New research: Not breastfeeding increases risk of stroke, heart attack

[Trillian]

You have to take the emotion out of it when you read stuff like this. I never BF for as long as they suggested either but I'm not concerned one bit by reading this. This information just tells me that I need to do in my life what BF didn't do. Think outside the square for one moment and see this for what it is. We are all for wome being able to access information and to learn from studies like this, but as soon as it makes you feel threatened the hackles go up andall of a sudden someone is offended. What is the point of having this information at our fingertips if as soon as you read something that upsets you, you emotionally put your hands over your ears, close your eyes and start shouting "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA" we cannot block out this stuff simply because it upsets us. We choose the way in which we react to anything. How about looking at it from this perspective. BFing is supposed to reduce the chance of you getting breast cancer. Now I'm sure that gem of a statistic is a real comfort to those women who carry the breast cancer gene. I saw a doco on the ABC last night about 3 sisters who all carry the gene and it focused on one woman who had a double mastectomy and before the op she lamented about her breasts and said how much she loved them and why she loved them. She loved the way they changed during her cycle, she loved that they breastfed her child. In theory her chances of breast cancer should be less according to all the studies, but do you think that she was going to let that small chance battle against a defective cancer gene? No way! she was taking a proactive stance in her life. This study doesn't even mean that women who DID breastfeed for the recommended length of time are protected either, just that their overall risk is reduced, not removed.

ETA - just want to clarify that I don't mean 'you' as in you personally, but 'you' as in the general public.

[lauren22]

You have to take the emotion out of it when you read stuff like this. I never BF for as long as they suggested either but I'm not concerned one bit by reading this. This information just tells me that I need to do in my life what BF didn't do. Think outside the square for one moment and see this for what it is. We are all for wome being able to access information and to learn from studies like this, but as soon as it makes you feel threatened the hackles go up andall of a sudden someone is offended. What is the point of having this information at our fingertips if as soon as you read something that upsets you, you emotionally put your hands over your ears, close your eyes and start shouting "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA" we cannot block out this stuff simply because it upsets us. We choose the way in which we react to anything. How about looking at it from this perspective. BFing is supposed to reduce the chance of you getting breast cancer. Now I'm sure that gem of a statistic is a real comfort to those women who carry the breast cancer gene. I saw a doco on the ABC last night about 3 sisters who all carry the gene and it focused on one woman who had a double mastectomy and before the op she lamented about her breasts and said how much she loved them and why she loved them. She loved the way they changed during her cycle, she loved that they breastfed her child. In theory her chances of breast cancer should be less according to all the studies, but do you think that she was going to let that small chance battle against a defective cancer gene? No way! she was taking a proactive stance in her life. This study doesn't even mean that women who DID breastfeed for the recommended length of time are protected either, just that their overall risk is reduced, not removed.

[Rouge]

Well I'm half a gonner and half not... oh and I smoked and I drink and I do a lot of things... but y'know I want to know.

Let's not be defeatist. Lets be grateful for the knowledge. It's not an attack it's a fact. YOU make it personal. The information is just that information. I don't see anyone's names in there?

[Amity]

100% of non breastfeeding women will die. 100% of breastfeeding women will die. We will all die of SOMETHING.

Sure I breastfed SOME. Not much, but some. But I'm significantly overweight (BMI >40) and have a family history of stroke and heart attack. I don't exercise. And I most probably have the colon cancer gene (having found out less than a month ago after my grandfather nearly died from malignant colon cancer).

I will die of something. I'm sure of it. And lots of things will have contributed to whatever I die from: breastfeeding (or lack of it) is only one part of it. The above information is just that - something interesting to look at and take from what you wish.