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The pros and cons of synthetic oxytocin
When synthetic oxytocin is injected into the blood, it struggles to penetrate Mom’s brain – it needs to be in the brain, to prepare you for motherhood.
Becoming a Mom is probably among the most scariest things, you’ll ever encounter. It’s natural to look for help.
Both medical and psychological.
Since oxytocin is the hormone of MOTHERHOOD. She pushes baby out, get’s the milk machine flowing and helps Mom’s fall in love, with their baby, the instant they meet.
Getting more oxytocin……………. is one way to ease into MOTHERHOOD.
And, thanks to the biotechnology revolution, extra oxytocin is only a pin prick or a sniff away.
Adding oxytocin to birthing
Synthetic oxytocin is a routine part of modern child birth.
It is used to
- Set things in motion, during induction
- Keep Mom’s pushing in augmentation and
- Wrap things up, by hastening up the delivery of the after birth as part of the management of the third stage of labour
So does it really help transition you into motherhood ?
A growing body of evidence, suggests NOT SO MUCH.
The chemistry of synthetic oxytocin
The problem, synthetic oxytocin doesn’t deliver the goods, quite the same way as the oxytocin produced naturally.
Don’t get me wrong………………
Chemically speaking it would be difficult to tell the two oxytocin’s apart. There really is very little difference between the molecules, the difference arises in their location.
And………….location is EVERYTHING.
You see, oxytocin is first and foremost a brain chemical.
It’s a brain chemical
When you’re producing it, a batch is whipped up in the hypothalamus, from here it is shipped off to the posterior pituitary. The pituitary then takes care of distribution.
Since the pituitary is deep inside the recess of your brain – a significant proportion of the oxytocin produced, washes through the brain. The rest, leaves the building, zooting round the body, hooking up with oxytocin receptors……….
- In the uterus
- In the mammary gland etc.
The oxytocin in your body, is responsible for getting baby delivered.
PUSH…………… PUSH………………. PUSH
But what does the oxytocin washing through the brain do ?
Wiring up a Mommy brain
It adjusts your wiring, so that you will be a GOOD MOTHER.
So what is Mother Nature’s definition of a GOOD MOTHER ?
Her definition is much the same as YOURS. She want’s SUPER WOMEN.
A Mom who is madly IN LOVE with her baby and IN TUNE, with her baby’s every want and need, while at the same time…………….. can roll with the punches and keep it ALL together, even when the going is tough.
And……….. Mother Nature KNOWS, the going is TOUGH.
After all, being a MOTHER is the hardest job in the world. Especially, those first few days…..
When the hormones are all over the place, you’re sore, you’re tired and you’re overwhelmed with the responsibility of the tiny new human in your arms.
It is probably worth noting, Mother Nature doesn’t regard your performance at your job, as relevant. In fact, she’s rewired your brain to keep you focused one hundred percent, on baby………………..
Welcome to MOMMY BRAIN, it’s real and it’s physiological.
Washing your brain in oxytocin
Washing your brain in oxytocin is vital in transitioning to MOTHERHOOD. A lot of this transition occurs during the process of birth…….
As you’re pushing baby out, your brain is transforming.
So that, the moment you see, smell and hold your baby……….. YOU’RE A GOOD MOM.
You don’t have to learn it, it’s been programmed into your biology. But, it depends on your brain being awash in oxytocin. And, synthetic oxytocin doesn’t get into your brain.
Blame the blood brain barrier
Is a blessing and a curse. It keeps all manner of things out of your brain, which protects your brain from nasty bugs and chemicals. But, it can keep good things out too……….
In this case, the synthetic oxytocin, is injected into the blood, where it can get to work, pushing both baby and the first drops of milk out, but it struggles to penetrate Mom’s brain fortress. Very little, if any get’s through.
This failure, impacts the wiring.
Making being a GOOD MOM, more difficult.
You’re not wired for motherhood
It is kind of ironic. Synthetic oxytocin makes becoming a Mom, a little easier, but being a Mom a little harder.
Since you’re a Mom – FOREVER.
And there is no evidence to suggest, you might be oxytocin deficient, during natural labour…..
It might be prudent to forgo the extra help at the time of birth and do it NATURALLY. The brain surge of oxytocin will give you the superpowers you need to cope with MOTHERHOOD.
Further reading
Turn down the lights during labour to get more push
Melatonin is normally associated with getting you ready for bed, not babies, but he is an important part of the delivery room team – assuming he show up.
If the prospect of motherhood has left you weepy……go fish
A daily dose of fish oil, is able to perk up the mood of mildly depressed pregnant women, making it a safe viable alternative to anti-depressants
Delivery room wins require skin in the game
All things being equal, babies who experience skin-to-skin contact with Mom in the delivery room are more likely to be, breast feeders.
If you are an expectant Mom or know someone that is – invite them to participate, so they can create Better Body Chemistry during their pregnancy and raise a HAPPY HEALTHY little one.