Someone asked about fat and early return of menses--estrogen is produced by adipose tissue, so levels will be higher in heavier women and may cause earlier return of bleeding. I had 21 months of LAM despite returning to work (exclusively breastfeeding with lots of night nursing). A good friend of mine has had 3 periods in 10 years, one between each child, also an employed mom and LLL leader. I've come to believe that women were not really designed to menstruate very often--we're probably physiologically supposed to begin menstruating around age 17-18 (nutrition has brought this age down considerably in the last century) and be either pregnant or lactating most of the time until menopause. Any comments Dr. Dettwyler? -- Anne Montgomery, M.D. [log in to unmask] Olympia, WA