[thedoc (OP)]

Being breastfed could help you climb the social ladder, a new first-of-a-kind study has shown...

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[AntonMaeso]

Correlation or causation?

I think it might be more likely that breast feeding correlates with other factors that have a positive impact on social status. It seems difficult to infer any causation from this study.

[grizelda]

Smoking is a fantasy version of breastfeeding. The cigarette is the nipple; the hand against the mouth is the breast; the smoke is the milk; and the most important part, the second hand smoker, is the fantasy mother. Most cigarette advertising portrays smoking as integral to a higher-status lifestyle.

[JSparkle]

Agree with Anton that other social factors are more likely to be the actual reasoning for any social advantage. Parents who breast feed are probably more likely to be aware of the benefit to the child and apply this same reasoning to other aspects of the child's life.

[allgoaway]

I'm the single care giver of two children, one is 9 the other is 7; they are full blooded siblings. The first born never latched to there moms nipples and the second born did. I have not seen any difference in the social standing out side of there age differences. But at the same time I, there father, have bin there only care giver for most of there lives and as such may of squid the outcome.

on a side note grizelda are you an ex smoker because if you are then what you said is invalid

[grizelda]

Not only am I an ex-smoker, but I am also an ex-secondhand smoker. I avoid people who smoke like the plague. Fortunately societal trends have made it relatively easy to avoid public exposure to smoke where I live, so I am no longer dragooned into being some smokers fantasy mother.