I stopped nursing over a year ago, but I can still squeeze drops of milk out of my breasts. Does this mean I'm still lactating, and could this be making me infertile? Our "baby" is 28 months old, and we've been trying to have another since he was born.

Tamara

The persistence of milky breast discharge (galactorrhea) is not rare and may be seen in up to 25 percent of women. You can have a test for your levels of the lactation hormone prolactin; this should be taken in the morning after an overnight fast. If the level is normal, this factor is not likely related to infertility.

High levels of prolactin can indeed interfere with your cycles; for detail, see my earlier column on High Prolactin Levels. In any case, if you are having discomfort from galactorrhea, you may ask your doctor about medication to dry up the discharge.