A mother that I have worked with for some time posted this to me today on
the pediatric forum for which I work.  She thought it might be helpful to
other moms and those who work with them:

"I don’t have a question, just some info that hope will help someone else. I
have not seen or read much information on the affect of stress and tension
on the
hormones that help with the letdown reflex. After all the trials that Gavin
and I have been through, I have had to make a conscious effort to relax and
focus
on the letdown. Then, after a very stressful month even that wasn’t working.

I had been reading and saw mention of the necessity of hormones to trigger
the release of the milk and how tension and stress inhibit hormones. Also,
that
the messages are transmitted through the spinal cord.

Now, I have long had problems with the muscles in my upper back that exhibit
symptoms of fibro-myalgia, where they are perpetually tied in knots. I have
had physical therapy and also visit a chiropractor for the resulting
problems these tight muscles place on my spine.

So, I put two and two together and concluded that if the muscles were too
tight, causing problems with my spine, and pinching nerves, that the signals
for the
hormone release may not be getting through. I worked on loosening those
muscles and used a heating pad. Then, when I nurse, I contract and release
the
muscles of my upper back and neck to relax them. Lo and behold the letdown
came *so easily*!"

Becky Flora
Kingsport, TN

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html