about lactating...

[Bumpkin]

My question is about my breast. My boyfriend and I were intimate today and afterwards he told me that one of my breast when he was squeezing it lactated? I then tried it myself and it was true, tried the other and same thing. It wasn't a lot, a few drops but still noticeable. As far as I know I'm not pregnant my last full period was I June but that's because I'm in the implanon BC (which so far I love btw). Can non pregnant women lactate or what are the chances of me being pregnant and should I take a pregnancy test?

[Sam W]

Hi Bumpkin,

Some people who are not pregnant and who have not recently been pregnant may indeed lactate. It's not particularly common, but not exactly rare, either. If you suspect that is the case what you'll want to do is see your doctor and have your prolactin levels checked (prolactin is the hormone responsible for milk production).

However, it's also possible (and more likely) to have nipple discharges that are not lactation. A lot of the time nipple discharge is just due to a clogged follicle -- just like with zits. In any case, you don't want to keep squeezing that out or messing with it: just let it be. When it comes to breast discharges, know that some breast discharges are normal, even if they may seem weird or be unexpected. You might find that every now and then, particularly when your nipple is squeezed, you see some discharge: it might be clear or milky looking, or even greenish, yellowish, black or bloody. If it's something that seems to go away pretty quickly, chances are it's nothing to worry about, even though it's smart to mention it during checkups just to be on the safe side.