Yesterday in my reply to Leslie I spoke of my very simplified way to explain the action of FIL to mothers, both those with oversupply, and to those trying to increase supply.

All day today I have felt bothered by the way I expressed it. While my very simplified form usually helps mothers understand the basic reason for less frequent (for oversupply) or more frequent (for undersupply) milk removal, for professionals, Gonneke has really explained it much more fully in so much more of a fascinating way. I want to encourage everyone, especially the "newbies", to consider reading or re-reading Gonneke's article, of which this is just a sliver:


<The other mechanism involves the interaction of lactocytes with the basement membrane to which they are attached. It is hypothesised that as the breast fills with milk, the shape of the lactocytes changes such that the prolactin receptor is deactivated and milk synthesis is slowed, and eventually ceases [11]. Although the FIL and cell shape mechanisms likely act independently to influence the activity of prolactin upon the breast, the interaction and interplay of these two factors upon milk synthesis has yet to be fully elucidated. >


Overabundant milk supply: an alternative way to intervene by full drainage and block feeding
Caroline GA van Veldhuizen-Staas 

International Breastfeeding Journal 2007, 2:11 doi:10.1186/1746-4358-2-11


http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/2/1/11


K. Jean Cotterman RNC-E, IBCLC
WIC Volunteer LC      Dayton OH

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