breast milk

[spiceyqueen]

out of curiosity,( i have n oidea about O& G nursing) what causes women who are not lactating/pregnant to have breast milk..... and is in normal though? coz am just thinking of those days when people had wet nurses yet some would have fairly grown up children!!! what of young girls who have like milk production etc,,,, we were having this discussion @work, and none of us had a clue what the story is with that

[MisterSimba, BSN]

Prolactin, which is made by the pituitary, stimulates milk production, and oxytocin facilitates milk let-down. As far as I know, this doesn't happen in women who are not pregnant or nursing an infant.

I'm pretty sure that the wet nurses had infants of their own, and this is why they were able to breastfeed other infants.....

[Nightcrawler, BSN, RN]

Prolactin, which is made by the pituitary, stimulates milk production, and oxytocin facilitates milk let-down. As far as I know, this doesn't happen in women who are not pregnant or nursing an infant.

I'm pretty sure that the wet nurses had infants of their own, and this is why they were able to breastfeed other infants.....

My nephew is almost 5 years old, and she still produces milk. It never lets down when she is around babies, but it is just always there.

[JenTheRN]

This is how it works: Once you start producing milk, you will continue to produce it as long as the need is there. Wet nurses were able to nurse babies because they kept nursing (their own or others) on a regular basis.

You can force lactation (called induced lactation) by stimulating the breasts via nursing or breast pump and sometimes medication. This doesn't always work and can sometimes be painful.

[JenTheRN]

People will also produce milk if they have a certain disease process or hormonal imbalances.

[Smurfette752, BSN]

I stopped nursing my son a year and a half ago and I still have some milk...a very small amount...but it is still there.

[hb4hikes]

Also, think about the gaining favor of breast milk for preterm infants, lactating mothers can be screened and donate their milk to NICUs, "Modern day wet nurses." As the others mentioned already, once lactating the continued production will continue as long as the breast are stimulated via pumping. So one can produce theoretically for years.

Some psychotropic medications can stimulate milk production as well. Some of my psychiatric patients in the past including males had prolactin levels drawn annually per a pharmacist recommendatin during a quarterly drug review. Not sure if that was common practice in other institutional settings though. I had my doubts that a male could lactate but did see the adverse effects of enlarged breast in males from their psych meds.

[Pinkster]

Also, There is such a condition where the mother believes so deeply that she is pregnant that she begins to produce milk. It can happen in animals too. I don't know what its called.

Also breast milk can be produced in a woman who has a hormone imbalance.

Women can produce milk and never have had a baby,

but I'm sure back in the days of wet nurses it was just a continuation.

[bagladyrn, RN]

Also, There is such a condition where the mother believes so deeply that she is pregnant that she begins to produce milk. It can happen in animals too. I don't know what its called.

Also breast milk can be produced in a woman who has a hormone imbalance.

Women can produce milk and never have had a baby,

but I'm sure back in the days of wet nurses it was just a continuation.

The condition you are referring to is called pseudocyesis. Interesting how the mind and body interact!

[Nicky30, BSN, RN]

I'll 'fess up....

I am one of those people to which you were discussing. It started when I was 19. At that point I had never been pregnant. I am now 31 and still suffer from what they call galactorrhoea. I don't produce much but occassioanally I will feel that let down reflex (difficult working in midwifery lol).

My prolactin levels are normal, I have never been on any medications known to cause or contribute to this condition.

I am an anomaly I think. Nobody can tell me why so I just live with it.

I don't think I would want employment as a wet nurse though.

Nicky.

[Marymoomoo]

This resource offers some helpful explanations:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/galactorrhea.html