Browse: Home / pregnancy / Synthetic oxytocin makes becoming a Mom easier but being a Mom harder

Menu

Skip to content
  • About
  • Better Body Chemistry School
  • Book a health conversation
  • Speaking query
  • The “Big” Spoons
Header image

BBC

Small things can make a big difference to your health

advertisement

Menu

Skip to content
  • Home
  • Free Resources
    • 31 days to Better Body Chemistry
    • Willpower Report
    • Weight loss e-course
    • Better Body Chemistry for Expecting Moms
    • The ups and downs of insulin resistance
    • Candy Floss Boards
    • Weight tracker
    • Sound bites
  • Library
  • Shop
  • Lucky dip
  • Buy me a coffee
  • Video gallery
  • Contact

Synthetic oxytocin makes becoming a Mom easier but being a Mom harder

Posted by Dr Sandy on in pregnancy | 1012 Views | Leave a response
WhatsApp
Reddit
Share
More
Tweet
Pin
Share

Share Button

Click to listen to the audio…

The pros and cons of synthetic oxytocin

natural oxytocin giving a head massage

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.

synthetic oxytocin versus natural oxytocin

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.

mommy brain

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.

mommy brain on synthetic oxytocin

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.

Share Button

Beyond labor : The role of natural and synthetic oxytocin in the transition to motherhood. J Midwifery Womens Health. (2014) 59(1): 35–42. Aleeca F. Bell, Elise N. Erickson, and C. Sue Carter.

Further reading

melatonin helping with delivery

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.

omega helping a depressed pregnant women tnIf 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

making skin contact in the delivery roomDelivery 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.

Better body chemistry for expectant momsIf 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.

Expecting ?
* indicates required

Close

WhatsApp
Reddit
Share
More
Tweet
Pin
Share
Posted in pregnancy | Tagged afterbirth, augmentation, baby, biotechnology, birth, brain, hypothalamus, induction, mommy brain, motherhood, neuronal circuits, oxytocin, pituitary, uterus
 

better body chemistry for expectant moms

Gives you the inside scoop….

Tips and strategies, based on the latest science, to help you give your baby the best start possible. Learn more...

Click to enrol in our free e-course.

Connect with facebook Make sure you give the app permission on the next page

Connect with us

facebook you tube pinterest 40 google plus 40 Linkedin

  • Popular
  • Featured
  • Recent
  • asprosin the sugar plum fairy

    Why sugar levels are high despite NOT eating

    20812 views / Posted
  • poop getting stuck

    The fix for constipation is to go on a low fibre diet

    19982 views / Posted
  • oatmeal breakfast being beaten by egg

    Which is a better breakfast, egg or oatmeal ?

    19225 views / Posted
  • chewing gum relieving postoperative ileus

    A stick of chewing gum gets the gut going after surgery

    16761 views / Posted
  • carbonated water bubbles fill you up

    Fizzing up the water flattens your appetite

    15610 views / Posted
  • sun extracting cholesterol

    Make sure you have your “annual” check-up in the summer time

    / Dr Sandy
  • sending your kid to bootcamp won't stop childhood obesity

    Moving more won’t stop your kid from getting fat

    / Dr Sandy
  • cholesterol at the scene of the accident

    Bone cells are stiffening up your arteries not cholesterol

    / Dr Sandy
  • brain size the problem in ADHD

    Are kids with ADHD just acting according to their brain age

    / Dr Sandy
  • plastering the blood vessel with calcium

    Calcium supplements are building bones and breaking hearts

    / Dr Sandy
  • Starting muscle fires might be the secret to curing insulin resistance

    / Dr Sandy
  • nose feeling blocked

    A simple “cure” for chronic sinusitis

    / Dr Sandy
  • triglyceride sweeping up sugar

    Dietary fat and carbs DO MIX in a “good” way

    / Dr Sandy
  • what would batman eat

    Batman can rescue your child from poor food choices

    / Dr Sandy
  • grape shooting fat at a man eating grapes on the couch

    The inconvenient truth about eating more fruit to be healthy

    / Dr Sandy

RSS Recent posts

Dr Sandy Dr Sandy Evans, PhD

Located in Johannesburg, South Africa

Disclaimer : The stories and articles are provided as a service. Dr Sandy's opinions are for information only, and are not intended to diagnose or prescribe. For your specific diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor or health care provider.
 

Book an appointment

Calendar icon
 

Connect with Dr Sandy

facebook 40
you tube 40
pinterest 40
linkedin 40
 

Categories

Featured posts

  • asprosin the sugar plum fairy

    Why sugar levels are high despite NOT eating

    20812 views / Posted
  • poop getting stuck

    The fix for constipation is to go on a low fibre diet

    19982 views / Posted
  • oatmeal breakfast being beaten by egg

    Which is a better breakfast, egg or oatmeal ?

    19225 views / Posted
 

©2011-2022 Spoonful of Science

Menu

  • Meet Dr Sandy
  • Disclosure/disclaimer
  • Privacy policy
  • Comment policy
  • Contact
WhatsApp
Reddit
Share
More
Tweet