It’s a well-known fact. Breast milk is best for babies. In the process, mommy’s health is also benefited by reducing the risks of hormone-related diseases such as breast and cervical cancer.

Recent research indicates, however, that it’s not about the benefits of breastfeeding to mommy’s health. It’s more like the risks of not breastfeeding that should be looked into.

A recent study of 139,681 women indicates that breastfeeding even just for six months in a lifetime decreases a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD: hypertension, heart disease, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes) come postmenopausal stage. The female hormones render women some protection against heart disease and related disorders. Once menopause sets in, this protection wanes, resulting in creased incidence of CVD in women.

The study found that with increasing duration of breastfeeding (cumulative), the risks for CVD decreases. And this risk reduction didn’t have to do with weight because study participants who breastfed and who didn’t, did not significantly differ in terms of body weight and body mass index (BMI). It has always been thought that breastfeeding helps get rid of pregnancy fat reserves. The study results did not confirm this. However, other protective effects, possibly related to the hormone oxytocin, may play a role. Oxytocin is the “feel good” hormone responsible for mother-baby bonding and strong maternal feelings but may also have some anti-stress effects that contribute to the well-being of the breastfeeding mom.

So is it the benefits of breastfeeding or the risks of not breastfeeding to maternal health? According to Dr Eleanor Bimla Schwarz of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Healthcare, it must be the latter. Breastfeeding is part of the whole biological cycle of reproduction. Becoming pregnant and not fulfilling the cycle of nature by breastfeeding can have some adverse effects on the female body.

“During pregnancy, the body stores up a bunch of nutrients with the plan that it’s going to release much of this in the form of breast milk, a very calorific food. If this doesn’t happen, what we see is that the woman’s body pays the price. Breast-feeding really helps bring you back to your baseline, and it helps women recover from the stress test that pregnancy entails.”

This seems logical enough. However, we should bear in mind that there are women who are incapable of breastfeeding, for one reason or another, even if they want to.

What is happening when a baby suckles at a mother’s breast? What are the mechanisms that trigger milk production and feeling of well-being in both baby and mommy. This study is probably one of the very first to give us an insight into the neurobiology of breastfeeding using a very unlikely technique – a computer model.

Researchers from the University of Warwick, in collaboration with colleagues from other part of the UK, France, China and Italy observed that when a baby suckles at its mother’s breast, it triggers the production of oxytocin in the mother’s brain. Oxytocin is also known as the “trust” hormone, and is linked in the enhancement of love and trust, not only in humans, but in animals as well. In the act of breastfeeding, oxytocin serves 2 purpose: to release milk from the mammary glands and to stimulate bonding between mother and child. However, for the system to work, large amounts of oxytocin are necessary.

In their computer model, the researchers were able to observe how the neurons (nerve cells) are able to produce large, regular pulses of oxytocin in a very coordinated way. They found that these cells used not only their nerve endings but also their dendrites to release oxytocin – in other words, they modify their behavior and work double time. Dendrites are branch-like projections in a neuron that transmit electrical impulses or messages from one nerve cell to the other. In involving the dendrites in oxytocin release, the message spreads fast, creating an army of oxytocin factories, to produce strong intense bursts of oxytocin release about every 5 minutes. The result – the baby gets enough milk and is happy and the mommy gets enough oxytocin and is happy.

It’s interesting to know what’s going on in our brains when we breastfeed. But we don’t need scientists or computer models to tell us that breastfeeding is good for mommy as well as for baby. We feel love, trust, and a sense of well-being. We call it – nature.

Sources:

University of Warwick News & Events

PLoS Computational Biology

I went on a playdate with a local mommy group last week, and I noticed one little baby boy, cuddling contentedly against his Mama’s shoulder. You know the cuddle I mean, that perfect fit of a lovable baby’s head in the nook between your neck and shoulder. That’s how he was, and he was content to stay there for the duration of our play. It wasn’t until towards the end of the meet that he started socializing.

The thing is, my daughter doesn’t do that. The baby boy I’m referring to is about a week older than her. I was jealous and I’ve spent the past week trying to cuddle up to her or getting her to cuddle with me. All I get for my effort is my hair pulled or my face grabbed, and more often than not, her pushing me impatiently away.

Of course, saddened, I Googled “Why does my baby not like to cuddle?” Hey, Google is my personal researcher! I’m not surprised to have stumbled on studies after studies citing the importance of physical touch and cuddling for babies.

Apparently, it’s even more crucial for the first year of life. Research has shown that children who have been orphaned or abandoned and lacked that early parenting bonding exhibit strange social behaviors later in life, even if they had been adopted in otherwise healthy homes. And babies who’ve missed that cuddling experience have been found to have markedly lower levels of oxytocin and vasopressin. These hormones are thought to play key roles in stress and social behaviors. Lower levels may explain why these children have difficulties forming attachments in adulthood.

So maybe my baby is just independent, and eager to explore her surroundings. Maybe she’s got too much energy to just lay there in my arms, but I hope she grows to love cuddling soon. I’m not worried about her oxytocin or vasopressin levels; she gets plenty of physical touch and praise, but it would be nice if I didn’t get pushed away when trying to hug her!

Source: Daily Mail