Throughout history, women have used breastfeeding as a natural contraceptive. Researchers have found evidence of Egyptian, Native Alaskan and early European populations recognizing the connection between breastfeeding and family planning. This method of birth control is known as the Lactational Amenorrhea Method or LAM.
The list of breastfeeding benefits for you just got a little longer with the latest study out of Kaiser Permanente. In 1985 and 1986 researchers enrolled 1238 women and followed them for 30 years to find risk factors for disease and identify trends in health habits. Over the next 30 years, each woman had at least one live birth and reported the amount of time they breastfed their infants. Other behaviors were also recorded, like diet and physical activity.
