Breastfeeding offers many benefits to both the baby and the mom. A recent study found that breastfeeding provides protection against cancer for women who underwent treatments to overcome various types of cancer during their childhood.
Breast milk not only provides essential nutrients and antibodies against diseases to babies. As mentioned earlier, the advantages of breastfeeding are not just for newborns. Moms can also benefit from breastfeeding.
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Recent studies suggest that breastfeeding could protect or decrease the risk for women who received treatment for cancer in childhood from developing cancer again. In fact, researchers believe that informing women about these benefits should be part of the treatment.
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In the case of mothers who have overcome cancer in childhood, they can gain more defenses by breastfeeding. In this regard, researchers from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, found that breastfeeding has the potential to positively influence bone density, risk factors for metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and secondary tumors.
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Other benefits that women gain from breastfeeding include:
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The decision to give breast milk to your baby is yours. In general, unless there are some health issues such as: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infections, herpes, tuberculosis, or other complications, it is recommended that women breastfeed their children, as breast milk is the ideal nutrition during the first year of life, and receiving it, even for a short time, provides very important benefits to the baby for immediate and future growth and development.
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In summary, breastfed babies are less likely to have:
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Despite all this, sometimes there are complications for the mom or the baby that make breastfeeding difficult and prevent the mother from providing breast milk to her child or the baby from breastfeeding. In these cases, do not feel guilty; there are alternatives for your baby to grow healthy, and your pediatrician can guide you.
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If you have had cancer and are expecting a baby, talk to your doctor and consider breastfeeding your child. Both of you will benefit from something so natural that will not only help you stay healthy but also enhance the strong bond between mother and child. Nature is very wise.