Dear all,

I've posted in days gone by about LeeAnn.  She's the mom whose house burned
down and preterm baby was in the burn unit -- whose brmilk tested out at 27,
29 & 30 calories per ounce, and then, when Alex was four months old, died of
SIDS.  Well, LeeAnn stopped by today with a new question.  Alex died about 5
months ago, and obviously, LeeAnn weaned abruptly.  She always had enough
milk to feed Wheaton and half of Carol Stream.  However, she seemed to dry up
without too much difficulty, thanks to cabbage, icy compresses, and Parlodel
(don't ask...).  Her question today:

About 3 weeks ago, she was with several friends, all of whom were bf their
babies -- when whoosh, LeeAnn experience a sharp shooting pain in the upper
outer aspects of her breasts, she tingled all the way down, and was
absolutely soaked with milk.  This has happened on average of twice a week
for the last 3 weeks, usually emotionally related when she hears a baby cry,
or sees a baby nurse.  Her breasts are tender in the spot where she first
feels the letdown, and then the nipple & areola area are also tender.  No,
she is NOT pregnant (I asked), though she says her body wants to be
pregnant....she's not sure her head does, and she's quite sure her husband
doesn't.  She cannot express milk between these letdowns & they come on her
unexpectedly.

1.  Why now -- and not for the past 2 or 3 months?
2.  I suggested it had to do with the abrupt weaning...but am not sure of the
physiology thereof....
3.  Her docs want to put her on hormonal therapy because they figure
something is out of balance with her estrogens & progesterone, though she
said that 4 weeks to the day after Alex died, she had her period, and it has
been absolutely clockwork regular since then.

Ideas?  Suggestions?

Jan Barger
Wheaton, IL