Subject:  Introduction and  reply to 'Teens produce less milk?'

Hi.  I am a IBCLC working with high risk families in North Vancouver, B.
C. Canada. at a family centre funded by the federal government.  I have
been an LC for 2 years.  My main client group is adolescent mothers.  I
have been working with a pregnant and parenting teen group since 1990.
First as a LLL Leader and now as an LC.  I'd love to read the research on
this article... but I don't buy it.  I have only once seen an adolescent
mother not able to produce enough milk.  This I think was due to previous
breast reduction surgery, and the mother smokes.  She also has a very
busy 'social' life and does not, I think, pay attention to all the
feeding cues her baby exhibits.  He was a  premature baby weighing less
than 5 lbs.  Her milk supply was fine the first 3 months, but she was not
able to keep up with demand at that point.  Unfortunately this baby does
not take well to bottle feeding( smart baby?) , even donated breastmilk
in the bottle did not interest him.  He is on solids now and meeting
developmental milestones.
 The majority of my clients (30 teen clients in the last 2 years) produce
gallons of milk, and have wonderfully chubby breastfed babies.  The
average length of breastfeeding is approximately 6-7 months, but I have
some who are breastfeeding toddlers.  Most are full time students in a
high school program for teen mothers.

Part of my work is training breastfeeding peer counsellors.  We have
trained 20 Peer counsellors in the last 18 months, and have these peer
counsellors working in the high school, at the local college, and in
their communities.

Glad to be on lactnet.

Mary-Anne Taylor, B Ed, IBCLC