Hi Christina,So this just keeps coming up over and over. I have a lot in my files on this, including personal histories and studies. In the end, it is all very similar. Bone density decreases during lactation, and then rebounds after weaning, often to levels better than they would have been if the woman had never breastfed at all. There are other factors at work, including hormone levels, calcium intake, exercise, etc, - all of the usual factors involved in bone metabolism. Although there may be hormonal factors beyond her control, such as lower estrogen levels while breastfeeding, she can make sure that she is getting plenty of calcium, vitamin D and magnesium, all of which are involved in bone formation. The doctors might also want to test other hormones, such as PTH, that influence bone metabolism. If they indeed believe that it is multifactorial, what others factors are they investigating and possibly treating? Are they concerned that she may be at more risk for osteoporesis later in life if she does not continue breastfeeding - many studies do show a protective effect for breastfeeding once a woman has stopped having babies and lactating. I guess if it were me, I would continue nursing and concentrate on those things that I could control - diet, including supplements if necessary, and exercise - that I know are supportive of bone growth. I would look into all the hormones that might influence my bone metabolism and have blood tests run to see if they might be out of wack and perhaps treatable (except for estrogen - adding that would likely result in a significant drop in milk supply.) Is this women currently dealing with bone fractures? If so, that is a more serious situation. I don't know what she wants you to tell her. The amount of bone loss during lactation differs for each individual. There are things she can do to keep bone loss to a minimum, but there are no guarantees when it comes to numbers, as far as I know. As with so many issues, it is very individual. Weaning now will bring up her bone density at this time, but at what long-term cost to both her and her child? A difficult decision to make unless she is willing to really look at the research and push her doctors to consider other options besides weaning. Sharon Knorr, BSMT(ASCP), IBCLC Newark, NY USA *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome