There is one study, done ages ago, of some ethnic group in southeast Asia,
where the women traditionally only nursed from one side (something about
paddling canoes, sorry for the vagueness).  At any rate, the rate of breast
cancer in the lactating breast was extremely low, while the rate in the
non-used breast was the 1 out of 9 we see in industrialized countries.

Also, for a sample size of 1 (me):  my left breast never 'worked' as well as
the right, perhaps because I had a tendency to nurse my first child on the
right side so I could take notes in class with my left hand (I am left
handed).  Eventually, that side made less and less, so she liked it less and
less, and for the last year of her 4 years of nursing, she nursed only from
the right side.

Three years after she weaned completely, I had a benign (?) lump removed
from the left breast, 12 o'clock position, circum-areolar incision, lots of
milk ducts severed -- but at that point I didn't plan on having any more
children.

Four years after that, I had my last child -- the left side again didn't
produce much and he didn't like that side.  I used to trick him in bed at
night when it was dark, but otherwise, forget it.  I'd estimated 75% of his
5.5 years of nursing was done on the right side.

Three years after he weaned, I had a malignant lump removed from the left
breast in *exactly* the same place as the previous 'benign' lump.

For what it's worth . . .


Kathy Dettwyler
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