I have asked this question of people "in the know" before--If breast
development is enhanced with each menstrual period then what of a mom who
has had only a year or two of periods?  ( I wondered if my mother, who was
18 when her first baby was born and was "unable" to breastfeed, could have
had underdeveloped breasts.)  I was told that with pregnancy the
milk-production capacity is accelerated profoundly, especially if it is
underdeveloped beforehand.  We know that in some mothers this acceleration
doesn't take place, even if they have been menstruating for 15+ years, and
they are unable to make enough milk for their babies.

I have worked with teen moms who have a bountiful milk supply and teen moms
who have a scanty supply.  There is a diet component, an emotional
component, a social component, a commitment component, a management
component, a support component, and a ?? component--just as there are in
20-30-40 year olds. Age is not the major indicator of milk capacity.

I believe that, as the study was reported, frequency is a major factor.  And
as Barbara said, many (or most) times the popular press prints the
eye-catching part of a study.  Their intent is NOT to inform, but to "grab"
the attention of the readers. If the study had concluded that teens can
certainly breastfeed a baby to good health it would not have made the "news".

It is unfortunate that teen moms, who need all the help they can get to grow
into MOTHER, will be discouraged more than they already are to give their
best to their babies. Many times amidst the judgements, the conflicts, the
shame, and the usual uncertainties and adjustments, developing a respect for
their bodies' ability to nourish their babies offers them an opportunity to
mature--as we all learned too.

Perhaps someone on the Net knowledgable in this physiological area can
enlighten us further.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee