Is there an age at which baby (child) no longer
> receives any milk from the breast even though continuing to nurse more
than
> three times per day, less times, more times etc.
> Pam MazzellaDiBosco,    FL, USA
>
Hi Pam;

My short answer is it depends on the mother and baby.  If you check out the
fertility info on LLLI's website you can see  how individual it is - I'll
follow with some info I wrote up for a mom.  I know of mothers who kept
producing milk as long as babe nursed once a day - others dry up if nursing
less than 3 times a day.  Some mothers have expressed milk up to 3 years
after weaning!  Dr Peter Hartman from Australia is doing pumping research
and has identified several variables affecting supply.  Short
version-mothers with smaller breasts need to nurse more often to keep up
their supply.  If you want more on his research contact me.

Michelle Bentley, CLE, LLL
[log in to unmask]
Hormone Info:
By reviewing the information in the BAB you have already found a wealth of
information.  It discusses the fact that, "In some cases, even infrequent
breastfeeding is enough to prevent pregnancy (p. 359).  It also quotes a
case study where a mother showed signs of ovulating but was unable to
conceive until she weaned her nursling (p. 359).  It may be helpful to get
further information on fertility, such as using basal body temperature and
vaginal mucus observation to determine if she is showing signs of ovulating
(lactation amenorrhea method - LAM).  Two books on fertility available
through LLLI are listed below . The BAB also mentions that even if a mother
is ovulating while breastfeeding, hormone levels may not be sufficient to
maintain a pregnancy (p. 356).  Research is ongoing as to the exact
mechanism of how breastfeeding affects fertility.

In regards to your question on prolactin levels changing with the number of
nursings, prolactin levels do vary with the intensity and frequency of the
nursling's suckling.  However, it is difficult to determine the exact effect
of prolactin on fertility since women's sensitivity and therefore response
to hormonal influences varies.  In your own Group you can probably find
several mothers with very similar breastfeeding patterns (and therefore
similar prolactin levels) who had menstruation return at very different ages
of their babies.

As you can see, there is no clear answer to a mother's concerns.  Using LAM
would help her to determine if she is ovulating, but breastfeeding may still
be a negative influence on conceiving.

Weschler, Toni
TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY
HarperCollins, 1995
A comprehensive approach to fertility awareness which helps every woman to
understand her body better through clear and factual explanations of the
menstrual cycle and fertility signals. Includes chapters on reproductive
health, natural birth control, achieving pregnancy, benefits of charting,
and information on fertility awareness during breastfeeding, premenopause,
and other special circumstances. Pictures, charts, and illustrations make
the book easy to read and understand.

Winstein, Merryl
YOUR FERTILITY SIGNALS
Smooth Stone Press, 1990
This illustrated, step-by-step guide explains how to achieve or prevent
pregnancy, reduce or eliminate contraceptive use, even enhance the intimacy
in your relationship. It includes information on low fertility, stress,
breastfeeding, and pre-menopause. Includes a bibliography, glossary, and
references.
Available from LLLI Also available in Spanish.

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