Love for a baby and how does it arise?

It is oxytocin that makes women "dependent" on their children. Some women even cry during lactation. The more I am interested in endocrinology, the more I understand how perfect our body is, all the emotions we experience have their conductors. So, breastfeeding is useful, not only for babies, but also for mothers from an emotional point of view (increased attachment, love for the baby) from a physiological point of view, breast cancer is prevented (although the age of the mother and the duration of lactation should be taken into account here).

Lactation is regulated by 2 hormones - prolactin - responsible for the amount of milk and oxytocin - ensures delivery of milk to the baby's mouth.

When the child is regularly attached to the breast, thanks to oxytocin, the so-called reflex of milk release (the sensation of the breast expanding during feeding) is formed - it lasts from 45 seconds to 3.5 minutes. It can begin even before the child is attached, and repeats after 20-30 seconds of feeding. For 2, some authors claim that for 3 such reflexes, almost all milk is released. Myoepithelial cells contract better if the alveoli are full. This reflex decreases up to 12 months, due to a decrease in the amount of milk.

During feeding, we hug our baby and serotonin and dopamine are synthesized in our brain, in other words, hormones of joy (prevention of postpartum depression). That is why lactation is extremely important for a woman, and every young mother, if possible, should try to establish lactation

Author: Obstetrician-gynecologist Furdas Natalia.