.”

The Life Dept adds: mothers to be are already bombarded with the ‘breast is best’ message and we have reported evidence of breast fed babies performing better in all manner of ways including better IQ.  This new research adds to this pool of knowledge making it clear that feeding babies on demand is also beneficial.  Unsurprisingly, pregnancy and birth are two major triggers for people to seek life insurance as the ‘protective urge’ kicks in.  In terms of the benefit of cover maternal deaths for mothers giving birth have not improved in the UK in the last 20 years.  According to The Guardian 8.2 mums die giving birth in the UK for every 100,000 births.  Of course this is still hugely better than in parts of the less developed world.  To put it in context, in Afganistan the mother mortality is 1,500 deaths per 100,000 births.  Clearly a mother dying giving birth would be a valid claim in life assuarance.  Even though women exclusively carry all the risks associated with preganancy and childbirth it is presently still cheaper for a woman to get life insurance in the UK.  This benefit won’t last for long because EU law has outlawed life insurance gender pricing based on sex and this practice will end this year.  On the other hand income protection cover for women is more expensive as women have a greater propensity to claim.  Illnesses associated with pregancy will be covered as part of income protection cover.

Written exclusively for THE LIFE & critical illness DEPT | 20 Mar 2012 | providers of life insurance, critical illness insurance and income protection cover.

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