Dear Friends:
    I received some information in the mail today from the Harvard Nurses
Study II.  I don't know what year it was that the breastfeeding questions
were asked. Some of the questions in the same survey sheet (about
contraceptives) cover the period between June 1995 and June 1997, so these
questions aren't that old.
Questions asked:
    29A: For each child for whom you have given birth, answer each question
as best you can, even if you cannot remember exactly:
     - Did you use any medication to suppress lactation?
    - Did you breastfeed at least one month?
    - If you breastfed, at what month did you.....
            *start giving formula or purchased milk at least once daily
            *start giving solid food at least once daily
            *start pumping breastmilk at least 4 days/week
            *go at least 6 hours at night without breastfeeding
            *stop breastfeeding altogether
    29B: If more than four children were breastfed, mark the total number of
months you breastfed all other children combined.
    The Harvard Nurses Study was the source of the data  (89,887 women) for
the Michels et al study where no overall association was found between
breastfeeding and breast cancer. Fortunately, in the discussion of that
paper, it is mentioned that women interviewed were more likely to have done
token or restricted breastfeeding. Perhaps these new questions will give a
different answer in a future study.
    Warmly, Nikki Lee

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