Rachael:  I can't find the reference, but the HDL (good cholesterol)
apparently is very high in lactation, negating the bad effects of the
high cholesterol.  In any case, women in their childbearing years are at
extremely low risk of heart disease, so I would question the need for
drastic measures even if the cholesterol levels were high.  The
development of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries for the less medically
inclined) takes decades and the risk increases only with other risk
factors added on.  The major risk factors are: smoking, high blood pressure,
diabetes, family history of early heart attacks (in the 40's or 50's or
earlier), and male gender.  For women, being past the menopause increases
their risk, since they lose the high HDL's they had during the
childbearing years.  Increased cholesterol may be important if the woman
has other risk factors as listed above, but I wonder how much the few
months or couple of years of breastfeeding would add to it.  Taking into
consideration all the known health benefits of breastfeeding to both
mothers and babies, I would think that high cholesterol would rarely be a
reason to wean for cholesterol-lowering meds.  As for low-fat diets
affecting the milk supply, I thought that was a myth (perhaps these women
are really starving themselves, but even women in parts of the world
enduring famine make milk sufficient in quantity and quality to nourish
their babies).  Alicia.  [log in to unmask]