Well, Debbi, this is interesting. Spontaneously lactation possibly related
to mother/baby work. I teach courses in breastfeeding to hospital nurses and
WIC nutritionists. When I ask for a show of hands of women who have felt
phantom let-downs, I always get a good response.
It seems that women's bodies who have breastfed will remember the process of
giving milk. Women who have never had babies often get a very strong "baby
craving" in class.
This is the first time I've heard of spontaneous lactogenesis without prior
childbearing. It's good to rule out pituitary tumor or other pathology.
Getting a prolactin level would be interesting, but I'm not sure how useful
that would be. Maybe the prolactin levels increased as a result of her
midwifery work, but maybe she chose midwifery work because she has an
unusually high prolactin level.
Interesting thought.
Jeanne Fisher
Austin, TX