Oxytocin is not just a female hormone.  Niles Newton wrote that comparative
studies on men and women indicate equally high levels of oxytocic substances
in the blood and pituitary.  She  wrote about the intense emotions involved
in orgasm and how that pleasure reinforced caretaking behavior in the male
and the female.  She also wrote about the psychological significance and how
these reflexes are easily conditioned and inhibited.

Pat, the study I remember about prolactin was the one about the rooster that
was injected with prolactin.  Rooster's are known for their fighting
dispositions.  When injected with prolactin, they dropped the fighting and
mothered the chicks.  Sorry don't remember the name of the study.  But
prolactin does have a relaxing effect on mothers.  Prolactin was a "saving
grace" for my older children when they were in trouble.  If I sat down and
nursed the baby I always forgot what I was mad about with the older children.
 Maybe that's why they were always telling me to "nurse the baby, nurse the
baby!"  Children always one step ahead of their parents.   Valerie W.
McClain, IBCLC

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