[MIDWESTDIVA]

......and future moms.

How do you all feel about breastfeeding? Has anyone here done it or decided against it? Why or why not?

For some reason, most African American women choose not to. There are some very good reasons why we should.

Breast fed babies suffer fewer illnesses such as diarrhea, earache, pneumonia and other infections. Studies suggest breast fed babies may also be less likely to develop asthma, diabetes or childhood cancer. Their brains seem to develop faster, their immune systems respond better to vaccines and they are less likely to become overweight in childhood.

Mothers benefit too, by shedding pregnancy pounds faster. Long term breast feeding may lower some women's risk of getting breast cancer. Not to mention it's cheap.

-Lauran Neergaard-The Associated Press

[This message has been edited by MIDWESTDIVA (edited November 07, 2000).]