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| The truth can never enslave, it can never mesmerize. The truth is always within us...."-Erwin D. Canham Considering an elective cesarean? Aside from the physical risks, there are serious emotional risks involved concerning your newborn! Harness the energies of love by giving birth vaginally! On September 3, 2008, the BBC in the UK published an article called " NATURAL BIRTH MAY AID BABY BOND!" Mothers who gave birth naturally are more responsive to the cry of their baby than those who choose to have a cesarean, American research suggests. |
| Brain scans on 12 new mothers soon after birth found more activity in areas linked to motivation and emotions in those who had a vaginal delivery. The contractions which are an essential part of a natural birth trigger the release of the hormone oxytocin, which is thought to play a key role in shaping maternal behavior. However, undergoing a cesarean does not trigger the same release of hormones. Cesareans have been linked to an increased risk of post partum depression. The Yale team carried out brain scans on 12 women 2-4 weeks after they had given birth. Six had cesareans and 6 gave birth vaginally. The differences in brain activity were found in regions that not only appeared to influence a mother's response to her child, but also to regulate her mood. Lead researcher Dr. James Swain said the study, reported in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, might help provide a better understanding of the chemistry underpinning the attachment between a mother and her baby. "Our results support the theory that variations in delivery conditions such as with cesarean section, which alters the neurohormonal experiences of childbirth, might decrease the responsiveness of the human maternal brain in the early post partum." Parenting and Babytalk editors are doing a lot of harm by pooh-poohing the importance of bonding immediately after birth in their February, 2008 issue. Mother and baby should never be separated at all! Then we might see a dramatic drop in post-partum depression and child abuse and neglect. Especially when a mother has had her baby surgically removed, should the baby be kept with her to compensate for the altered neuro-hormonal responses. |