Breast-Feeding May Reduce Risk of Belligerent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a major health issue especially among married women, but  new study finds a link between breast-feeding and a woman's reduced risk for an aggressive form of breast cancer called hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.

This type of cancer accounts for about 20 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States and is more common among women younger than 50, black women and those with the BRCA1 gene mutation, the researchers said.

The large international study found that women who breast-fed were up to 20 percent less likely to develop hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer than those who did not breast-feed. Researchers observed an association but they did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The findings were published Oct. 26 in the journal Annals of Oncology.

"Further evidence to support the long-term protection of breast-feeding against the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer is very encouraging and actionable," said study co-author Dr. Marisa Weiss in an American Cancer Society news release. Weiss is president and founder of Breastcancer.org and director of breast health outreach at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pa.

"Breast-feeding is a relatively accessible, low-cost, short-term strategy that yields long-lasting natural protection," she noted.

The findings show the need for more public health programs that directly inform women about the benefits of breast-feeding, and for removal of obstacles to breast-feeding in the home, community and workplace, the researchers said.

Dr. Paolo Boffetta is associate director for population sciences at Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. He said in the news release, "Pregnant women and young mothers are highly receptive and motivated to make healthy choices. We need to encourage women who are able to breast-feed to do so for their breast health, in addition to the health of their children." 

Further research is needed to learn more about how breast-feeding reduces the risk of hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer and its effect on other types of breast cancer, Boffetta added.

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How To Choose A Breast Pump

It is true that returning to work for nursing mothers is always tough since they have to cope with continuous feeding the baby and being at work. The way around this challenge for many mothers is to use the breast pump.

Breast pumps are generally used to ensure continued production of breast milk when you cannot feed your baby - whether you are back to work, traveling, taking medication, or just out of town. 

Milk production in the breasts work on the same principle of demand and supply. The more breast milk your baby consumes, the more your body will need to make. 

Basic types of pumps

Breast pumps can either be battery operated, hand operated, semi automatic electric, or even self cycling electric.

1.         Hand pumps

Manual hand pumps are designed to use the strength of your hand or arm muscles for pumping one breast at a time.  You can also get pumps that will use the leg and foot muscles for pumping both breasts at one time. 

Mothers that with carpal tunnel syndrome may want to consider using a pump designed for the arm or leg muscles or even an automatic model.

2.         Battery operated pumps

Pumps with battery operation are the best for women who have an established supply of milk and want to pump once or even twice a day.  These pumps use batteries to create suction, minimizing any type of muscle fatigue.  Most battery type pumps are designed for pumping one breast at a time and are recommended for occasional usage.

3.         Electric pumps

Even though electric pumps are more efficient than hand or even battery operated pumps, they also tend to be more expensive.  You can however, rent them if you need to.  Electric pumps can normally plug directly into an outlet and are designed for pumping both breasts at a time and even frequent use.

Hospital grade pumps are the most efficient for initiating and maintaining milk supply, and are available for rent or purchase, even online (Amazon).

How To Use A Breast Pump So You Can Resume Work

Cope with the challenging of resuming work while still breastfeeding is always tough for many nursing mothers. How can they manage tending their baby and still cope with the responsibilities of work?

One possible solution is pumping to store breast milk for the infant. But many young mothers find it hard to use the pump.

Just like breast feeding, pumping is a skill that you learn.  When first trying a breast pump, most mothers are only able to express a few drops of milk. With proper practice and knowledge, the mother will be more efficient at pumping.

Preparing the breast pump

1.         Read all the instructions in the kit very carefully.

2.         Every part of the breast pump will need to be sterilized before you begin using it.

3.         After use, all the parts of the pump will need to be washed in warm, soapy water, then rinsed with hot water and drained on a clean towel.  The plastic tubing doesn't need to be cleaned unless you get milk into it.  If you do wash it, it should be hung to allow time to dry and drain thoroughly.

4.  If your doctor feels the need, the entire kit can be sterilized every day.

5.  When you first start with an electric pump, the suction level should be on the lowest possible setting. 

How to begin

• Warm compresses, gentle massages of the breast and gentle nipple stimulation will help to stimulate a quick let down.

• You should always relax while doing breast massages during pumping.  Some mothers prefer to close their eyes then think about nursing the baby, imagining the baby in their arms. The more relaxed a mother is, the better let down she'll have and the more milk will be dispensed.

• Your first attempts at pumping should be considered practice sessions with learning to use the breast pump as the goal, not how much milk is actually dispensed.

• When you use a hand pump, quick, short pumps at the start is stimulating and will imitate more closely the way a baby breast feeds.  Once the let down occurs and milk starts to flow freely, long, steadier strokes are more effective and less tiring.

• When you learn to pump, you should practice for 5 minutes on a side at least once or twice a day.  Always pick the least stressful part of your day for pumping. 

Relaxing and realizing that the pump is your friend is the single most important thing that a mother can do. 

There are several things that a mother can do to help herself relax, such as putting a picture of the baby on the pump, playing cards or a game with friends, watching television, read books, or talk on the phone.

Simply watching the collection bottle is not helpful and will probably put more stress on you than you actually need.

Breast pumps and breast pump bras can be bought from your regular mother-care shop or get them online (especially from Amazon) delivered to you.

Coping With Breastfeeding As A Working Nursing Mother

 

One of the most challenging times for working nursing mothers, is when the return to work after their maternity leave is over. At such times, the baby still needs breast milk, which must come at regular intervals.

Many husbands would want their wives to stay at home to tend their babies; but for a career woman, she must resume work after the maternity leave. And she must contribute her quota to the sustaining the home and maintaining her career.

How then do career women cope with this challenge?  How do they return to work and still continue to breast feed?

As a nursing mother, if you live close to work or have an on-site daycare, you may be able to breast feed during your breaks.  But if that isn't possible, there are two choices you might consider:

1.         Keep your milk supply by using a high quality automatic electric breast pump to express milk during the day.  Save your milk that you collect for your baby sitter or nanny. 

2.         If you don't want to or can't pump at work, you can gradually replace daytime feedings with formula while you are not at home but still continue to nurse at night and in the morning. The milk your body produces may not be enough to keep your baby satisfied, even if you only need enough for 2 feedings.

Advantages of pumping at work

Pumping at work will help stimulate your production of milk, so you'll have plenty available when it comes time to feed. You can also collect the milk you pump, so your baby will have the health and nutritional benefits of breast milk even when you aren't there. 

To make things better, pumping can be an ideal way to feel a connection to your baby during the work day.

Although it can seem like a hassle, many mothers find that the benefits of breast pumping far outweight the inconvenience.

To manage pumping at work, you'll need to have the following:

1.         Breast pump, preferably a fully automatic electric pump with a double collection kit so you can pump both breasts simultaneously.

2.         Bottles or bags for collecting and storing the milk.

3.         Access to a refrigerator or cooler to keep the milk cold until you return home.

4.         Breast pads to help protect your clothes if you start to leak.

Make sure that you get used to pumping before you return to work, so you'll know what to expect and how it feels.  You'll be much more confident with pumping at work if you already know that you can produce enough milk. 

At work, you'll want to have somewhere that's away from everyone else when you pump, such as an empty office or empty room. This way, you'll be away from everyone else and you can have the quiet tranquility you need to pump.  In most offices, this shouldn't be a problem.

For the time frame, you'll want to pump every 2 - 3 hours if possible.  If you can't, every 4 hours or so will have to suffice.  After you have finished pumping, store the milk in the bags or bottles, clean yourself up, then go back to work.  When you return home, you can feed the milk to your growing baby.

Breastfeeding For New Mothers

If you are a new mother, a mother to be, or if you have a wife, then you must read this. The experience of breastfeeding is special for so many reasons: the joyful closeness and bonding with your baby, the cost savings, and the health benefits for both mother and baby.

Every woman’s journey to motherhood is different, but one of the first decisions a new mom makes is how to feed her child. Here, you’ll find facts about breastfeeding and get practical tips on how to make breastfeeding work for you while getting the support you need.

Q:        Why should I breastfeed?

A:        Breastfeeding is normal and healthy for infants and moms. Breastmilk has hormones and disease-fighting cells called antibodies that help protect infants from germs and illness. This protection is unique and changes to meet your baby’s needs. Some reasons to breastfeed are:

• Breastfeeding offers essential nutrients and a nutritionally balanced meal
• Breastmilk is easy to digest.
• Breastmilk fights disease

Q:        How long should I breastfeed?

A:        The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least 12 months, and for as long as both the mother and baby would like. Most infants should drink only breastmilk for the first six months.

Q:        Does my baby need cereal or water?

A:        Until your baby is 6 months old, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding your baby breastmilk only. Giving your baby cereal may cause your baby to not want as much breastmilk. This will decrease your milk supply. You can slowly introduce other foods starting around 6 months of age.

Q:        Does my baby need more vitamin D?

A:        Most likely, yes. Vitamin D is needed to build strong bones. All infants and children should get at least 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D each day. To meet this need, your child’s doctor may recommend that you give your baby a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU each day.

Q:        Is it okay for my baby to use a pacifier?

A:        If you want to try it, it is best to wait until your baby is at least 3 or 4 weeks old to introduce a pacifier. This allows your baby time to learn how to latch well on the breast and get enough milk.

Once your baby is breastfeeding well, you should use the pacifier when putting your infant to bed to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Q:        Is it safe to smoke, drink, or use drugs?

A:        If you smoke, the best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is to quit as soon as possible. If you can’t quit, it is still better to breastfeed because it may protect your baby from respiratory problems and SIDS. Be sure to smoke away from your baby, and change your clothes to keep your baby away from the chemicals smoking leaves behind. Ask a doctor or nurse for help quitting smoking!

You should avoid alcohol in large amounts. An occasional drink is fine, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting two hours or more before nursing. You also can pump milk before you drink to feed your baby later.

It is not safe for you to use an illegal drug. Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and PCP can harm your baby. Some reported side effects in babies include seizures, vomiting, poor feeding, and tremors.

Q:        Can I take medicines if I am breastfeeding?

A:        Most likely. Almost all medicines pass into your milk in small amounts. Some have no effect on the baby and can be used while breastfeeding. Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about medicines you are using and ask before you start using new medicines. This includes prescription and over the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary or herbal.

For some women, stopping a medicine can be more dangerous than the effects it will have on the breastfed baby.

Q:        Do I still need birth control if I am breastfeeding?

A:        Yes. Breastfeeding is not a sure way to prevent pregnancy, even though it can delay the return of normal ovulation and menstrual cycles. Talk to your doctor or nurse about birth control choices that are okay to use while breastfeeding.

Q:        Does my breastfed baby need vaccines?

A:        Yes. Vaccines are very important to your baby’s health. Breastfeeding may also help your baby respond better to certain immunizations, giving him or her more protection. Follow the schedule your doctor gives you. If you miss any vaccines, check with the doctor about getting your baby back on track as soon as possible.

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