Kathy D writes:
>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.

I remember reading this account in a Newsweek article--waaay back.

Based on this and other stories lik Kathy D wrote, I suggest that women who
feed with only one breast or women who don't breastfeed at all, have a
lymphatic massage with some regularity.  I don't know if my thinking is
correct about this, but it seems as if something beneficial happens with
the regular drainage of the breast.

Lymphatic massage does facilitate this drainage throughout the body,
including the breast.  After the massage, one is to drink a lot of water
and, I add, a long soaking bath in Epsom Salt water.

So, I'm throwing this out, not as evidence based, but as what may be a good
idea.  It certainly won't hurt anything.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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