Julie wrote:
>I have heard two interesting stories along the same lines in a week.
A grandmother, holding her new grandchild felt the old familiar
'tingling' of a letdown. Not being a grandmother, I have never
experienced this and have never before heard of this. Both of these
new grandmas were prolonged breastfeeders ( but not for the last 20
years or so)
 Has anyone else heard of this phenomenon?<

Oh yes!
Not only grandmothers can experience this. Ask any former
breastfeeding mother who works around babies, and you will hear the
same thing. It seems that once your body *learns* the cues to letdown,
it remembers them. I have even felt it when hearing one of my cats
cry, let alone babies on tv!

I am sure that this is connected with another phenomenon, adoptive
breastfeeding by grandmothers. As I understand it, grandmothers in
rural areas of South Africa used to take care of their daughters'
babies after their daughters returned to work in more affluent areas
where jobs were available. Part of the baby-care included relactating
for their grandbabies, simply by putting the babies to breast.

Karleen Gribble (who posts here) has some interesting thoughts about
how adoptive mothers are more likely to produce more milk when in a
supportive environment.

You can find a whole slew of information about adoptive nursing here:
http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVOctNov04p103.html


Norma Ritter, IBCLC, RLC

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