On Jul 24, 2005, at 9:05 PM, [log in to unmask] wrote:

>
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
> Prolactin levels never correlate with milk production - no point.
>
> Nancy
> Nancy E. Wight MD, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP
> Neonatologist, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Children's 
> Hospital
> Medical Director, Sharp HealthCare Lactation Services
> San Diego, CA
> [log in to unmask]
>

Yes it's true that prolactin levels don't vary directly with milk yield 
but I was wondering more the relationship between prolactin levels
and the establishment and maintenance of the permissive state...

Like Heather and and Kerri I have seen milk production run the gamut in 
mothers who have a *diagnosis* of PCOS,
one mom, a LLLL, told me she was diagnosed with *high* prolactin levels 
so while she used fertility medicine to conceive
she never once worried about her ability to lactate...and sure enough 
she had plenty of milk..

Other women that come to mind fit the insulin resistant profile,
but I usually tend to think of these moms separately because while 
there is a delay in onset,
and yield problems they do make milk...

The only commonality I can find among mothers who appear to make no 
milk at all is PCOS...
but I even hesitate to say PCOS with any conviction because these moms 
don't fit the PCOS profile other then that they conceived with 
difficulty,
and in most instances their diagnosis seems tentative...like "my doctor 
said I *might have* PCOS..."

I agree with Heather that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing...
I don't  want every woman with a *diagnosis* of PCOS to believe that 
she won't be able to breastfeed...
For me the proof is always in the pudding...

Still when that unusual women comes along who is *doing every thing 
right* and is making no milk
I find, like Esther,  these moms *need* a reason...they need to *know* 
that it wasn't anything they *did wrong*...
I really don't like offering PCOS as the explanation because I don't 
want them telling every woman
  they know with a PCOS *diagnosis* that they too won't be able to 
breastfeed...

So I was looking for something more specific to offer these mothers as 
an explanation and I was wondering if prolactin levels might be 
*it*...Lisa Marasco's study seems to be offering a tentative *no* but 
we have to reserve judgement because of the small n. Any other leads?


Jen O'Quinn IBCLC

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