Has anyone else heard of this?

[Lost until Found]

I recently was on a forum and a poster said that it's been proven a reason woman cry is because "when women are stressed, we cry. It's part of our biological nature so that we can have sufficient milk for our baby." I had never heard of that before and so researched a bit. I found one website that kinda indicated the same theory. Has anyone ever heard of this idea before? If so, can anyone explain it more in detail?

website ----> http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1825 (http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1825)

[ApostateAbe]

I haven't heard it, and it sounds like bull crap. What could be the causal link between crying and more milk? If the argument were crying and less milk, then I would get it. There was no argument for milk and crying in that article.

[EyeSeeCold]

I've heard of a better theory.

Some people :
1.) work better under stress
2.) are trained by stress
3.) stalled by stress
4.) break down from stress

[Lost until Found]

I haven't heard it, and it sounds like bull crap. What could be the causal link between crying and more milk? If the argument were crying and less milk, then I would get it. There was no argument for milk and crying in that article.

Apparently crying creates prolactin which is in breastmilk. So when woman have a a low levl of prolactin it is more likely she will become stressed and thus more likely to cry (so they say one of the reasons woman cry is to bring up the level of prolactin whether it is the main reason they are crying or not).

[ApostateAbe]

Apparently crying creates prolactin which is in breastmilk. So when woman have a a low levl of prolactin it is more likely she will become stressed and thus more likely to cry (so they say one of the reasons woman cry is to bring up the level of prolactin whether it is the main reason they are crying or not).
If that is the best explanation, then it would be like a placeholder until an explanation that actually makes sense is found. A much more available evolutionary step is for the female body to produce more prolactin whenever she lactates. I would have to think that more stress brings more risk than benefit.

[Cavallier]

The only connection I know of between crying and the production of milk is that when infants cry the breasts of women who are lactating will respond by leaking a little milk in preparation for feeding time. I suspect the above is just a misinterpretation of this biological fact. :kilroy:

[Vrecknidj]

... "when women are stressed, we cry. It's part of our biological nature so that we can have sufficient milk for our baby."That's awesome. I want to send my kids to the school where these people were educated.

I would think that a good reserve of lipids and sufficient hydration would be more important for having sufficient milk, but, who knows? Maybe crying is the magic cause.

Dave

[EvilScientist Trainee]

I actually do have a theory based on two things: Cortisol and the Hypothalamus.

First, cortisol is related to stress. It's a hormone that acts when a stress - be it psychological, biological or physical- triggers an endochrine mechanism that is focused on stabilizing the body, homeostasis.

One of the effects of cortisol is to help the mobilization of fat and glucose, particularly the latter, through gluconeogenesis. The cascade of events that lead to the formation of milk requires glucose, as it is a precursor of lactose.

Therefore, crying under stress might help the formation of milk if lactogenesis is going on, as it increases the blood levels of glucose.

Also, emotions are said to be processed in the hypothalamus. Curiously, prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland, which is a protusion off the bottom of hypothalamus. So, I suggest that such stress may link hypothalamic stimulation to a increase in prolactin's blood levels, having aswell a possible effect on lactation.

Once i get some better reading material, i'll post it here if there's still interest.

[Lost until Found]

Also, emotions are said to be processed in the hypothalamus. Curiously, prolactin is secreted by the pituitary gland, which is a protusion off the bottom of hypothalamus. So, I suggest that such stress may link hypothalamic stimulation to a increase in prolactin's blood levels, having aswell a possible effect on lactation.

Once i get some better reading material, i'll post it here if there's still interest.

This sounds about the same as what was being said before. Interesting.

[EvilScientist Trainee]

This sounds about the same as what was being said before. Interesting.

:o Kinda of jumped enthusiasticaly onto the discussion, without reading. But yeah, just confirmed what you just have said.

Anyways, I had never thought that prolactin had a relation with hypothalamic hypersensibilization. As i read the OP, I just thought that periodic crying helped in milk formation, but hypersensibilization seems to make more sense, specially when the gender differences fall in.

Also, have you taken a look at oxytocin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin)? It has also a good relation with milking, and its contact have shown correlation with bonding, trust, autism and empathy.

That wikipedia article shows more links at the cortisol theory i've suggested. As it seems to modulate the Hypothalamus - pituitary - adrenal axis.