Entry FeedThere are things that we don't like to talk about. Women, and mothers especially, feel so guilty about what we do and what we don't to right. Normally I don't talk about my breasts, but I wanted to share some information that is sort of surprising to me, and I don't know why we don't know it.
- Best Age to Reproduce
- Breastfeeding Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer
- Quality of Breast Milk and Mother's Diet
1. Best Age to Reproduce
Even though teen girls are fertile, the optimal age for human female reproduction is in our twenties. Fertility actually starts to decline by age 31, and is in significant decline by age 35. Your chances of having a baby after age 45 with you own eggs is pretty much nil.
A study of fertility rate by age in women was published in 1957. The study was on a large population that never used birth control. The investigators measured the relationship between the age of the female partner and fertility. This study found:* By age 30, 7% of couples were infertile
* By age 35, 11% of couples were infertile
* By age 40, 33% of couples were infertile
* At age 45, 87% of couples were infertileReference: Tietze C: Reproductive span and rate of conception among Hutterite women. Fertility and Sterility 1957;8:89-97.
But see, by telling you this, I am putting pressure on you to reproduce before you may be ready, so it is unfair to give you this information. Better to keep you in the dark and have you pay through the nose for fertility treatments because no one is telling us why we shouldn't wait. I am not saying everyone is in the position to start reproducing in their 20s, I am just saying it is the way our bodies were designed.
Advanced Fertility dot com
2. Breastfeeding Reduces Breast Cancer Risk
When I had my first, I remember reading a poster on the wall of the maternity ward that said if a woman breastfeed for 6 years, starting in her 20s, she could eliminate her risk of breast cancer. I am not sure how accurate that it, but there are many studies that have looked at why our breast cancer rates are so much higher in the Western world than developing countries. Two factors came out of the study: 1) Western woman have fewer children; and, 2) Western women don't breast feed as long.
Again, by publicizing this information, we may be putting undo pressure on women to have more children, and make women who can't breast feed feel even guiltier. However, if you read these links, you will see that we could halve the number of cases of breast cancer if women just breastfeed six months longer.
3. Quality of Breast Milk and Mother's Diet
It is no surprise to my husband and his family, with their long history in dairy farming, that there are two factors determining milk production and quality: 1) diet; and, 2) genetics. Different cows produce milk with different levels of fat. So do mothers.
What is alarming is that mothers, especially those who seem weight obsessed and diet concerned during breast feeding, could be feeding their babies skim milk. Breast milk can actually range in fat from 2% to 9% depending on the mother's diet. To all of those skinny mummies out there eating non-fat tofu diets - listen up! Your baby might be better off on formula than breast milk if you are not eating enough fat and calories. You are putting your own body image issues and quest for thinness ahead of your child's ability to grow, thrive and develop. Especially as we know how important fat is to the brain development of our children in their first few years of life.
Oh, wait. We aren't supposed to criticize mothers for what they are doing - especially if they are trying to breast feed - which we want to support.
Look, motherhood is a mine field. We are so judgmental and critical of one another, but then our doctors are afraid to tell us the truth. They want to support our ability to reproduce when we want, but without the facts of our bodies and their limitations. They want us to subject our tender breasts to evil mammogram squishing machines, but are afraid to tell us to have more babies sooner and breast feed longer because we could actually significantly reduce our risks. They want us to breast feed, because breast is best, but don't warn women how our obsessions with diet could have major developmental effects on our baby if our salads aren't giving them enough fat.
I hope after reading this you have a better understanding of how your breasts were designed to work. Appreciate them! They work hard for you and your children. Stop pretending that they are just more toys for your husband.
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.