>Hello, all. My name is Jean Macomber. Lactnetter since May, but first
>post. NICU/postpartum RN and IBCLC for 2 years. I've been enjoying the
>discussion on waking babies to feed but have seen no mention of
>prolactin levels being higher in evening/night so by encouraging night
>feeds one may delay ovulation and menstruation. (Long sentence!) Aren't
>these moms who want to get the largest block of sleep possible at night
>missing something essential? And aren't we leaving a piece of the
>picture out by not mentioning it? Thoughts?
>
>Jean Macomber


Recently, I had to look up the lit. about night time prolactin levels
to answer a query put to me - and there's not a great deal out there.
There's a study in the 1980s, but several recent texts (eg Riordan
and Auerbach, as far as I can tell) don't make much of night time
prolactin levels .  Anyone else find anything different?  And how
long would any difference last, given that prolactin levels fall
pretty quickly after the birth?


Clearly, 'sleeping through' for mother or baby is not normally
physiological, or the best way to get happy bf established, but that
would be true of any attempt to ensure long gaps between feeds, no
matter when in the 24 hours it happened.  Is it 'worse' to try to
avoid feeding at night than at any other time?

Just wondering!

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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