s/o: Do you believe bre@stfeeding your babies will protect your from bre@st cancer?

[BamaTanya]

nm

Edited October 10, 2012 by BamaTanya

[Lovin Learnin]

:grouphug:

 

You're right. Thank you for reminding me not to take anything for granted. Best wishes for continued health.

[Caitilin]

:grouphug:

 

You're right. Thank you for reminding me not to take anything for granted. Best wishes for continued health.

 

:iagree:

[ktgrok]

I don't think it will totally prevent cancer. I think, and know, that breastfeeding reduces your chance of cancer. And that is important. If enough women reduce their chances then there will be fewer cases. Nothing is 100 percent, but if there is something you can do to prevent it, you should, if you can.

 

Also, my understanding is that breast cancer is actually many kinds of cancer, and that some forms are prevented in certain ways to some extent, but others are not.

 

So yes, nursing lowers the chance you will get breast cancer, but doesn't eliminate it.

[Scrub Jay]

It doesn't protect from cancer it reduces the odds. Big difference.

 

ETA: My response read rough, sorry. It wasn't meant to. (((hugs)))

[Joanne]

{{tender hugs}}

 

I hesitate to respond out of care and courtesy.

 

Breastfeeding is correlated with *lowered risk*. Just as not smoking is correlated with lower risk of some cancers.

 

I don't think anyone here (a group I grant with fairly high level thinking) considers having breastfed a holistic, total prevention.

[JenC3]

Tanya, first off :grouphug: Cancer sucks.

I don't know what causes it because for every thing you might do to prevent it it still can hit you.

 

I breastfed for 7 years straight. I'm now pg with number 4 and will BF for another 2 yrs. I've never taken bcp and have eaten organic meats and dairy for 10 years. I'm ramping up my exercise as I get ready to hit 40.

 

Do I think I'm immune to ANY cancers? No way.

 

I'm going to do these things because they give me piece of mind and are healthy and will benefit me in the long run.

 

I don't know God's plan and I may not like it, but I'll have to deal with it.

 

Kudos to you for handling it with such grace.

[Sara in AZ]

I'm so sorry to hear about the struggle with breast cancer you and your morher have had, but grateful for your recovery. My maternal grandmother died from BC when my dad was 6. One of his only two sisters is a BC survivor as is his only female cousin. I'm only 34, but considering going in to get a baseline mammogram to be on the safe side.

 

I haven't done a lot of research about the breast feeding aspect. However I did have a conversation with my midwife about it last year. She is also a naturopathic Dr., and she said the protection breast feeding gives you only lasts during the time that you are breast feeding. I am a die hard breast feeder, but I give all the data I hear about the medical benefits of breast feeding with a big grain of salt. None of my babies breast fed for less than two years. Most had many, many ear infections, one had asthma for the first 6-7 years, and one has type one diabetes, all things that breast feeding is supposed to help protect against.

 

I think breast feeding is the best way to nourish your baby, but there are a lot more factors at play when it comes to their health and ours. My 2 cents.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Sara in AZ

[BamaTanya]

I don't think it will totally prevent cancer. I think, and know, that breastfeeding reduces your chance of cancer. And that is important. If enough women reduce their chances then there will be fewer cases. Nothing is 100 percent, but if there is something you can do to prevent it, you should, if you can.

 

Also, my understanding is that breast cancer is actually many kinds of cancer, and that some forms are prevented in certain ways to some extent, but others are not.

 

So yes, nursing lowers the chance you will get breast cancer, but doesn't eliminate it.

 

Yes. My mother actually had two types of tumors. One was hormone receptor + and the other was not. One was knocked out by the chemo and the other returned. :crying:

[Unicorn.]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I'm glad you are doing well, and thank you for sharing your story. I have never believed the "if you nurse your babies" thing. I know too many people w/ BC who nursed. I don't think anyone is safe from anything. My neighbor was like your mom, extremely healthy eater, exercised daily, took great care of her health- never smoke or drank, etc. And never overweight, and yet she has heart disease, and has had heart attacks.

 

I think some things just....are. You can do everything right and ...BAM! You can do everything wrong...and nothing. Life just sucks sometimes.

[Acorn]

{{tender hugs}}

 

I hesitate to respond out of care and courtesy.

 

Breastfeeding is correlated with *lowered risk*. Just as not smoking is correlated with lower risk of some cancers.

 

I don't think anyone here (a group I grant with fairly high level thinking) considers having breastfed a holistic, total prevention.

 

:iagree:

 

Reducing risk in the whole population is important and we should educate others to know how to do so. That doesn't mean much to the individual, who shouldn't feel guilt. Sometimes, things just cannot be predicted. My dh had no risk factors for a heart attack, so he is a statistical anomaly. Doctors can only shrug and say it can't be explained.

[redsquirrel]

There are many types of breast cancer. And the difference between pre and post menopausal is a big one. Then there is the whole genetic aspect, is it a "her +" or - cancer etc, etc. After watching my mom and my SIL have very different experiences with breast cancer I hesitate to make any sweeping statement.

 

My mom survived, my SIL did not. Both of them breastfed their four kids. My mom has been in her 60s for her cancer, my SIL was in her 30s and died in her 40s. My mom had what is generally a slow growing cancer and it was detected both times when it was barely stage 1. My SIL's cancer was aggressive and not detected until it was quite advanced. She lived for 5 years with stage 4 cancer. One of my mom's cancers was genetic, one was not. They were both in the same place in different breasts. I don't know about my SIL.

 

Sometimes, it just comes down to luck.

 

I have been reading "The Emperor of all Maladies: a Biography of Cancer" and it has been a fascinating read, very educational.

 

And I did breastfeed my kids, but that decision had nothing to do with cancer prevention.

[LizzyBee]

We can do our best to stack the odds in our favor, but there is nothing we can do to guarantee we won't have cancer. When I was a kid, I picked green beans at a neighbor's farm every summer, and sometimes I wonder if that's what caused my leukemia. I wonder if my mom would have made me go for the pathetic amount of money I was paid, if she could have had any idea I'd have leukemia in the future. Maybe I'd have leukemia anyway, but my diagnosis has caused me to be more intentional about talking to my kids about nutrition and exercise.

 

I'm sorry you're dealing with bc, but grateful that it was caught early. :grouphug:

[pdalley]

My mother died in Dec because of breast cancer. She knew she had a family history and a lump and refused to get treatment until it was 5cm and had spread throughout her body.

 

Her mother had breast cancer - opted for a radical mastectomy and for the rest of her life was free of breast cancer. She died of unrelated pancreatic cancer at the age of 88 this March.

 

I have had mammograms yearly from the time I was 38. I am constantly doing self checks.

 

I did breastfeed all of mine for extended periods but preventing breast cancer was not a benefit I expected.

 

I fully expect to do battle with breast cancer at some point in my life. It is genetic in our family. I do not wish to save my 'ta-ta's'. (I really hate that phrase) I want to save my life. DH and I have discussed it. Any lump at all and they are gone. I no longer need them but my family needs me.

 

:grouphug: Breast cancer sucks. All cancer sucks. Period. I hate it.

[In the Rain]

:grouphug:

[scrappyhappymama]

I'm so sorry. :grouphug: I'm sure that's difficult to hear when you did "what you were supposed to" and now you are dealing with breast cancer yourself. :grouphug:

 

I have a strong family history of breast cancer and feel a strong sense of inevitability of suffering the disease myself someday. Nevertheless, although no prevention method is a *guarantee* to never develop breast cancer, I certainly am doing what I can to lower my odds. I've breast fed for over ten years now and will probably reach 12 years before I'm done. It's not a guarantee, I know that, but it does make me feel better to DO something.

 

I do also share the message that breastfeeding lowers the odds of breast cancer for both mother and baby. For me, it is similar to teaching my kids that smoking would greatly increase their odds of lung cancer. It is not a bad message, even when there are people like Dana Reeves, who died of lung cancer despite never smoking a day in her life.

 

Cancer s*cks.

[swellmomma]

I think those that believe breastfeeding helps etc do not think it is a foolproof anticancer plan. Just a reduced risk of that particular type of tumor. Which your's may or may not be.

 

I am sorry to hear all you have been through, and I am glad you caught the lumps early and though it resulted in such a big surgery I am glad it was before it cost you your life.

[GoVanGogh]

:grouphug: OP, May you continue to be blessed with your recovery.

 

When I was a kid, I picked green beans at a neighbor's farm every summer, and sometimes I wonder if that's what caused my leukemia. I wonder if my mom would have made me go for the pathetic amount of money I was paid, if she could have had any idea I'd have leukemia in the future. Maybe I'd have leukemia anyway, but my diagnosis has caused me to be more intentional about talking to my kids about nutrition and exercise.

Chemical exposure is more my concern re: cancer.

I did breastfeed and knew that it might reduce my risk of breast cancer.

But I am very concerned about how many chemicals we are exposed to, especially as children.

I lost a relative ~15 years ago to an aggressive form of brain cancer. His case was later tied to a cancer cluster due to aerial crop spraying. Two years ago, his wife passed away from colon cancer. It makes me so sad for their children to have lost both parents so young to cancer, but it also scares me for the health of our entire family. I vividly remember standing outside with my cousins, watching as the fields were crop dusted. :001_huh:

My neighbor died a few years ago from skin cancer. He was very healthy, active and a vegetarian. Every Saturday morning, though, he would spray his yard with herbicide - while barefoot! I always told my husband, "Someday that man is going to die from cancer, spraying those chemicals at his bare feet like that." Never would I have imagined that he would actually die from cancer!

My FIL, a retired farmer, now has leukemia.

It is something I think about all the time. I so wish we knew how to prevent cancer or knew a better way to treat it. It is such an awful disease and the treatments seem so barbaric.

[Jennifer3141]

Thank you for the reminder to schedule my mammogram!! :grouphug:

[Ravin]

reduced risk does not equal no risk.

 

My mom thinks her BC is most readily linked to using BC back forty odd years ago when they were much higher hormone doses.

 

Her experience has made us all more aware, though. Anything I can do, I will--including both risk-reducing behaviors and sensible screening measures.

[DawnM]

I was part of a study to prove that birth control pills and estrogen were the leading cause of breast cancer (USC Medical Study in CA). I was part of the control group as I don't take them.

 

I am not sure what the final results were, but they were convinced that was THE leading cause.

 

Dawn

[Mrs Mungo]

Breastfeeding statistically lowers *your* risk. My risk is not the same as your risk (my risk is high). I agree that early detection is the key. I'm sorry for what you've been through. :grouphug:

[ktgrok]

I did breastfeed all of mine for extended periods but preventing breast cancer was not a benefit I expected.

 

I fully expect to do battle with breast cancer at some point in my life. It is genetic in our family.

 

Just to give you some hope...I researched this recently for a friend. If you have a family history of breast cancer then breastfeeding (I think the duration was 3 months), reduces your chance of getting it by 60%. Not nearly a fool proof preventative, but good news just the same.

[mommymilkies]

Of course not. Breast cancer is not the only reason to breastfeed. I don't think anyone I've ever talked to who breastfed had that as their reason or believed they wouldn't get breast cancer because of it. There are many kinds and causes of breast cancer. It does decrease the odds in your favor, and your children's, but that doesn't mean it's a cure all. It's a big enough decrease that it's a good reason to breastfeed, but not the ONLY thing you should do.

[pdalley]

Just to give you some hope...I researched this recently for a friend. If you have a family history of breast cancer then breastfeeding (I think the duration was 3 months), reduces your chance of getting it by 60%. Not nearly a fool proof preventative, but good news just the same.

 

Wow, that does make me feel better. I went six months with oldest, 24 months with middle and 36 months with youngest (the kid was so hard to wean!).

 

The only reason we lost Mom was because she refused to get checked even after finding that lump. I really believe that because her mother survived it. I'm more of a hypochondriac so if I do have to fight it I hope it will be discovered quickly.

[Soror]

Breastfeeding statistically lowers *your* risk. I agree that early detection is the key. I'm sorry for what you've been through. :grouphug:

:iagree:

I don't think there is any magic thing that will completely protect me. BC prevention wasn't a reason I bf either but a decreased risk of BC is a nice benefit.

[VeganCupcake]

Like others said, it's associated with a reduction of risk, not an elimination of it. It is a consideration to me, but I also think about a lot of environmental and other health factors, as well as just whatever fate hands me.

[joannqn]

If The China Study and the hundreds of studies cited in the book are to be believed, our diet may be the biggest factor leading to breast cancer. The entire book is about how animal-based foods (meat, dairy, and eggs) greatly increase our risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, common cancers (including breast...chapter 8), autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, kidney stones, blindness (macular degeneration and cataracts), and brain diseases.

 

Specifically to breast cancer, it says...

 

There are at least four important risk factors for breast cancer that are affected by nutrition:

 

Early age of menarche...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates (such as the Standard American Diet) lowers the age of menarche

 

Late age of menopause...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates raises the age of menopause

 

High levels of female hormones in the blood...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates increases female hormone levels

 

High blood cholesterol....a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates increases blood cholesterol levels

 

With the exception of the last one, the risk factors above are all variations of the same: exposure to female hormones. Women who consume a diet rich in animal-based foods, with a reduced amount of whole, plant-based foods, reach puberty earlier and menopause later. They also have higher levels of female hormones throughout their lives. Lifetime exposure to estrogen is at least 2.5-3.0 times timer in Western women than women in rural China, who consume mostly a whole-food, plant-based diet.

 

HRT is also mentioned in the book. As is alcohol consumption.

 

The beginning of the book also discusses a few studies where liver cancer was found to be completely preventable with diet (in mice and rats). They gave the rats high amounts of known carcinogen and fed half of them 20% of their calories as casein or 5% of their calories as casein. The 20% group all got cancer. The 5% group all remained cancer free. They tried 20% soy protein and glutein diets and found those proteins don't cause cancer either. Only high amounts of animal protein. They also found that they could greatly affect the growth of tumors, making them grow bigger or shrink, just by changing the amount of animal protein consumed. If liver cancer reacts to dietary changes, might breast cancer do the same?

 

Folks, this is the percentage of protein most of us eat if not lower than what many eat! This is not feeding them outrageous amounts.

 

So think about this. What is the first animal-based food most people receive? Formula. Then milk. It's the start of it. Perhaps turns on those genes that might never have been turned on.

 

Also think about this. When was the last time your doctor, or any doctor, told you that you had a huge influence on whether or not you got heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, etc.? When was the last time the medical community told you to stop eating meat, dairy, and eggs so you could be healthier? Probably never.

 

Me neither.

 

Why? Because it doesn't make money...and many very powerful organizations would lose money if word got out.

 

But guess who is changing her family's diet? I can't undo the first 38 years of my life, but I can affect the rest of it.

[OrganicAnn]

It is all statistics. If it reduces your risk by 1% or 5% or whatever, it doesn't mean it will stop you from getting breast cancer.

 

I always thought of it as a win win. Good for the baby and good for the momma.

[Scrub Jay]

 

Also think about this. When was the last time your doctor, or any doctor, told you that you had a huge influence on whether or not you got heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, etc.? When was the last time the medical community told you to stop eating meat, dairy, and eggs so you could be healthier? Probably never.

 

Me neither.

 

Why? Because it doesn't make money...and many very powerful organizations would lose money if word got out.

 

But guess who is changing her family's diet? I can't undo the first 38 years of my life, but I can affect the rest of it.

 

But there are also sources that say grass fed beef, etc... is good for us.

 

I truly think a lot depends on the individual because it makes no sense that there's zero agreement. I know I personally feel awful on a low protein diet. If it's supposed to be best for me then why does it make me feel so bad?

[DianeW88]

Pre-menopausal and post-menopausal breast cancers are two completely different animals. And no, I do not believe that breast feeding helps prevent pre-menopausal breast cancer.

[DianeW88]

Just to give you some hope...I researched this recently for a friend. If you have a family history of breast cancer then breastfeeding (I think the duration was 3 months), reduces your chance of getting it by 60%. Not nearly a fool proof preventative, but good news just the same.

 

The standard for determining theoretical risk reduction from breast feeding is one year. This includes all your children. It does not have to be done for one year straight.

[Ellie]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

The science seems to say that bre*astfeeding does help, but that does not mean that we shouldn't be proactive in getting regular exams, especially if there's a family history of bre*st cancer. I'm reminded of Mary Leggewe, who was *young*, and skipped getting a mamogram just once, developed bre*st cancer the following year, had a radical mastectomy, and died of a secondary infection. :crying:

[butterflymommy]

I do believe I've given myself an "advantage" by having a lot of kids and breastfeeding them all, in avoiding breast cancer.

 

However for the past three babies my periods returned immediately post partum-- and I am ovulating (verified with OPKs). Since the protective measure of breastfeeding is that you're not ovulating (and thus not subject to hormonal fluctuations) then I won't have received any benefit from it. However, breastmilk has been found to kill cancer cells in some studies, so it could be that the presence of breastmilk in breast tissue is what has the preventative effect (however great or small).

 

As far as eating veggies or being vegetarian-- unfortunately for us adults, the main dietary influence is what we ate at the onset of puberty and as teenagers when it comes to breast & reproductive cancer risk. The same for boys and future prostate cancer risk. I grew up in a household where red meat was king and where milk was the main beverage. I eat mostly vegan now and try to eat huge amounts of greens but I worry the damage has been done.

 

Both my mom and maternal aunt were diagnosed with breast and reproductive cancers within months of each other. They are both convinced it was some environmental exposure as children that caused it. Very likely their adolescent diet played a role, since they grew up eating the same meals. And they have both been obese as adults which is another risk factor.

[Walking-Iris]

I believe that breastfeeding lowers risk and is usually associated with a healthier mother and baby. But no way would it completely prevent cancer---of any sort. There are way too many other variables.

 

The main thing that bothers me about the article the OP linked is the women against women war. There's way too much judgement and not enough sisterhood between women. I stopped caring about the author's opinion in that article when she starting throwing the word feminist around as if it were a four letter word. Patriarchal men can just sit back and laugh---we women do a fine job on our own pointing fingers at each other's lifestyle choices and telling each other what we should do.

[Farrar]

{{tender hugs}}

 

I hesitate to respond out of care and courtesy.

 

Breastfeeding is correlated with *lowered risk*. Just as not smoking is correlated with lower risk of some cancers.

 

I don't think anyone here (a group I grant with fairly high level thinking) considers having breastfed a holistic, total prevention.

 

:iagree:

 

My understanding is that the science is behind this. But there is nothing that can protect us from cancer 100%. All we can do is do our best to live healthy, including getting checks. And to support research, of course. There are lots of good reasons to breastfeed. This is one small perk, but hardly a cure for cancer or a reason in and of itself to choose breastfeeding.

 

I'm glad the OP is a survivor. :grouphug:

[Mom-ninja.]

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of some cancer. It is NOT a fail proof method to avoid breast cancer.

 

Just like breastfeeding will reduce the occurrence of ear infections and illness in babies it does NOT mean that your baby will never get a cold or get an ear infection.

 

It reduces the risk of developing allergies....it does NOT guarantee a child without allergies.

 

I could go on. The bottom line is that there are so many many factors that go into our health, and one particular thing is not going to seal the deal either way.

 

I have been breastfeeding for 11 years so far. I do not in any way consider myself safe or immune from breast cancer (or other cancer such as ovarian cancer). There are forms of cancer that are not influenced at all by breastfeeding such as Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

 

I'm sorry you lost your mom to breast cancer. I'm sorry you are battling it yourself. :grouphug: Sometimes even when we do all the "right" things we still get sick, and it is so unfair.

[ktgrok]

If The China Study and the hundreds of studies cited in the book are to be believed, our diet may be the biggest factor leading to breast cancer. The entire book is about how animal-based foods (meat, dairy, and eggs) greatly increase our risks of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, common cancers (including breast...chapter 8), autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, kidney stones, blindness (macular degeneration and cataracts), and brain diseases.

 

Specifically to breast cancer, it says...

 

There are at least four important risk factors for breast cancer that are affected by nutrition:

 

Early age of menarche...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates (such as the Standard American Diet) lowers the age of menarche

 

Late age of menopause...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates raises the age of menopause

 

High levels of female hormones in the blood...a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates increases female hormone levels

 

High blood cholesterol....a diet high in animal foods and refined carbohydrates increases blood cholesterol levels

 

With the exception of the last one, the risk factors above are all variations of the same: exposure to female hormones. Women who consume a diet rich in animal-based foods, with a reduced amount of whole, plant-based foods, reach puberty earlier and menopause later. They also have higher levels of female hormones throughout their lives. Lifetime exposure to estrogen is at least 2.5-3.0 times timer in Western women than women in rural China, who consume mostly a whole-food, plant-based diet.

 

HRT is also mentioned in the book. As is alcohol consumption.

 

The beginning of the book also discusses a few studies where liver cancer was found to be completely preventable with diet (in mice and rats). They gave the rats high amounts of known carcinogen and fed half of them 20% of their calories as casein or 5% of their calories as casein. The 20% group all got cancer. The 5% group all remained cancer free. They tried 20% soy protein and glutein diets and found those proteins don't cause cancer either. Only high amounts of animal protein. They also found that they could greatly affect the growth of tumors, making them grow bigger or shrink, just by changing the amount of animal protein consumed. If liver cancer reacts to dietary changes, might breast cancer do the same?

 

Folks, this is the percentage of protein most of us eat if not lower than what many eat! This is not feeding them outrageous amounts.

 

So think about this. What is the first animal-based food most people receive? Formula. Then milk. It's the start of it. Perhaps turns on those genes that might never have been turned on.

 

Also think about this. When was the last time your doctor, or any doctor, told you that you had a huge influence on whether or not you got heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disease, etc.? When was the last time the medical community told you to stop eating meat, dairy, and eggs so you could be healthier? Probably never.

 

Me neither.

 

Why? Because it doesn't make money...and many very powerful organizations would lose money if word got out.

 

But guess who is changing her family's diet? I can't undo the first 38 years of my life, but I can affect the rest of it.

 

 

There are critiques of this study that show the opposite results that they got...might be worth searching out.http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/

Edited October 8, 2012 by ktgrok

[FaithManor]

I think the single biggest problem when talking about the risk factors of cancer is that we tend to think of breast cancer and prostate cancer, in particular, as one kind of cancer. They are all one evil type of cell. Unfortunately, this is actually not true. There are many kinds of malignancies that can invade the same tissue or organ. Thus, breast cancer is an over-simplification of a very complext term.

 

There are ways to reduce risk of certain types of cancer, but not all. Everything....absolutely everything we do to reduce dh's risk of prostate cancer is likely to produce, at best, a 15% reduction in risk. The reality is he is genetically pre-disposed and genetics are beyond the bounds of our control.

 

Actually, for all of the talk there is about prevention, genetics plays a much larger role than we are lead to believe. So, all we can do is make the best decisions we can, weigh our options, try out best, and feel no guilt if the chips fall on the wrong side.

 

For what it is worth, I think that toxic chemical exposure and pollution, play a FAR larger role than both the medical community and big business would have us understand. I worry a lot about some specific things I was exposed to as a child and I also know there is virtually nothing I can do about except try to reduce the risk of exposure to my kids.

 

:grouphug::grouphug: Hugs to all who have had to go through this.

 

Faith

[joannqn]

There are critiques of this study that show the opposite results that they got...might be worth searching out.http://rawfoodsos.com/2010/07/07/the-china-study-fact-or-fallac/

 

Thank you. I will look into that. Regardless, we are dramatically increasing our intake of fruits and veggies for other reasons, and we saw positive results within a month. It has become obvious to us, that our diet isn't healthy. We thought it was because most of our food is home cooked. But we are losing weight, have tons more energy, and feel so much better. DS10's behavioral issues have improved noticeably. And the only thing we've done is increase fruits and vegetables.

[gaillardia]

No, I do not believe that.

My mother had five children and nursed all five of us. Sixteen years ago she died from this cancer of which you speak. Too many variables to put a tag on it.

[cindergretta]

I believe it is one thing a woman can do to help lower her *risk.* There are no absolutes. A pack a day smoker can live to be 90 while a non-smoker dies in his 50s.

 

Every person assesses their own risks for any given type of disease and works to lower their risk in any way they can. It in no way guarantees they won't die from it. :( But it always feels better to be proactive, yes?

 

Since there are little to no known disadvantages (health wise) to breastfeeding, nothing ventured, nothing gained. No one is taking a risk by breastfeeding.

 

Many swear by drinking a glass of red wine every day for heart health. Others swear by never touching a sip of alcohol for heart health (or overall general health.) It is usually a perceived risk/benefit ratio that prompts people to do one thing and not another. But I don't think anyone really believes that living one way or another guarantees them a long and healthy life free of any disease or cancer.

[Jpoy85]

Ive always heard it lowers the risks.

[Negin]

85% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women who have no family history.

Yes, thank you for pointing this out.

 

I just don't want anyone to become lulled in a false sense of security and believe herself to be safe.

This also.

 

Tanya :grouphug:, I used to think that breastfeeding gives some protection, but I have seen friends who have done everything right just as you pointed out and have still gotten the disease. One of my friends breastfed for 10 years, exercised, ate healthy, basically did everything right - and she got it. There are no guarantees it seems. None whatsoever. We can only keep trying and doing what we know to do - eat right, exercise, reduce stress, and so on.

 

Because breast feeding interrupts ovulation, it is thought to reduce the amount of time estrogen circulates in the body. Some women (yours truly) breast fed but their periods returned fairly quickly. :glare:

 

The fewer periods and the less we ovulate in our life time, the lower our risk for all female-related cancers - breast, uterine, ovarian - and so forth. The earlier we start our periods, the higher the risk. The later we go through menopause, again, the higher the risk.

 

I read this:

The Gail Model considers five criteria in determining a women's risk for breast cancer.

 

1. Current age

2. Age at menarche

3. Number of breast biopsies

4. Age at first live birth

5. Number of first-degree relatives with breast cancer

 

Of the five criteria, three of them are intimately tied to a woman's exposure to estrogen during her lifetime (#'s 1, 2, and 4), while only one addresses inheriting a defective gene from an ancestor (#5).

 

1. Current age: The older you are, the longer that you have been exposed to estrogen, increasing the likelihood of damage to breast cell genes.

 

2. Age at menarche: The younger that you are when you begin to menstruate, the longer you will ultimately be exposed to estrogen during your lifetime. Couple this with a late menopause and your risk increases further. When I went for my breast thermogram, I was told that the ideal age to begin menstruating is 16! :001_huh:

 

3. Age at first live birth: Estrogen levels drop off considerably while pregnant and lactating. Multiple live births with subsequent breast-feeding further decrease your risk for breast cancer.

 

Tanya, I do want you to know that I think of you so often and you're always in my prayers. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

[ktgrok]

Thank you. I will look into that. Regardless, we are dramatically increasing our intake of fruits and veggies for other reasons, and we saw positive results within a month. It has become obvious to us, that our diet isn't healthy. We thought it was because most of our food is home cooked. But we are losing weight, have tons more energy, and feel so much better. DS10's behavioral issues have improved noticeably. And the only thing we've done is increase fruits and vegetables.

 

good point, so often it is about what you DO eat, not what you don't eat. More fruits and veggies are always good!

[Kari C in SC]

Not at all. I have a friend that breastfed 11 kids and is a breast cancer survivor.

[TengoFive]

We had a local La Leche League Leader die of breast cancer because her doctor wouldn't do a breast exam while she was lactating. So, no I don't think breastfeeding makes you immune to breast cancer.

 

One interesting study in Japan found that nursing 1 baby for 2 years had a much greater impact on breast cancer rates than nursing 2 babies for 1 year each.

 

At least 3 generations of women on my dad's side have had breast cancer. I'm doing everything I can to reduce my risk.