Hi!  This is my first note to you all but I've been a subscriber for awhile.
 I absolutely love all the information I've gleaned from reading the posts.
 You all are so wonderfully expressive and knowledgeable.  It is a bit
daunting (and intimidating)!

I am an R.N., childbirth educator, doula, and lactation counselor in the
Seattle area.  I have 4 kids and am still nursing my youngest who is one.
 Thanks for bearing with me and my questions if you've discussed them in the
past.

My specific question today has to do with varicosities.  A friend of mine had
her third baby a little over a year ago.  She had problems with varicose
veins with each pregnancy but, of course, they got worse with each one.  This
last time they were particularly painful in her crotch to the point that she
was wearing 2 maxipads and supportive underwear to alleviate the pain.  After
her baby was born, they were better but by the end of the day, she said it
was still very painful to stand at the kitchen counter to make dinner.  She
was nursing her baby, BTW.  At10 mos. postpartum, she talked to her doctor
about her crotch pain and he told her to stop nursing and it would clear up.
 So she weaned her baby, and it did clear up.  Not immediately - it took a
month or so to quit hurting altogether but the pain eventually subsided.  My
question:  Are these 2 things related at all?  I haven't heard or read
anything to support her MD's conclusions.  I think it was just coincidental,
that the farther she got from the pregnancy, the better her varicosities were
but she swears that her weaning is what made the difference, and she is going
around telling anybody who has the same problem to just wean and they'll be
back to normal!  Help!

Melissa Chasan
Mercer Island, WA.