Re: Lactation Question

[Guest guest]

Hello Paige,I am not a lactation consultant or doctor, but I am a very interested and enthusiastic student of all things related to the childbearing year. I have in my book collection _Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding_ by Ina May Gaskin. In it she has a small section of stories and discussion on the occurrence of spontaneous lactation and relactation that is fascinating. In a nutshell, lactation not related to pregnancy could be pathologically caused by a tumor near the pituitary OR a body that is very sensitive to the hormones oxytocin and prolactin. There are a couple of stories of women who spontaneously lactated, and seemingly without any nipple stimulation, and continue to be able to do so quite readily and quickly. There is at least one story of a woman in a similar situation as your client (long-since weaned child, but relactating). The theory seems to be that because they were so emotionally invested and happy (stimulating that love hormone, oxytocin?) to be doing the work they were doing (all were caring for other people's children and emotionally invested in the job) that their hormone levels were (sustained and high enough to yield lactation. One of these women, who had never been pregnant, did report that her serum prolactin level was very high and ended up going through a series of expensive and invasive testing to rule out a brain tumor (negative). The discussion in the book includes other stories showing that spontaneous lactation and relactation have occurred for a long time -- in many cultures, grandmothers have and do become wet nurses to their grandbabies regardless of whether mom is healthy and alive or not. Written accounts go back to the 1800s, but wet nursing is evidenced in " pictorial record " for centuries (Gaskin, 2009).

So there you go -- this phenomenon is not completely unheard of. I hope this was at least interesting if not completely informative, and helps to allay some of the concerns of your client. Sounds like her mammary glands may just be happy to continue to do their designated job. Maybe ask her if she has been around anyone's nursing baby lately or if she's been feeling " in love " recently?

All the best, Brown

[Guest guest]

Dear Paige,I will usually consider with the patient doing a sono of breasts, mammogram, and breast exam and sometimes even an expensive MRI of the brain.  One other reason women lactate but aren't nursing is sexual and breast stimulation.  It is hard to ask, but you may need to ask if the couple does a lot of breast stimulation before/around the relations.  This can explain a lot.  One other reason I have found women with leaky breasts is certain antidepressants (which of course affect " feel-good " centers of the brain).

Amy Hogan, MD

 

Hello Paige,I am not a lactation consultant or doctor, but I am a very interested and enthusiastic student of all things related to the childbearing year. I have in my book collection _Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding_ by Ina May Gaskin. In it she has a small section of stories and discussion on the occurrence of spontaneous lactation and relactation that is fascinating. In a nutshell, lactation not related to pregnancy could be pathologically caused by a tumor near the pituitary OR a body that is very sensitive to the hormones oxytocin and prolactin. There are a couple of stories of women who spontaneously lactated, and seemingly without any nipple stimulation, and continue to be able to do so quite readily and quickly. There is at least one story of a woman in a similar situation as your client (long-since weaned child, but relactating). The theory seems to be that because they were so emotionally invested and happy (stimulating that love hormone, oxytocin?) to be doing the work they were doing (all were caring for other people's children and emotionally invested in the job) that their hormone levels were (sustained and high enough to yield lactation. One of these women, who had never been pregnant, did report that her serum prolactin level was very high and ended up going through a series of expensive and invasive testing to rule out a brain tumor (negative). The discussion in the book includes other stories showing that spontaneous lactation and relactation have occurred for a long time -- in many cultures, grandmothers have and do become wet nurses to their grandbabies regardless of whether mom is healthy and alive or not. Written accounts go back to the 1800s, but wet nursing is evidenced in " pictorial record " for centuries (Gaskin, 2009).

So there you go -- this phenomenon is not completely unheard of. I hope this was at least interesting if not completely informative, and helps to allay some of the concerns of your client. Sounds like her mammary glands may just be happy to continue to do their designated job. Maybe ask her if she has been around anyone's nursing baby lately or if she's been feeling " in love " recently?

All the best, Brown

[Guest guest]

Here's what Marilyn had t0 say about hyperprolactinism in Fertility Cycles & Nutrition (older ed.), for what it's worth. " Vitamin B6 alone (200-600 mg/day) has lowered prolactin

levels and

restored regular cycles to women with the severe overproduction of

prolactin

which causes both amenorrhea and galactorrhea (milk in the breasts of

non-nursing

women)...(you shouldn't be able to squeeeze out so much as a drop, but

it is common.)

" ...B6 was given in 100-800 mg/day doses to 14 women who had

normal

menstrual cycles but also had PMS and infertility of 18 mos. to 7 years

duration. ...12 of the women conceived, eleven within 6 months of the

B6

therapy. In this study, prolactin levels were not found to change, but

progesterone levels were significantly increased in several women,

indicating

that the B6 had improved their luteal function. " (Progesterone levels

are

reflected in basal body temperature after ovulation. Hypothyroidism

reduces

BBT over the whole cycle.)

" The hypothalamus controls prolactin primarily through

inhibition, not

stimulation, and prolactin will rise abnormally if it is not properly

controlled.

Dopamine is the 'prolactin-inhibiting factor'. B6 reduces prolactin

levels

through stimulation of dopamine production. Magnesium is also necessary

for dopamine synthesis... Zinc may also suppress prolactin levels....

Hypoglycemia

is a potent stimulus for prolactin release. "

jim-- Jim & Margaret Van DammeCouple to Couple League-Central New Yorkhttp://nfp.freehostia.com/   <=Natural Family Planning info

Our real address is vandamme@...!-------------------------------------------------------------