To do the work to increase our oxytocin levels.īut the good news is that our brain's natural production of oxytocin can easily be ramped up.
We can't just take oxytocin pills to increase blood levels because oxytocin doesn’t cross the body’s “blood/brainīarrier,” except in the form of nasal sprays, and long-term use of oxytocin spray can damage your brain. So here's the obvious question: If you don't have high oxytocin levels in your first trimester, are you just fated to be a lousy parent, and your kids are out of luck? Or are there ways for us to increase our oxytocin levels? It lowers blood pressure and promotes friendliness, or the desire to connect with others. What's more, oxytocin reverses the effect of the fight or flight hormones once danger is past, and helps us restore our sense of calm and well-being. Quite simply, the more oxytocin you have, the more loving and attentive you are to your baby.
Researchers have found that women’s oxytocin levels during their first trimester of pregnancy predict their bonding behavior with their babies during the first month after birth.Īdditionally, mothers who had higher levels of oxytocin across the pregnancy as well as the postpartum month also reported more behaviors thatĬreate a close relationship, such as singing a special song to their baby, bathing and feeding them in a special way, or thinking about them Grooming - but not much research has been done on human mothering and oxytocin until more recently.
Have known for decades that animals with less oxytocin exhibit less nurturing of their babies - slower pup retrieval and less licking and