Breastfeed and Reduce Breast Cancer Risk - for You and Your Baby

Are you concerned about breast cancer? If you’re breastfeeding, then you can be assured that you’re cutting your risk for developing one of the most common forms of cancer among women. And you’re protecting your baby as well.

The World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) found convincing evidence that breastfeeding protects mothers from developing breast cancer, both before and after menopause. Breastfeeding also protects the breastfed child from developing cancers that are linked with being overweight and obesity. These include post-menopausal breast cancer and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colorectum, and kidney.

One reason breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk for developing breast cancer because it causes her to stop menstruating for many months. Some women do not resume menstruating until after they stop breastfeeding altogether. This period of amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation, is a signal that the woman’s hormones have shifted to a state that reduces her chances of developing breast cancer. And the longer a woman breastfeeds, the greater her protection against breast cancer.

Apparently, the natural hormonal changes that women experience during menstruation increase breast cancer risk. This explains why women who have never been pregnant (another period of amenorrhea) have increased risk for breast cancer.

Another way that breastfeeding may protect mothers from breast cancer is by getting rid of breast cells during lactation. These include cells that could develop or already have damaged DNA.

Don’t worry, the damaged cells aren’t harming your baby through your breastmilk. In fact, breastfed babies have reduced risk for developing breast cancer and other forms of cancer. And again, the longer the baby is breastfed, the greater the protection.

Breastfeeding is only one of the ways that you can protect your baby and yourself against cancer. WCRF/AICR gives the following 10 recommendations to avoid cancer:

1. Be as lean as possible within the normal range of body weight.
2. Be physically active as part of everyday life.
3. Limit consumption of energy-dense foods. Avoid sugary drinks.
4. Eat mostly foods of plant origin.
5. Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat.
6. Limit alcoholic drinks.
7. Limit consumption of salt. Avoid moldy cereals (grains) or pulses (legumes).
8. Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone.
9. Mothers to breastfeed; children to be breastfed.
10. Cancer survivors: Follow the recommendations for cancer.

Remember: The World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Afterwards, breastfeeding should continue, along with complementary foods, for two years or longer.

Carrie Lauth is a single mom of 4 kids - all of whom were breastfed (but not at the same time!). She enjoys sharing more about the benefits of breastfeeding - for mom, baby and the rest of the world. Learn more about breastfeeding - its advantages and answers to common questions, and even find pretty nursing bras.

About the Author

Carrie is a homeschooling, single work at home mom of 4. She resides in the metro Atlanta area. She can often be found blogging, craving Indian food and listening to Coldplay.

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