Breastfeeding and Breast Cancer Risk

Breastfeeding is a personal choice. Some people find it easy and produce a lot of milk, whilst others have difficulties. Some  find it more convenient to bottle feed and bottle formula milk offers excellent nutrition to the baby. However breast milk has other advantages for both the baby and the mum. Breastfeeding offers the baby protection against many infections as antibodies from the mother cross into the breast milk. It also protects against gastroenteritis as well as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.(SIDS, Cot Death) Breastfeeding also has advantages for the mum as it reduces the risk of certain types of breast cancer. It is not clear how breastfeeding can protect against breast cancer risk but it may be due to hormonal influences or breast cells becoming mature during  pregnancy and breastfeeding . Breast feeding for a year or more across all pregnancies, offers mum a 4.3% reduction in their individual breast care risk.

Breast cancer risk reduction will also occur if the milk is expressed using a pump  and this milk can be stored in the fridge, or frozen for future use. This can allow parents to return to work ,but still give the mother and baby the benefits of breast feeding. Breast feeding is also a stimulating time for the baby as there is a lot of interaction with the family. Breast feeding is protective against adult obesity and heart disease in breast fed individuals, and also has  proven boost to educational achievement, measurable at 16 yr.