Overall, Daly et al. We found that the amount of prolactin in the milk from a full gland was high at first and then declined as milk was removed from the breast. Daly et al. Therefore, as the breast is progressively emptied, the fat content in the milk increases. The concentration of prolactin in the maternal plasma does not control milk synthesis.
Infants can regulate their own milk intake.
The rate of milk synthesis is regulated within each breast. The rate of milk synthesis is related to the degree of emptying of the breast. The capacity of each breast to store milk varies greatly between women. Storage capacity of the breasts can influence the flexibility a mothers has in relation to the frequency of breastfeeding her infant. The control of milk synthesis may restrict the binding and entry of prolactin into the cell.