Breastfeeding may protect against breast cancer

Breastfeeding may offer broad protection against breast cancer that extends to women who delay having children, according to a study released on Monday.

Previous studies have shown that giving birth before age 25 and having many children protects against certain types of breast cancers, while delayed childbirth is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.

The most important finding of the new study is that breastfeeding seems to lower the risk of developing breast cancer that comes from having children later in life, said Dr. Giske Ursin, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California medical school and the study's lead author.

Results of the study were announced at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Los Angeles.

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If You Decide to Breast-Feed

If you choose to breast-feed your newborn, here are tips from the University of California, San Francisco, on what to do:

Try to breast-feed as soon as possible after your baby is born. In the beginning, your baby may need to be fed every two to four hours.

Let your baby feed off of both breasts, and alternate which side she feeds on first.
Burp your baby when you switch her to the other breast, and at the end of feeding.

Continue taking your prenatal vitamins. Also, talk to your doctor about whether you should continue to take prescription and over-the-counter medications. Finally, don't diet while you are breast-feeding.