Rachel,

I was clearing out some files of my own "LN Archives" the other day and
reinforced my knowledge with a terrifically valuable insight in an April
10, 2000 LN quote sent in by Mardrey Swenson IBCLC:

<In the book LACTATION Physiology, Nutrition, and Breast-Feeding (1983)
by
Neville and Neifert there are histology slides and electronmicrographs of
the
ductal system in a few different women who were deceased. . . . . .

"A point of importance ... is that the glandular parenchyma of the breast
apparently does not respond to the hormonal environment in a totally
synchronous fashion.  Different areas within the same breast may change
to
greater or lesser degrees.". . . .

"Regular suckling stimulates the continuation of milk secretion.  When
this
is stopped, the gland quickly ceases its activity and undergoes a
relatively
rapid phase of regression.  Within a few days, the milk remaining in the
alveolar lumina and ducts is resorbed.  A steady decrease in parenchymal
elements ensue with the concomitant reappearance of larger amounts of
interlobular and interlobar connective tissue.  The gland, however, does
not
regress to its original prepubertal state and many of the alveoli
persist.

"Within the alveolar epithelium a great amount of lysosomal and
autophagic
activity accounts for the initial regression of the epithelium."

"The gland then remains in a resting condition UNTIL THE ADVENT OF THE
NEXT PREGNANCY WHEREIN THE DEVELOPMENTAL CYCLE OF PROLIFERATION AND
SECRETION RECOMMENCES." (emphasis mine)

(Duh! maybe everyone else knows that well. But I admit that if I
once-upon-a-time realized that significant point, I guess I had sort of
forgotten it!)

It struck me what a marvelous thing with which to reassure a mother who
has fears because of compromised supply in a previous pregnancy, or in an
ancestor or other relative!

And another chance to educate her, perhaps better than she was educated
the first time, that thoroughness of milk removal, combined with
frequency of milk removal is what determines milk production, and make
sure she knows how to let the baby remove it efficiently.

Mothers with fewer cells have probably been making plenty of milk for
aeons just by thorough milk removal whenever the baby seems hungry, if
necessary, feeding oftener. The cells respond by  producing at a more
rapid rate to make up any difference in the number of cells.

I'm not certain who said it, but "most mothers have far more milk cells
than they need to produce the necessary quantity of milk. They are simply
not all producing at the same rate, nor at the same time."

Different pregnancy= brand new placenta to take care of stimulating
regeneration of new breast tissue!

Maybe this might have some application for the mother who was treated for
Hodgkins in the past.

Jean
*******
K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IBCLC
Dayton, Ohio USA

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