Jean suggests,

<< My assumption is that whatever the mechanism(s) at work, the suppy is
 reduced slightly in total volume and spread out over the 24 hours. The
 nursings earlier in the day may take a slightly greater percentage of the
 (lesser total) stored supply each feeding.

 Therefore any replacement storage of new secretion stimulated by the more
 thorough removal is not enough to send a signal of "full" and elicit MER
 at 3 p.m., but by 5 p.m., it may well grow to be.
  >>

Jean, this also accords with my understanding of the theory.

My problem is that it does not accord with my experience!    For myself in
several weanings, and for every mother I've spoken with about this, it really
does go by time of day:   skip a given feeding -- any one feeding -- every
day, and at THAT hour your breast will be [relatively of course] empty.
That's why so many mothers manage to give up bf, even not pumping, during
their work days, but still nurse at night; why plenty give up night feedings
and are no more overfull in the a.m. than they were when the baby nursed
three times between dinner and breakfast, etc etc.

I just haven't seen anyone experience this as a gradual,
over-the-course-of-the-whole-day thing, as theory would seem to predict.

Others who have seen more mothers, and perhaps also themselves weaned more
babies of their own, than I, want to comment?

Elisheva

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