As World Breastfeeding Week comes to an end, I just want to acknowledge the importance of and challenges surrounding breast/chest-feeding or breast-pumping. Using breast milk to feed a baby is one of the most beautiful, challenging, emotional, stressful things people can go through. There can be so much pressure and guilt associated with it. We now know that there are so many health benefits for both baby and mom when it comes to producing breast milk - but it is a huge privilege to be able to do it successfully in the face of competing interest/pressures (ie. returning to work). This became even more stressful in the face of major formula shortages across the country. Many may have also pushed themselves to continue longer than they normally would in the hopes of transferring antibodies from their own Covid-19 vaccination to their fetuses/newborn who won’t be eligible for vaccination until 6 months. There is also a lot of confusion about breastfeeding and the impact it can have on your other hormones. Pituitary hormones mediate breast milk production and let down. Prolactin leads to milk production and nipple stimulation from an infant/breast pump sends signals to the pituitary gland to release oxytocin which leads to let down of milk (these brain signals are shown in this animation). High prolactin tends to shut down FSH and LH signals from the brain which normally cause ovulation. This is why most people do not ovulate or get periods when regularly breastfeeding. Eventually ovulation signals may break through and allow for periods despite breasfeeding. It is possible, therefore, to conceive while breastfeeding. I generally tell my patients to wean and stop before undergoing treatment as the high estrogen levels in IVF will dry up supply and breastfeeding may make cycles irregular and more resistant to the effects of clomid or letrozole to induce ovulation. Did you know about the hormonal connection from the pituitary gland in the brain and breastfeeding? What questions do you have? Animation shared from @design_cells ✨💜