The concept of a lactation curve is well known in the dairy industry, but not in the human lactation world.  When we look at milk production in the paradigm of this curve, we begin to understand the underlying drivers of milk production and why some women’s production seems more resilient than others. This talk explores the factors involved in the curve, the concept of persistency, and the importance of what happens in the beginning to long-term calibration.  Various curves will be shown and underlying causes discussed. The overall goal is to provide a new way of looking at milk production that will help us to understand our clinical situations better for the purpose of present and future strategizing.