Parenting Newborns: The Chemistry Of Attachment And Bonding

A mother of three wonderful daughters, I realize that the strongest of all human bonds is the mother-infant or maternal bond. Hold a living, breathing part of you is an elating experience that nothing can match.

Motherhood is a joyous, exciting time that every woman cherishes throughout her life. In fact, thanks to increased awareness about this relationship, the mother-child relationship has evolved and mothers enjoy their kids even more today.

Greater awareness apart, the necessary skills come naturally – without prior training. You just become better with practice. However, there is no underrating the provisions that Nature herself has made…

The Role Of Hormones In Bonding and Attachment

Human infants lack the ability to do anything for themselves at birth, thought they are equipped with certain genetically encoded self-care skills and information. Similarly, parents – especially mothers – respond genetically with inbuilt neural and hormonal child-care interactions (these are, in fact, the strongest and most powerful of their kind in nature.)

In other words, responding to the parenting signals of their hormones and neurons comes naturally to parents. Keeping infants physically close and nurturing them is a natural phenomenon.

Development of the Mother-Infant Bond

The mother-infant bond is the strongest, and begins developing during pregnancy. Oxytocin (a hormone produced during lactation) helps in nurturing, bonding and reducing anxiety.

At birth, human babies are weak and require considerable care and protection – and it is oxytocin that influences behavior patterns in mothers to take care and respond towards their infants. Oxytocin, which is generally involved in promoting most social interactions, is related to skin-to-skin contact.

During pregnancy, the high levels of estrogen also increase the number of oxytocin receptors in the brain. Towards the end of pregnancy, these receptors makes the new mother respond with the required maternal behavior.

Breastfeeding In Attachment

Breastfeeding is a source of affection and comfort to the baby, and also promotes mother-infant bonding. The first attempts at breastfeeding also chart the course for all maternal instincts and behavior to follow. The act of breastfeeding also relaxes both the mother and the infant.

Fathers – The Role Of Hormones In Attachment

Is it all mother-related, though? Not at all! Men also experience ‘maternal’ instincts when and infant is born, and the resultant oxytocin significantly helps them become involved in child care. A new study¹ has found that although oxytocin release is stimulated by birth and lactation in mothers, other aspects of parenthood serve to stimulate oxytocin release in fathers.

In fact, this amazing hormone also encourages closeness between parents. The study found a relationship between oxytocin levels in husbands and wives, with levels being higher in mothers who provided more affectionate parenting, such as more gazing at the infant, expression of positive affect, and affectionate touch.

In fathers, oxytocin was increased with more stimulatory contact, encouragement of exploration, and direction of infant attention to objects. This makes it one of the most important child-care chemicals in nature’s arsenal.

The hormone, vasopressin, also plays a vital role in father-child attachment. Vasopressin encourages paternal behavior, promotes attachment between mother and father and helps the father know and bond with his baby. In fact, it is the all-round ‘fondness and bonding’ hormone for men in a child-care situation!

These hormonal responses are very important in ensuring that the father feels attached to the infant and his spouse, and play a vital role in bonding with mother and child.

Holding your baby promotes attachment and bonding

Jogger’s High!

So you thought that only joggers enjoy the fabled endorphin high? Think again! This opioid, which occurs naturally in the human body, is released in hefty doses during early parenthood.

It helps new parents to enjoy the process of attachment with their baby. It is this pleasure hormone that stimulates warm behavior like touching, hugging and kissing! See? Hormones play a very important role in parent-child bonding, and in maintaining the overall relationship status in new parents and their babies.

We’ve got to hand it to Mother Nature for providing us with these invaluable responses. After all, newborns need all the love, attention and care that we can give them. The attachment and care they receive in their initial years helps form and develop their personalities, and determines what kind of adults they will become.

© Ruhi Esoof

Reference:

1. Ilanit Gordon, Orna Zagoory-Sharon, James F. Leckman, and Ruth Feldman. Oxytocin and the Development of Parenting in Humans. Biological Psychiatry, 2010; 68 (4): 377 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.02.005

This article may be reproduced with the author bio and a live link back to http://www.lovingyourchild.com

Additional resources:

The Truth About Infant Sleep Science, Wisdom and Gentle Solutions – A ground breaking teleseminar series with leading international experts in the field of infant sleep.
Sign Language For Babies And Beyond – Learn how to communicate with your baby before your baby can speak using American sign language. Includes video of 250 signs.
Baby Colic Relief – The fastest way to stop your baby’s colic. Discover the latest tips and tricks that will show you how to deal with your baby’s colic so you can make the crying stop.