> I can't really buy into the theory
> that stress or fatigue may have that important of a role in this
phenomenon.
...
>If stress and/or fatigue play a role, it's gotta be
> related to some sort of physiologic change that affects milk synthesis
(once
> all else is ruled out).

Simply put, adrenalin and cortisone can "veto" prolactin anyday at the
body's conference table. And it doesn't need to be a lot of stress, or
negative stress - happy stress can do this, too.

From my files: Mother of cleft lip/palate baby pumping way ahead of baby's
needs (she did pumping/refeeding), great established supply at the time of
his lip & palate repair at age 3 months. She pumped 8 ounces as he went off
to surgery at 8 am. At 11 am, they brought him back to her looking complete
and whole - a beautiful repair - everyone in the room was crying with tears
of joy. She sat down to pump at noon  and got ------ Nothing!! Zip! Zilch!
Doo-dah! Goose Egg!  Panic set in. I told her just to pump her usual routine
and don't look at the output - her milk was still there, but it was the
Happy shock that had sent it into retreat. She had no milk the rest of the
day, got 4 oz. the next morning at 8 am, and was back to her usual 8 oz. at
noon.

I have a healthy regard for adrenalin!

Katharine West, RN, BSN, MPH
Sherman Oaks, CA

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