“If you can, breastfeed.”
An abstract from the newly published European Code Against Cancer 4th Edition: Breastfeeding and Cancer states that breastfeeding reduces breast cancer risk by 2% for 5 months. Risk is reduced the longer a woman breastfeeds, and her lifetime duration is cumulative; an example is the woman who breastfeeds 3 children for 4 months has a lifetime duration of 12 months. The abstract also says that breastfeeding may reduce risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers, and concludes with this recommendation,”Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s cancer risk. If you can, breastfeed your baby”. (European Code against Cancer 4th Edition: Breastfeeding and cancer. Cancer Epidemiol. 2015 Jun 24. pii: S1877-7821(14)00226-4. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2014.12.007.)
What reflects our global lack of belief in the value of breastfeeding is the phrase, “If you can.” If she can’t, it is implied that that is alright, because breastfeeding isn’t possible for everyone. If her cancer risk is higher as a result of not breastfeeding, that’s okay.
In a world where cancer is a leading cause of death, the recommendation should be “Breastfeed for as long as you can.” Yet, in a world where corporations rule the same way that feudal lords did in the Middle Ages, people are expendable. A worker’s productivity is more valuable than her life; if she gets sick, there are more to replace her.
In a healthy world, mothers are supported to nourish their babies, no matter if they return to paid employment or if they stay at home.
