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Breastfeeding: Great for Your Heart + More On Public Nursing
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Want yet another reason to breastfeed? How about this one? Breastfeeding will cut your chances of having a heart attack by 19%. That's just great, isn't it? The only caveat, however, is this: You must breastfeed your babies for two full years in order for your heart to benefit from breastfeeding, according to Harvard Medical School.In a study of 96,648 nurses who gave birth between 1986 and 2002, those who had spend at least two years of their lives breastfeeding were 19 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack than those who hadn't breastfed at all. The difference was independent of any of the usual risk factors for heart disease, such as family history, diet or exercise levels.This is exceptional news for black women, especially since we suffer from heart attacks in numbers greater than that of moms of other ethnic groups.
Read the full story at the New Scientist.
Public breastfeeding is still in the news. This article lambastes a Wisconsin woman who doesn't believe there should be specific legislation making it legal for mothers to nurse in public. I also agree with those who believe women should be discreet when nursing in public. I wholeheartedly believe that mothers can breastfeed, but they should cover up.
Some advocates for public nursing always rely on the trite argument that breastfeeding is natural and therefore, should be out there for the entire world to see. I argue, on the other hand, that just because breastfeeding is natural, every one shouldn't be subject to witnessing it. Urinating, having sex and passing gas is also normal, but do we all want to see it?
Labels: breastfeeding benefits, breastfeeding in public
posted by Jennifer James @ 12:06 PM,
