Rv. Short, WHAT THE BREAST DOES FOR THE BABY, AND WHAT THE BABY DOES FOR THE BREAST, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 34(3), 1994, pp. 262-264
Breastfeeding is nature's effective method of child-spacing, proovided
that feeding is exclusive and prolonged. Yet, its popularity has been
limited in modern societies for a range of cultural, social and medic
al reasons. It is a matter of surprise and regret that no medical spec
ialty has claimed overall 'ownership' of the physiology, function, pat
hology and management of this conspicuous organ, the female breast. Th
e breast has major benefits for the baby in protecting against debilit
ating diarrhoea, necrotising enterocolitis and certain allergies, as w
ell as providing highly specific nutritional requirements for the huma
n neonate. It is less widely appreciated that, in addition to its majo
r child-spacing benefits for the mother, breastfeeding also provides m
ajor protection against the development of breast cancer, up to 50% re
duction in incidence in one study. Few other measures can approach thi
s.