Nancy Sinatra may be sixty-six-years-old now, but if she so desired, she could, with perfect honesty, put out a new single called, "These Boobs are Made for Milking" ... and mean it.

As we learned in the previous post, even women well beyond the age of zits and cramps can, with a the right attitude and some concerted efforts, breastfeed their adopted children.

There are more reasons to do this than you can shake a strawberry-flavored-straw at.

Studies have shown that breastfeeding offers mothers some protection against both breast cancer and osteoporosis, both serious concerns for all women that increase in worry as the years pass.

As Holly, our Africa Adoption Blogger, explained, a child who is breastfed for the first six months of life is less likely to contract HIV-AIDS, amazing news for those in developing countries.

Not only does breast milk provide proper nutrition, it also passes along important immunities, promotes healthy bonding, establishes a safe and secure environment for feeding, encourages bone density in mothers, and much, much more.

Nature's perfect food. Protection for the nursing mother. The best beginning for a child. Anything else?

Well, yes, actually.

When it comes to older women nursing our children we have to take into account the fact that we've been around a rather long time.

Along with the effects of gravity, exposure to sunshine, and general wear and tear our bodies are subject to year by year, we also accumulate certain toxins which we store in our fat supplies. These toxins are easily passed through breast milk.

Dioxins, PCBs and furans have been the most dangerous offenders. First, because they were everywhere, in the air, water and food supply ... in cows milk, as well.

Breast milk, however, especially the breast milk of women who've been living longer, therefore more heavily exposed, is the worst.

Breastfed babies take in dioxin at a 10 to 100 times that of an adult, and breastfed babies get 10 to 15% of their lifetime dose before they are a year old.

The good news is that the levels of some contaminates have gone down over the years, so younger women not only have less time exposed, but less to be exposed to.

The general consensus still puts breastfeeding in the plus category for mothers and babies, but anyone considering pursuing the endeavor as an older adoptive mother should examine all available info.

Source: Living on Earth, and the EPA.