Thanks for your response Cathy.
I understand the differentiation between serum prolactin and milk prolactin
.. but where does milk prolactin come from if not originally from the
maternal blood stream?  High levels of serum prolactin may not influence
milk production at all, but surely low levels of serum prolactin result in
low levels of milk prolactin and hence reduced milk production (ie overall
output, not rate of synthesis).

I continue to pursue this topic in an effort to understand the role of
galactagogues.  Prof Hartmann has suggested that before we give
galactagogues we should check serum prolactin levels and if they are normal
then giving galactagogues is useless  ie. their reason for working, when
they do, is by boosting a too-low level of prolactin (serum), so that milk
prolactin may be normal and hence milk production occur.  His point being
that to increase prolactin levels in a woman with normal levels will not
influence her to make more milk.
That's my understanding to date.... how does it sound?
Denise

*************************************************
Denise Fisher MMP, BN, IBCLC
BreastEd Online Lactation Studies
http://www.health-e-learning.com

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

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

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(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html