Jean noted,

> If so, perhaps that relationship that might be drastically altered by the
> administration of exogenous (from outside the body), artificial oxytocin
> directly into the blood stream.
>

Which is virtually exactly what I pointed out that Kirsten Unvas-Moberg
reported -- but Jean said it in a much more eloquent (shall I say -- as
usual??) fashion.  Jean does have a way with words.

The point being that when we give "fake" oxytocin, it "fakes" out the body so
the body doesn't produce its own....and the fake stuff, while it might be
able to produce contractions (note that the contractions aren't *normal*
contractions, but much stronger than the body would do on its own, often
necessitating exogenous pain relief), does absolutely nothing for MER; in
fact, suppresses the mother's own oxytocin production -- causes edema --
delayed lactogenesis II, and grief over all.

Jan Barger -- in snowing (!!) Wheaton

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