Of course, any lactation consultant could have told them this about
oxytocin.  Note the last study talks about "formula fed, partially
breastfed, and predominantly breastfed"  no "exclusively breastfed" infants
mentioned.
 

Study suggests breastfeeding may promote maternal bonds through a
biochemical process.


The
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=11&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzND
cS1&mt=1> UPI (7/19) reported that "[b]reastfeeding a baby results in surges
of the 'trust' hormone oxytocin in the mother's brain," according to a study
published in PLoS Computational Biology. The collaborative team of
scientists, hailing from the U.K., France, and Italy, explained that
"oxytocin has long been known to be the trigger that, when released into the
blood, causes milk to be let down from the mammary gland." 

        Specifically, "large, regular pulses of oxytocin are needed to
create the wave released when a mother breastfeeds," added the U.K.'s
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=42&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzND
cS1&mt=1> Press Association (7/19). Now, the team has discovered "a likely
answer to how the few thousand neurons, which are specialized to release
oxytocin, are marshaled together to create th[at] wave." 

        In "response to a baby suckling," the "specialized neurons in the
mothers' brain start to release the hormone from the nerve endings," noted
the
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=5&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzNDc
S1&mt=1> BBC (7/19). Yet, "surprisingly, oxytocin is also released from the
part of the cell called the dendrite, which is usually the part of a neuron
which receives, rather than transmits information." Moreover, through the
use of "a mathematical model, the researchers worked out that this release
from the dendrites allows a massive increase in communication between the
neurons, coordinating a 'swarm' of oxytocin factories producing intense
bursts of the hormone." 

        This "results in a massive rush of the 'love hormone' oxytocin in
women's brains," reported the U.K.'s
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=52&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzND
cS1&mt=1> Daily Mail (7/18, Derbyshire). It is an effect that may augment "a
mother's feelings of trust, love, and affection, scientists say." 

        According to study co-author Jianfeng Feng, of the University of
Warwick, the researchers "have shown that the dendritic interactions are
enhanced enough to trigger a massive positive-feedback on activity," noted
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=55&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzND
cS1&mt=1> HealthDay (7/18). "The model gives us a possible explanation of an
important event in the brain that could be used to study and explain many
other similar brain activities," Feng concluded. 

        Breastfed infants may be less likely to develop GI infections, study
indicates.
<http://recp.mkt32.net/ctt?kn=57&m=1986661&r=ODE4NTA5MjAzS0&b=0&j=OTYzMDIzND
cS1&mt=1> HealthDay (7/18, Doheny) reported, "Infants who are predominantly
breastfed for the first six months of life are less likely to have
gastrointestinal problems (GI)," according to a study published in the
August issue of the Journal of Nutrition. But, those children are "more
likely to be deficient in iron, and therefore at risk of anemia." In the
study, researchers "compared a formula-fed group of about 50 babies with 55
partially breastfed and 49 predominantly breastfed infants from birth
through six months, noting episodes of GI infections by asking the mothers
about symptoms." The results showed that 18 percent of the predominantly
breastfed group had GI infections, while 33 percent of the partially
breast-fed or formula-fed group had GI infections. 

 
Tara Guy, CHA/PA-C, HBCE, IBCLC
www.rockymountainbaby.com <http://www.rockymountainbaby.com/> 
helping mothers birth and parent from the heart
 
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."  Mahatma Ghandi
 

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