Having multiple children does protect from breast cancer but breastfeeding does as well:
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/about-canc ... ast-cancer
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... ast_cancer
http://www.onemillioncampaign.org/doc/R ... eeding.pdf
you can do your own searches online. The studies range from some protection to lots. It stands to reason that not using the breasts for their intended purpose would not be a good thing in SOME way. breast cancer used to be known as the "nuns' disease"
bresatfeeding will also protect mom from ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, obesity, postpartum hemmorage, Type 2 diabetes, and postpartum deppression. New benefits for mom in terms of her health are cropping up all the time. The Lord has made it so what's good for one is good for all-There is that pesky "family is one, family is unit of society" concept again!
According to the UK article, because I had my kids and nursed continuosly for 6 1/2 years that reduces my premenopausal risk of breast cancer by more than 40%. Not so good that I had them about 11 years after the onset of menses! Anyway there are lots of other factors too but I don't look at it from a "risk reduction" but more like the inverse. NOT having kids and not breastfeeding is the risky behavior in terms of reproductive cancers.
About SIDS: breastfeeding prevents SIDS or rather not breastfeeding is a definite risk factor for SIDS. Most baby formulas today are made from Cow's milk. It is a major ingredient in it, pick up a can sometime and read label! Can't think why anyone who doesn't absolutely have to would voluntarily feed this to a little newborn! Cow's milk is implicated in SIDS as well as asthma:
"Hypersensitivity to milk is implicated as
a cause of sudden death in infancy."
The Lancet, vol. 2, 7160, November 19, 1960
"Those infants who died of SIDS expressed
inappropriate or inflammatory responses
suggesting violent allergic reactions to a
foreign protein. Lung tissue and cells
showed responses similar to bronchial
wall inflammation in asthma."
The Lancet, vol. 343, June 4, 1994
"Those who consumed cows milk were fourteen
times more likely to die from diarrhea-related
complications and four times more likely to
die of pneumonia than were breast-fed babies.
Intolerance and allergy to cow's milk products
is a factor in sudden infant death syndrome."
The Lancet, vol. 344, November 5, 1994
"The three most common milk proteins are
casein, beta-lactoglobulin, and alpha-lactalbumin.
The correlation between these three cow proteins
and childhood allergies is high...a strategy of
soy protein as a substitute for cow's milk is
suggested."
Pediatr-Med-Chir., September/October, 1994, 16(5) (Soy formulas have their own big problems!)
"Diet has a significant effect on the developing
immune system...formula fed babies, at the age
of 3 months, were secreting low levels of serum
antibodies to cow milk antigens contained in
their formula."
Pediatr-Allergy-Immunol., August, 1994, 5(3)
"Formula fed infants developed symptoms of
allergic rejection to cow milk proteins before
one month of age. The majority of infants
tested had two or more symptoms...About 50-70
percent experienced rashes or other skin
symptoms, 50-60 percent gastrointestinal
symptoms, and 20-30 percent respiratory
symptoms. The recommended therapy is to
avoid cow's milk."
Pediatr.-Allergy-Immunol., 1994, 5(5 Suppl)
Anyway, I am a lactation consultant after all so I couldn't let this golden opportunity slip by!
I think there is a desperate need for a polygyny book written by women for women!
