What role does oxytocin play in the many changes that occur during
pregnancy and breastfeeding designed to make mothers better mothers? How
does birth, breastfeeding, and skin-to-skin contact affect oxytocin
release? How do birth interventions--epidurals, Cesarean sections,
oxytocin infusions, and medications--impact oxytocin release? And how
does oxytocin release (or lack of) impact the mother and baby? After
many years of researching oxytocin, author, physician, and researcher
Dr. Kerstin Uvnäs-Moberg presents compelling scientific data that
demonstrates the important role oxytocin plays in motherhood. In this
book Dr. Uvnäs-Moberg describes how oxytocin helps mothers access an
inborn female competence that helps them transition to motherhood and
give birth more easily, feel better after birth, breastfeed with fewer
problems, and establish a good connection with their children. She also
explains the impact oxytocin release has on infants--helping them become
better at handling stressful situations and impacting their future
health. This book provides scientific data to demonstrate that oxytocin
plays an important role far beyond stimulation of uterine contractions
during birth and milk ejection during breastfeeding, including the
following: - Oxytocin is a signaling substance in the brain that when
released during birth, skin-to-skin contact, and breastfeeding induces
important physiological and psychological adaptations in the mother and
infant. - The way we give birth, handle, feed, and interact with our
infants may influence the release of oxytocin and the development of the
both short-term and long-term oxytocin-linked effects in both mothers
and infants. - Medical interventions during birth may influence the
release of oxytocin and the development of the oxytocin-linked effects.
Anyone working with pregnant and breastfeeding mothers will find this
book enlightening and thought-provoking. It will give you
evidenced-based information to change practices to protect oxytocin
release during birth and in the postpartum period and to better inform
new mothers about the role oxytocin plays in pregnancy, birth, and
breastfeeding; the importance of natural birth, skin-to-skin contact,
and breastfeeding; and the impact of birth interventions.
