Kathleen--I agree that the mom with lots of milk six months after weaning needs her prolactin checked. Is she on birth control pills? these and other meds can cause galactorrhea, but not usually in the quantity you described. An additional comment about breast cancer: In addition to the studies, I think it is clear that the physiology makes sense. Whether or not the milk or the "flushing" helps (which I suspect it does), the ovarian suppression does. Most of the other things which we know influence the risk of breast cancer have to do with ovarian function like late first pregnancy (or no pregnancies), etc. I've even heard it said that women don't get breast cancer because they have breasts, they get it because they have ovaries. What I call American Cultural breastfeeding (feeding one or two babies for about 6 weeks) probably doesn't have a measurable effect on cancer because it doesn't suppress ovarian function. Extended breastfeeding SHOULD reduce breast cancer risk because it reduces ovarian function. -- Anne Montgomery, M.D. [log in to unmask] St.Peter Hospital Family Practice Residency 525 Lilly Road NE Olympia, WA 98506 360/493-4040