Karen, You ask "I'm trying to figure out why this [perimenopause or the starting of menopause] should be an issue when early lactation is a time of lower estrogen... which is why some "young" moms experience night sweats, hot flashes, vag dryness, etc.?" in response to my query about older moms who are "perimenopausal" would effect supply. I pulled out Ruth Lawrence text and read the chapter the Physiology of Lactation; this is a very complex subject indeed. So I don't have an answer, Karen, it was just my musing about why the "older" say 41+ moms MIGHT have supply problems. All I can say is that there is a very complex interplay of hormones from the pituitary, ovary, thyroid, adrenals, and pancreas, and then placenta as well during pg. Some statements from Lawrence "the growth of the duct system seems to depend on estrogen and does not occur in absence of ovaries" and "complete growth of alveoli depends on progesterone as well." Granted, she is speaking prepubertal and pubertal growth here. Also that the role of prostaglandins is still not clear. All I have gleaned from this is that I sure need to read and understand this a whole lot more. Would love to see a session on all this at a conference. Laurie Wheeler, RN, MN, IBCLC Violet Louisiana, s.e. USA ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *********************************************** 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