I think the problem lay in *all* of us - breastfed/breastfeeding; formula 
fed/formula feeding/ professionals / hcp's etc. - comparing the breastfed to 
with the forumla fed and vise versa.  

If *any* comparisons need to be done, they should be done within the 
specific group only.  I.E. breastfed to breastfed and formula fed to forumla 
fed.  Of course, we need to leave it up to the scientists to do the studies 
that actually compare the two groups.  And if we as professionals are asked 
questions in this regard we must answer with the general numbers of said 
facts, and NOT try to answer or compare specific families, children, situations.

In thinking of the whole IQ benefit for breastfed babies, I once had an 
epiphany.  It's quite funny, and I'll readily admit I was attempting to dis my 
poor dear husband at the time, but humour me if you will and I'll share it with 
you:

See, a number of years ago my hubby and I had each taken an online IQ test 
just for fun.  I got a score of 125 and He ended up with a score of 132.  He 
was very pleased that he once and for all could prove that he was smarter 
than me.  Ha ha.  Anyway, I remember wondering at the time, how could 
either of us who were forumla fed from the get go (and that was with the 
formulations of almost 40 years ago!) even be *that* smart?

And then it dawned on me!  If my ever-lovin' husband had been breastfed, 
and had been given the benefit of 8 more IQ points...well...he'd be a 
genius!  'Cause isn't an IQ of 140 considered borderline genius?  Alas, he had 
to live life with the knowledge that because he hadn't been breastfed, he'd 
never amount to being a genius, and he'd have to suffer through in the 
knowledge that he was ONLY 7 points smarter than his lovely wife!

It's a funny story, and one I still like to bring up from time to time, but it does 
make a good point:

For people who are ALREADY smart with a high intelligence quotient, 5 or 10 
points more really is not going to make a lot of difference in their lives.  An IQ 
of 125 is really no worse off than an IQ of 130, in terms of educational 
opportunities, career choices, and socio-economic outcome.

But.  For a person who was formula fed as an infant and only has an IQ of 
100, those 5 or 8 or 10 extra points could literally be the catalyst for an 
entirely different life.  It could literally change that person's educational 
opportunities (high school drop out or graduate?) and career choices (menial-
minimum wage labour or lucrative self-employment?) and could have changed 
the entire course of their life.

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