BF hormones

[ziggy29]

HI!
My lily is nearly 10 months and she is mainly breastfed.

I am seriously considering weaning as i am suffering with really lax ligaments and my pilates instructor said that your liagments dont fully go back to normal after you give birth until you finish breastfeeding.

So can someone remind me what hormones that allow breast milk production and what hormone occurs when you stop breastfeeding?

Then i can make an informed decision about what to do.

I have googled this but havent found any infomation specific enough to answer my problem.

[AM]

Interesting question. Off the top of my head, the hormone 'relaxin' is produced in pregnancy, and is the one which is responsible for loosening up the ligaments etc for birth.

Oxytocin is the so called 'breastfeeding hormone' and while it is said to cause feelings of relaxation and well being, I haven't heard of it actually affecting the ligaments.

I'd perhaps put the question to a Lactation Consultant?

[~Emmylou~]

The hormone she's probably talking about is relaxin.

It's produced at high levels during pregnancy and drops after birth. We still produce it while breastfeeding but not in near as high amounts. HTH.

[~Emmylou~]

Snap AM! :D

[shed]

I had a few dramas with my joints when I was pregnant and it seemed to take ages to get back to normal.

I have recently started to take glucosamine tablets and I have noticed an increase in flexibility and strength in my joints, especially my wrists and knuckles, which were the main problem.

I didn't want to stop breastfeeding though so I would have probably quit pilates instead, lol

[ziggy29]

Thanks. I will look into oxytocin and any other effects it may have on the body.

Also i havent got back AF yet so that might be a factor as well. So that means i am low on oestragen? is that right. (the mini pill is only progesterone so it doesnt dry up breastmilk....) is that right or do i have it the wrong way around?

[nats]

I didn't want to stop breastfeeding though so I would have probably quit pilates instead, lol

Ditto :yes: :D Go the glucosamine.