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Date: | Thu, 11 May 2006 17:34:42 EDT |
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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
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