Women: Career or Home and Family…

Rachel Allison

What has our society done to us?

Has Hollywood and advertising caused us to focus on looks rather than depth, and instant gratification rather than virtue and self-control?  Have we become caught up with priorities that may bring status and recognition while true and lasting fulfillment are eluded because we have not focused on selfless service?  If only we could place our causes and priorities under a type of magnifying glass that could clearly project the future outcome of our time and efforts.  We could then examine whether our time commitments are helping us reach the top of the mountain we are really wanting to reach.

Recently I read an article entitled “The Bride Who was Groomed for a Career” by Lea Singh.  What an interesting viewpoint on feminism.  In years past I have rubbed shoulders with many women who believe that first and foremost they should prepare for a fulfilling career.  These women eventually want marriage and family too, but they have been so focused on priorities dictated by secularism and feminism that other concerns are given only a side-glance.

Several years ago my husband and I became good friends with a fortyish-age woman who had made quite a career for herself in the fashion world.  Her name and photo were regulars in some of the more exclusive New York magazines. She once told us that she lived the life of “The Devil Wears Prada.” In fact she had worked closely with the woman who inspired the above-mentioned movie.  She said that her schedule required that a sleeping bag be kept in one of her office drawers, and evening gowns were kept in her office closet.  There were many weeks where her office WAS her home, and she loved the excitement and lure of all the glitz and recognition!  That is she loved it until she realized that with this kind of pace she would never find serious prospects for marriage. As she neared her 40^th birthday, she made a courageous decision.  She actually quit her job and began writing a book.  Her time became her own, and amazingly she was married within a year. The last I heard she had two small children, and she was finally living the life she really wanted all along.

I’m not at all implying that women should not attend college and get a degree. Any and all education received gives confidence and perspective.  It can inspire and empower….making any woman a better companion and mother.

I found Lea Singh’s viewpoint extremely interesting. The following is taken from Ms. Singh’s article:

I wish that as I was growing up, the role of wife and mother had been more fully present as a respectable and important option that also needs time and training, not just an afterthought that automatically tacks on to a career. Much of the skill set I acquired in university is not very useful in the home. Although I know how to write legal briefs, I wish I knew how to sew, play family songs on the piano and cook without a cookbook, and even that I was more familiar with caring for little ones and for a busy household. All the chores I was protected from in order to enable me to study as I was growing up – maybe I should have done them after all, including some babysitting. I want to give these experiences to my daughter, so that she will be better equipped not just for a career, but also for motherhood.

I even wish – and this is sure to get some hair frizzed – that it had been explained to me that a high-flying career does not go well with family life. Men and women really are different. When the man gets married, it is just a sweet step in the direction of all his life dreams. He can climb up the career ladder and still be a good father to his nine kids. He will get a deep sense of meaning and fulfillment from providing for his family.

But where feminism has confused women, it has made us dream that we are the same as men. Men are not mothers, and children don’t need them in the same way as they will inevitably need us. So if we want to have children, we can’t pretend to be men in our career plans and aspirations. Do we really want to have someone else caring for our homes and our children? It does not have to be that way. We need to embrace a model of life success that is less career-oriented and more family-centered. Giving of oneself to others, while it comes without diplomas, year-end bonuses and frequent-flyer miles, is just as worthy and important as building up one’s own career.

 

 

 

 

 

Target “Flip-flops” on Gay Marriage

Diane Robertson

Target has flip-flopped. Two years ago, Target donated $150,000 to Governor Tim Pawlenty’s campaign in Minnesota. Governor Pawlenty supports traditional marriage. Now in 2012, Target has promised to donate at least $120,000 to the Family Equality Council (FEC), a homosexual political advocacy group.

Target is raising the money by selling “Pride” T-shirts from its online store. Target launched the line of pride shirts on Sunday, and plans to donate 100 percent of the sales through the month of June.

When Target made the donation to Governor Pawlenty’s campaign in 2010, LGBT groups launched a boycott of Target. A spokesman for Target denied that the two donations are linked.

One would think Target would do better supporting married couples with children. Target happens to be one of my favorite stores. For my family of 10, I typically spend between $200 and $400 a month at Target. That is between $2,400 and $4,800 a year. Imagine if a lot of families boycotted Target? Families spend more than either single people or couples with no children.   I guess I’ll be finding a another place to shop.

If you are upset by this flip flop of Target, and want to let them know, you can go to this link and email Target Chairman Greg Steinhafel, or you can call Target headquarters directly at (612) 304-6073, and choose option 6.

Choosing a Casket instead of a Crib

 Ann Bailey

What’s it like for a mother to be planning a funeral when she should be choosing paint colors for her newborn’s nursery?  My neighbor and dear friend, *Sarah, knows the answer to that question.   When her pregnancy reached the five month mark, she was told that her unborn baby had a terminal condition and would die within a few hours of being born.  Worse yet, doctors told her that carrying the baby to term could be dangerous to her own health.  They recommended that she abort the baby.

Sarah’s husband was panicked that he would lose his wife and the mother of their other children; he agreed with the doctors’ recommendation and pushed Sarah to abort the baby.   She refused, stating that she was going to give her child every chance to survive.  If the little guy didn’t make it, then she would cradle him and love him until he drew his last breathe, but she would never take the life of her child.

I’ve always said that Sarah’s one of the bravest people I know and she epitomizes the selfless love of a mother.  She sought out a doctor who would help her safely bring her unborn child to term, and spent the next four months teaching and preparing her other children for the birth – and the death – of this very special child.  Her husband was so distressed over the situation that his way of dealing with it was to pretend it wasn’t happening – he never engaged nor spoke of Sarah’s pregnancy during those long, anxious, and strained remaining four months.

In the last few weeks of Sarah’s pregnancy, I went with her to the mortuary to make the plans for the baby’s burial.  I was struggling to get my mind around the injustice of choosing a casket instead of a crib, but Sarah’s calm and gracious soul never wavered.  In spite of the endless doctor visits, little support at home and concern for her other children, Sarah remained unflappable and at peace with her decision.  She understood her role as the mother to all of her children – including to her unborn child.

When the baby was born, he lived just a few minutes.  Sarah’s children were there to meet their new little brother – as was her husband.   That was some 15 years ago, and when I saw this video, I felt a sense of relief and elation that this type of service exists and the medical community has advanced to the point that they can provide this kind of support to a mother, father and family.

And I wished this type of service – and understanding – had been there for Sarah.  This video will make you cry, but watch it.  I think it will expand your understanding on the importance of all human life.

*Sarah is not her actual name.

Courageous

Rachel Allison

Last night my husband and I chose to watch a movie that had been highly recommended to us by several of our friends.  The movie was “Courageous.” We borrowed it from a friend who had enjoyed the movie so much, he chose to purchase it for his personal movie library.

Both my husband and I weren’t pulled into the movie by the acting or the plot. What captivated us was the message of the film. It not only gave us pause to reflect on experiences we had with our dads and the way we deal with the concerns and problems we face in life, but the powerful message of the movie compelled us to look closely at our own parenting. Several times the emotions felt took my husband to tears. I highly recommend the movie. The following is the resolution that five courageous fathers made to their families.

THE RESOLUTION

 I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. —Joshua 24:15

 

Sign of the Times for Abortion

Ann Bailey

Last week Nancy Keenan, head of NARAL Pro-Choice America, announced that, at the end of the year, she will be stepping down as president.  The reason given for her departure is the organization’s need for a president and executive committee that has the ability to appeal to a younger generation of women who have never affiliated with or are leaving the “pro-choice” cause in droves.

Referencing a 2010 Newsweek article, Keenan noted her shock at being present at the annual March for Life in Washington D.C.  This event draws hundreds of thousands of people each year and each year the crowd becomes more young and more female.  Keenan opined after being there:  “I just thought, my gosh, they are so young.  There are so many of them and they are so young.”

Let’s give Keenan credit for acknowledging and acting upon her observation.  NARAL also is reacting to their internal polling.  A 2010 poll of 700 Americans found that 51 percent of pro-life voters under age 30 called abortion a “very important” voting issue, compared to only 26 percent of under-age-30 pro-abortion supporters who said the same.  Intensity or passion for an issue will make the difference in the culture and in the public square.  NARAL has a problem and they know it.  Gallup polling also indicates trouble ahead for pro-abortion advocates.

But the pro-abortion folks aren’t going away.  When Nancy Keenan announced her plan to step aside at year end, she also made known:

“I will work with my colleagues as we prepare to mark the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe vs. Wade.  We have built an innovative initiative to engage and recruit even more members of the Millennial Generation to the pro-choice cause. We did this by listening and learning from younger people about their experiences and ideas for protecting choice in the next 40 years and beyond.”

NARAL has spent the last three years using surveys and focus groups to find a new way to convince young people to support abortion – time will tell it their efforts yield success.  The good news:  science and technology are on the side of the unborn and pro-abortion lies and half-truths will no longer go unchallenged.  And, a generation of young people who have borne the brunt of decades of abortion-on-demand are now, thankfully, more amenable to making the right choice – life.

 

 

The Reality of War

Rachel Allison

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I ever heard my dad talk about his experiences during World War II, and then it was because we asked questions that helped him open up and talk about them.

He was just 18 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He and my future Mom heard the news on a beautiful Sunday afternoon as they were enjoying a drive together after church services. Like thousands of other young men, my dad dutifully enlisted, left all he knew and loved behind, and went to war.

During the first few years of the war, he and his companion sailors looked at the war much like they would a basketball or football game…cheering when they would torpedo and sink an enemy ship, or shoot down an enemy aircraft. He said it was like an exciting competition to them, and they were winning.

But as the war progressed, and the enemy became more desperate, the suicide planes became the greatest threat and fear to these young men battling for home and country.

My dad would describe how most of the sailors couldn’t see the incoming Kamikaze aircraft.  The only way they could detect how close they were to their battleship was by listening for the size of ammunition being fired.  The biggest shells being fired meant that the suicide pilot and plane were still quite a distance out. As each round of ammunition would become smaller and the machine gun fire more rapid, all would recognize that their ship was in imminent danger of being hit.  At this point my dad, as well as all other sailors not actively involved in taking down the enemy would take cover under the closest steel protection they could find.  My dad’s ship was hit several times by these desperate combatants, and many lives were lost as a result.

Numerous times I have expressed my gratitude for not ever having to personally experience the horrors of war.  But just recently I have been reminded, again, of the battles that are being waged all around me. As I listen to talk radio, watch the news stations, read newspapers and magazines, and discuss current happenings with family, friends and associates, I recognize that we are right in the middle of destructive force intended to destroy all that we hold dear. Unlike my dad, we can’t occasionally take cover. If we think that battles are won by ignoring the enemy we will be sadly disappointed to wake up one day and find friends and loved ones dying on the battlefield known as apathy and misguided priorities.

Are we so numbed by the enemies’ bombardment that we don’t recognize the imminent danger of what we are experiencing?  Yesterday my husband showed me the most recent Time magazine cover…I don’t care how good the article may or may not be, when the media sensationalizes to sell magazines, we should speak out. Don’t get me wrong.  I’m all about breastfeeding.  That said, the picture is inappropriate for the front cover of a national magazine.  Small battle?  Perhaps, but if nothing is said, what pictures will be sensationalized in the future?

Many of us remember the shock by a previous generation when Rhet Butler’s “Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn” was used on the big screen.  Where is the outrage today?  Is it a battle we have lost? Absolutely!

Abortion, same-sex marriage, pornography, broken families, child abuse, child neglect, drug abuse, lies, deceit, corruption…These are much bigger battles in the war being waged, and we are being bombarded on every front. Do we speak up, write letters, become involved, teach our children, and take a stand to do better? How are you and I fighting the battles?  This life is not a game.  Just like all the fatalities and evils of past wars, we are playing for keeps.  How many loved ones or even generations need to be destroyed before we recognize the battles, and take up the fight?

 

I didn’t do that on Mother’s Day

Diane Robertson

“Vogue model Christy Turlington Burns and a host of female celebrities  encouraged mothers across the nation to ignore their children as part of “No Mother’s Day,” a sign of their support for reducing maternal mortality by supporting family planning and global access to abortion. ” (lifenews.com)

I didn’t do that on Mother’s Day. A couple of years ago I had an epiphany. Growing up and all my years so far as a mother, I have heard complaints about mother’s day. Some mothers feel guilty because they don’t feel like they measure up. Some mothers don’t like that they still have to change those diapers and feed those kids, and some moms are sad that their husbands and kids haven’t clued in and given them breakfast in bed and gifts.Two years ago, I realized an important truth. Motherhood is glorious, divine, and definitely something to celebrate!

Two years ago, I realized that I could celebrate Mother’s Day best by trying to be the best mother I could. I did that by happily changing some diapers, holding the crying baby in church, reading repetitive stories to my kids, playing and crafting with my kids, and making them food that they like. Because well… my kids are who made me a mother. They are who made me noble.

Suddenly, I had no guilt about not being the best mother. I didn’t care if doing all of the cooking and cleaning and diaper changing was too much for my husband to do alone. And well, my dearest husband has always gotten me lots of fun gifts. (Never felt bad there.) I realized that motherhood in all of its mess, and time, and sloppy kisses, and tears is something to celebrate!

So on Mother’s Day, while Hollywood moms ignored their kids and didn’t call their mothers in order to support contraceptives and abortion, I happily dressed my kids early for church, curled my daughter’s hair, made breakfast, lunch, and dinner, cleaned dishes and diapers, and held the crying baby in church. I laughed with my kids, read and talked about life with my cute teenagers, helped my kids make cards for Gramma, cleaned up the craft mess, got grumpy when not enough people were helping to get us ready to leave for Gramma’s house, had a wonderful conversation with my mother on the phone, and loved visiting and eating cake and brownies, that I did not make, with my fun in-laws and family.

Life is beautiful– motherhood is beautiful, glorious, and divine. Motherhood is definitely worth celebrating!

New York Judges Legalize Viewing of Child Pornography on the Web

“Merely viewing web images of child pornography does not, absent other proof, constitute either possession or procurement within the meaning of our Penal Law,” Senior Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick wrote for a majority of four of the six judges in the New York Court of Appeals.  “Rather, some affirmative act is required (printing, saving, downloading, etc.) to show that defendant in fact exercised dominion and control over the images that were on his screen.”

According to Judge Victoria A. Graffeo, “the purposeful viewing of child pornography on the internet is now legal in New York.”

This ruling came after an appeal from College Professor James Kent of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.  In the case of Professor Kent, hundreds of images of child pornography were found both in the cache of the web browser and in saved work folders on his campus work computer. The New York Court of Appeals found Kent guilty for the files saved to his hard drive, but not guilty for the cache stored in the web browser.

Professor Kent maintains his innocence, arguing that someone else at the University must have put the images onto his computer.

The difficulty with the ruling came about from the existence of the cache files. Every time a web page is accessed, the browser caches (i.e., stores) the information on the webpage. The browser then doesn’t have to newly retrieve files (including any images on the page) from the remote web site each time the back or forward buttons are clicked.

“To demonstrate possession of the images in the cache, the defendant’s conduct must exceed mere viewing,” Ciparick added that “the mere existence of an image automatically stored in a cache” isn’t enough evidence.

Clearly any image stored in the cache of a web browser was accessed and viewed by someone. Judge Ciparick believes viewing pornographic images of children on the web is fine as long as the defendant does not keep the images by either printing them or saving them to the hard drive.

This is a dangerous ruling.  According to studies through the Mayo clinic:  reports indicate that 30% to 80% of individuals who viewed child pornography and 76% of individuals who were arrested for Internet child pornography had molested a child. The study doesn’t clarify whether the perpetrator progressed from viewing child pornography to molesting a child or the other way around. That does not justify legalizing the viewing of child pornography on the internet. These New York judges obviously care more for the sexual gratification of some then they do for the safety of children.

UPDATE:

Backlash grows at N.Y. ruling on viewing of child porn

The Most Influential Role – Mother

Happy Mother’s Day!

From the Desk of Carol Soelberg:

United Families International sends warm wishes to women around the world who are honored this week as “Mothers”. The single most influential role in the world is that of a mother. Civilizations are created and conquered through the teaching and training of mothers. As a mother myself, I am aware of (and sometimes share) the discouragement that comes to women who feel inadequate in this critical role. Even the most famous and influential mothers are not perfect. Social Science research clearly links the success and security of children to the involvement and influence of mothers–even imperfect mothers!

We honor mothers and those who recognize the importance of the role they play in our lives. We hope you will enjoy this article by Tom Christensen as he identifies the significance of mothers and honors the mother of his children.

In the interest of promoting motherhood rather than product, we hope you will also enjoy this YouTube video where a picture is truly worth a thousand words.

Mother: A Woman’s Most Influential Role

By Tom Christensen

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu of Albania, affectionately known as “Mother Teresa” though she never had children of her own, was the most effective advocate for mothers, children, and the family the world has known. She ran orphanages, homes and schools for the abandoned, sick, and poorest of the poor; met with Presidents to urge them to protect the unborn; and touched millions with her message of love, family and faith. Ranked as the “Most Admired Person of the Twentieth Century, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 following her death. At the Fourth UN Conference on Women, she explained:

“Motherhood is the gift of God to women. How grateful we must be to God for this wonderful gift that brings such joy to the whole world, women and men alike! Yet we can destroy this gift of motherhood, especially by the evil of abortion, but also by thinking that other things like jobs or positions are more important than loving and giving oneself to others. No job, no plans, no possessions, no idea of “freedom” can take the place of love. So anything that destroys God’s gift of motherhood destroys His most precious gift to women–the ability to love as a woman.”

When Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she was asked, “What can we do to promote world peace?” She answered in six words, “Go home and love your family.”

Mother’s Day

This Sunday, May 13, most of the nations of the world celebrate Mother’s day. Established by President Wilson in 1914, Mother’s Day is a day to honor the mothers in one’s life and the contributions of mothers generally. Lincoln, referring to his own mother, remarked: “God bless my mother. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe to my mother.”

Mother’s Day did not originate in the US. Alarmed by low birth rates at the turn of the twentieth century, Germany and France first established a national holiday to honor mothers of large families. Germany’s highest award, the “Gold Cross,” was reserved for mothers of eight children or more.

My Nomination for the Gold Cross Award

If anyone deserves the Gold Cross, it is my beautiful, accomplished wife, Dixy. A few years ago, my teenage son at a Mother’s Day program described his mother as a perfect “10.” (He also said she married a “3,” but we won’t get into that.)

With Dixy’s looks, brains and talent, she seemed destined to become a successful career woman. In high school, Dixy was head cheerleader, valedictorian and homecoming queen. In college, Dixy continued to excel at everything she attempted, graduating Magna Cum Laude in English. Virtuous and vivacious, she was chased by half the male population on campus. Dixy taught school for a few years and then married me.

Despite a small frame, morning sickness, severe back pain, and three miscarriages; Dixy ultimately gave birth to fifteen children including two sets of identical twins. As social and parental pressure to limit the number of children mounted, Dixy felt inspired early on to welcome all of God’s children as His greatest gifts. She considered it her highest privilege and responsibility to spend her life loving children and preparing them for responsible adulthood.

Contrary to popular opinion, being a full-time mother of a large, active family is hard work. Each child brings financial, physical, and emotional strains. It doesn’t help when people condemn or make light of a woman attempting this difficult and risky task. Dixy never complained or joked about the children. Motherhood was sacred to her; she could not then, and cannot now, imagine life without any one of her precious children.

Today, in light of her personal attributes and children’s accomplishments, no one is critical of Dixy. As the children have excelled, married safely, and created outstanding families of their own; people now praise Dixy and marvel at her courage and early insight.

Dixy does not flaunt her family nor is she judgmental of others. Obviously, a large family is not for everyone. However, Dixy is frequently sought by serious individuals seeking guidance. Once in a nursing room, Dixy counseled a disconsolate stranger overwhelmed with the demands of a young family. The mother later confided to an acquaintance that she was contemplating suicide, and Dixy saved her life.

The Pro-family Edge

At a UN conference, one man asked me why the “pro-family” women are so appealing. I said, partly in jest, our women are “prettier.” Like Mother Teresa, the women who speak for the family are confident, liberated women who show great compassion for others. Their countenances are warm and intelligent. I remember one UN observer describing our lovely UFI President, Mary Barton, as a person who could “schmooze the paint off the wall.”

“The Most Beautiful Woman in the World”

We have a Christmas tradition in the Christensen family of drawing a family name and making a homemade gift for that person. Fifteen years ago, I drew the name of my wife, and wrote the following tribute. Although I wrote it for my wife, I think it reflects the feelings of husbands everywhere for their beautiful wives and mothers of their children.

My woman’s beauty is not seen by all
Gracing starlet magazines
In tanned skin or tight jeans.
Bleached teeth or dyed hair,
That’s not her flair.
Her beauty is even more rare.

Her beauty shines from within
As an infant she rocks,
Cleans house, feeds the flocks.
Worn shoes but clean socks,
Stained shoulder, polyester,
In her heart God has blessed her.

Her beauty shines in darkness and cold
In warm expressions,
Talks, healing sessions,
She treats my depressions.
When pride and strife curse life,
I find peace in my wife.

Let the heavens resound that here is found
A woman fair and true.
As life we share,
None can compare
To you,
The most beautiful of all.

Breastfeeding Takes Center Stage

Ann Bailey

Okay…  just gotta ask.  What are your thoughts on the Time Magazine cover:  “Are You Mom Enough?”  This has certainly brought front and center (so to speak) the topic of breastfeeding.

United Families International has long been a proponent of women breastfeeding and we have compiled studies that show its importance to children.  But this cover story raises many questions and controversies – and certainly Time magazine is very happy to have their magazine getting so much attention.

Here are some questions:

• Is this helpful or harmful to the cause of breastfeeding?
• Is this obscene and sensationalistic?
• Does this give a helpful boost to the cause of motherhood in general?
• Is this harmful to the young boy who has his face and name (his mother’s name is prominently featured) plastered all over the print world and the internet?

 

Here is a list of articles giving a range of opinions:

Time magazine cover — forget the breast, what about the boy?

Time magazine breastfeeding cover: A shocking ‘stroke of genius’

Time Magazine’s cover mom defends breastfeeding picture

Behind the Cover: Are You Mom Enough?

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Fewer Infections and better health

Exclusive breastfeeding for four or more months appeared to diminish the risk of respiratory hospitalization in infancy to one-third or less the risk observed for formula-fed infants.  V. R. Bachrach, E. Schwartz, and L.R. Bachrach, “Breastfeeding and the Risk of Hospitalization for Respiratory Disease:  A Meta-Analysis,” Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 157, 3 (2003):  237-243.

Breastfeeding for at least four months confers a statistically significant “protective effect” against antibiotic treatments at 1.5 years and at 2.5 years.  “[T]he more-at-risk children could be protected by breast-feeding and by being taken care of in a familial setting, especially before 2.5 years of age.” Lise Dubois and Manon Girard, “Breast-feeding, day-care attendance and the frequency of antibiotic treatments from 1.5 to 5 years: a population-based longitudinal study in Canada,” Social Science & Medicine 60 (2005): 2035-2044.

Breastfeeding appears to reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in premature infants up to seven months after release from hospital in a 2002 study of 39 infants.   Bier Blaymore, et al., “Human milk reduces outpatient upper respiratory symptoms in premature infants during their first year of life”. J Perinatol 22, 5 (2002): 354–359.

A case-control study found that breastfeeding reduced the risk of acquiring urinary tract infections in infants up to seven months of age, with the protection strongest immediately after birth.  S. Marild, et al.,”Protective effect of breastfeeding against urinary tract infection”. Acta Paediatr. 93, 2 (2004): 164–168.

The 2007 review for AHRQ found that breastfeeding reduced the risk of acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, and severe lower respiratory tract infection.  S. Ip, et al., “Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes in developed countries” Evidence Report Technological Assessment 153 (2007): 1–186.

A study conducted at a University in Germany found that breastfeeding halved the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in children up to the age of 1.  M.M. Vennemann, et al., “Does breastfeeding reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome?”  Pediatrics 123, 3 (2009):  e406-410.

Infants exclusively breastfed have less chance of developing diabetes mellitus type 1 than peers with a shorter duration of breastfeeding and an earlier exposure to cow milk and solid foods.   F. Perez-Bravo, et al., “Genetic predisposition and environmental factors leading to the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in Chilean children,” Journal of Molecular Medicine 74, 2 (1996): 105–109.

In children who are at risk for developing allergic disease, atopic syndrome can be prevented or delayed through exclusive breastfeeding for four months, though these benefits may not be present after four months of age.  However, the key factor could be the age at which non-breastmilk is introduced rather than duration of breastfeeding. F. R. Greer, et al.,”Effects of early nutritional interventions on the development of atopic disease in infants and children: the role of maternal dietary restriction, breastfeeding, timing of introduction of complementary foods, and hydrolyzed formulas,” Pediatrics (journal) 121, 1 (2008): 183–191.

Atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, can be reduced through exclusive breastfeeding beyond 12 weeks in individuals with a family history of atopy, but when breastfeeding beyond 12 weeks is combined with other foods incidents of eczema rise irrespective of family history.  H. R. Pratt, “Breastfeeding and eczema,” Early Human Development 9, 3(1984): 283–290.

Breastfeeding appears to reduce the risk of extreme obesity in children aged 39 to 42 months.  J. Armstrong and J. J. Reilly, “Breastfeeding and lowering the risk of childhood obesity,” The Lancet  359, 9322 (2002): 2003–2004.

A 2011 study showed that among children who were never breast-fed — or who stopped breast-feeding before the age of 4 months — introducing solid foods before 4 months of age was linked to a sixfold increase in the risk of obesity.  The timing of solid foods didn’t increase the odds of becoming obese in youngsters who were breast-fed. Susanna Y. Huh, et al., “Timing of Solid Food Introduction and Risk of Obesity in Preschool-Aged Children,” Pediatrics 127, 3 (2011):  e544-e551.

Higher Intelligence

**There are a few studies that have found no connection between breastfeeding and higher intelligence in later life, but there is a more robust amount of research showing that there is a connection.

 In tests of low birth weight children at age seven or eight, it was found that those who had been breastfed for more than eight months had verbal IQ scores six points higher than comparable children breastfed for less time.  L. J. Horwood, et al., “Breast milk feeding and cognitive ability at 7-8 years,” Archives Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 84, 1 (2001): F23–27.

A study using data on 2,734 sibling pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health “provide[d] persuasive evidence of a causal connection between breastfeeding and intelligence.” The same data “also suggests that nonexperimental studies of breastfeeding overstate some of [breastfeeding's] other long-term benefits, even if controls are included for race, ethnicity, income, and education.”   E. Evenhouse and S. Reilly, “Improved estimates of the benefits of breastfeeding using sibling comparisons to reduce selection bias,” Health Services Research 40, 6 Pt 1(2005): 1781–1802.

A review of the literature conducted for the World Health Organization showed that “breastfeeding is associated with increased cognitive development in childhood.” The review also states that “The issue remains of whether the association is related to the properties of breastmilk itself, or whether breastfeeding enhances the bonding between mother and child, and thus contributes to intellectual development.”   B. L. Horta, et al., Evidence on the long-term effects of breastfeeding: systematic reviews and meta-analyses. (2007) Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

The country of Belarus carried out the largest randomized trial ever conducted in the area of human lactation.  Of 13,889 infants born at these hospitals and polyclinics and followed up in 2002-2005, those who had been born in hospitals and polyclinics receiving breastfeeding promotion had IQs that were 2.9-7.5 points higher.  The authors concluded that the data “provide strong evidence that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding improves children’s cognitive development.”  M.S. Kramer, et al., “Breastfeeding and child cognitive development: new evidence from a large randomized trial,” Archives of  General Psychiatry  65, 5 (2008): 578–584.

Benefits for Mother

 During breastfeeding beneficial hormones are released into the mother’s bodyand the maternal bond can be strengthened. “Benefits of Breastfeeding,” (2009) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Lactation that lasts for at least 24 months is associated with a 23% lower risk of coronary heart disease.  A. M. Stuebe, et al., “Duration of lactation and incidence of myocardial infarction in middle to late adulthood,” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 200, 9 (2009): 138.e1–8.

 According to a study out of Sweden, women who breast fed for a longer duration have a lower risk for contracting rheumatoid arthritis than women who breast fed for a shorter duration or who had never breast fed.  M. Pikwer, U. Bergstrom, J.A. Nilsson, et al., “Breast feeding, but not use of oral contraceptives, is associated with a reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis,” Annals of Rheumatic Disease 68, 4 (2009): 526–530.

 Breastfeeding diabetic mothers require less insulin.  W. Rayburn, et al., “Changes in insulin therapy during pregnancy”. American Journal of Perinatology 2, 4 (1985): 271–275

 Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome^.  Kavitha T. Ram, et al., “Duration of lactation is associated with lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in midlife—SWAN, the study of women’s health across the nation,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 198, 3 (2008): 268.2e1-268.e6.   E. P. Gunderson, et al., “Duration of Lactation and Incidence of the Metabolic Syndrome in Women of Reproductive Age According to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Status: A 20-Year Prospective Study in CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults),” Diabetes 59, 2 (2010): 495-504.

Women who breastfeed enjoy less risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer.   L. M. Gartner et al., “Breastfeeding and the use of human milk [policy statement],” Pediatrics 115, 2 (2005): 496–506.   S. Ip, et al., “Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes in developed countries” Evidence Report Technological Assessment 153 (2007): 1–186. K. Rosenblatt and D. Thomas, “Prolonged lactation and endometrial cancer. WHO Collaborative Study of Neoplasia and Steroid Contraceptives,” International Journal of  Epidemiology 24, 3 (1995): 499–503.   P. Newcomb and A. Trentham-Dietz, “Breast feeding practices in relation to endometrial cancer risk, USA,” Cancer Causes Control 11, 7 (2000): 663–667.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of post-partum bleeding.  S. Chua, et al., “Influence of breastfeeding and nipple stimulation on postpartum uterine activity,” BJOG:  Int’l Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 101, 9 (1994): 804–805.

 Although 65 percent of infants are breastfed at some time (up from 54 percent over the last decade) there is a sharp decline in any breastfeeding … Expandwhen infants are between two and three months old, often as a consequence of mothers’ return to work or school, but also because of other cultural constraints and beliefs.  Ruowei Li, “Prevalence of Breasfeeding the U.S.:  The 2001 Immunization Survey, Pediatrics 111, 5 (2003):  1198-1201.