i am writing to seek knowledge (or even theories!) for a friend/bfing mom.  i 
used to work w/ her as a bfing volunteer and it turned into friendship as we  
went through bfing 1st babies, then through pgc's, then tandem nursing 
together  and repeating the pattern over the last 6 yrs and several children. we 
also both  practice child-led weaning and she's the only other person i've met 
irl who's  lactated as long as i have. she happens to be a nurse in colorado. 
she just  emailed me this last night and it is beyond the scope of my 
experience. if  anyone here can help enlighten me (and her!), i would be deeply 
appreciative! i  have her request to post and would like permission to forward any 
responses back  to her. thanks so much in advance! i am crestfallen to think of 
the blow a  fellow lactivist is taking in being told she brought menopause on 
too early by  trying to do what was in her children's best interest! if it 
makes any  difference to the small breast/capacity theory she mentions, i have 
noted that  while her breasts are small, her babies have all been incredibly fat 
and robust.  like 30 lbs at 6 mos w/ rolls on their rolls kind of hearty! i 
always told her  she has haagen-dazs grade milk.
 
 I have been meaning to call you...You being the only other person I  know 
who has nursed as many and as long as I have.  I have been having  frequent hot 
flashes and went to the doctor, had labs drawn and essentially was  told I am 
in full blown menopause.  They think it is from nursing for so  long and so 
frequently and having really low estrogen levels for six years  continously.  
You being the expert on online stuff and having nursed since  Jake was born 
(through pregnancies and tandem nursed) like me.  It is a  hard combination to 
come upon these days...Anyway I was wondering if you could  post it on your 
online groups and see what response you get.  For example  has anyone ever heard of 
this.  My FSH level was 33.9 which my doctor said  was severly elevated in 
someone my age.  My age being I just turned  38...my understanding is that my 
estrogen levels have been so suppressed  for so long (since I got pregnant with 
samson 6 yrs ago) that my pit  gland is now working very had to secrete FSH 
(follicle stim hormone) to   jump start my ovaries to release an egg.  in 
menopause they see FSH levels  > 20, mine was 33.9.  and I am symptomatic at this 
point with hot  flashes and severe vaginal dryness (pleasant, I know.)  My 
doctor is well  aware of my thoughts on extended breastfeeding and knows that I am 
tandem  nursing and have been (there are no secrets, I feel strongly about 
extended  breastfeeding, as you know).  As far as having other children we 
are/were  pretty sure we were done but it is/was a decision I wanted to make not one 
I  wanted my body to make for me.  is it reversible, they are not sure at 
this  point?   I am really just curious anyone has ever heard of a  significant 
rise in FSH levels in direct relation to suppressed estrogen levels  secondary 
to long term and frequent (more often than every 4 hours)  breastfeeding in 
someone my age.  like I said last night, they are finding  that women with 
smaller breasts have a smaller storage capacity and thus need to  feed baby more 
freq. in my case I think this has really worked to keep my  estrogen levels 
lower than normal.  as far as history, my mom and grandma  did not breastfeed and 
did not experience symptoms of menopause or perimenopause  until their mid to 
late 40’s.
 
~jacqui  gruttadauria, bsw in michigan

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html