They found women who had breastfed for 13 months or more were half as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as those who had never breastfed. Those who breastfed for between one and 12 months had a 25% decreased risk. The study also found that simply having children and not breastfeeding did not seem to protect the women against developing rheumatoid arthritis.

More study is needed in this area to determine exactly what role breastfeeding and lifestyle choices play in the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis. In the meantime, add this to the list of reasons extended breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and baby!

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