Assumption: Breastfeeding is good for the baby and for bonding, but otherwise is insignificant to the mother.
FALSE
The authors of this study found a direct correlation between breast cancer (or lack thereof) and breastfeeding. More women with breast cancer had either not breastfed at all or had done so for a shorter duration (less than 10 months) than those without breast cancer (over 15 months).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12133652?dopt=Abstract
My Views:Of course, this is all statistics and breastfeeding will not assure that you will not get breast cancer, but it is certainly good information to know! The more I read, the more convinced I am that our hormones play a big part in both our personalities and our health. This study does not state that hormones are the reason for the protectiveness breastfeeding provides, but I would not be surprised if future studies do demonstrate the importance of the hormones released while breastfeeding.
