Oxytocin Decreases as Age Increases?

So, I'm in my hairdresser's chair and she tells me that she read somewhere that some hormone, or something, that is really strong when women are young decreases as they get older.  (She's about 10 years older than me and her kids are grown.)  As we keep talking - she keeps calling it serotonin, but I looked it up and can't find anything like that - I decide she must be talking about oxytocin. 

Follow me here:  She was talking about when you are young, having babies, you nurture them, hold them, are so full of love, you might burst.  They are the center of your universe.  Yes, I'm with her.

Then she started talking about as they grow older, they are people that you are living with, trying to guide and set on a good path.  She said by the time they are 18, those levels of "oxytocin" have decreased significantly and you are pushing them out the door!

When my babies were little, I couldn't imagine them leaving home or ever living in separate houses, let alone in separate states!  Now, with the oldest a junior in high school, I have moments of panic, thinking, "What if he goes to a local college and wants to live at home?"  Only slightly joking.  Seriously, if these levels stayed high, how could we ever let our children go live lives of their own? 

I know of several families recently that have gone through divorce.  They all have several children.  The reason I am mentioning it is because in all of these families, the dads are the ones who are the main caretakers now.  I find it perplexing and definitely not the stereotype of the mom keeping the kids.  All of the moms are near or over 40.  Maybe there is something to this...

With that being said, I'm not one looking for an excuse to make, in my opinion, bad choices.  However, I must admit, personally, at almost 42 (the end of this month), I feel less... nurturing.  There's honesty for you.  If I had a baby tomorrow, would those levels of oxytocin surge?  I certainly hope so.  Don't worry - that ain't happening!  But with my baby at almost 8 and a house full of teenagers, I definitely don't feel oxytocin gushing love from every pore!  They were so easy to love as babies - snuggling, reading books, singing songs, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, babywearing.  Finding different ways to express love to each growing child can be challenging.

My husband, on the other hand, is much more loving and patient with the children now than when they were little.  I find it an interesting.

Every now and then I have a mom come through class who is much older, like closer to my age.  Often, they seem to have a harder time adjusting to motherhood than the younger moms.  Granted, if I was "single" without children for that many years, I feel it would be hard to adjust.  For the sake of discussion, is it possible these levels really do diminish and that contributes to things being more difficult for the "older" mother?  The flip side is that she might have the maturity and patience to handle being a mother more-so than when she was younger.

I have a sister that has never had or wanted children.  She seems to not have a nurturing bone in her body.  She might actually read this, or one of her friends might, and I think they'd all agree.  Is it possible that her oxytocin levels are so low, that contributed to not ever wanting children?

I admit, I haven't looked this up.  I've done no research on this topic.  This post stems from a conversation at the beauty shop.  But there were parts of it than rang true to me.  I thought I might throw it out there and see what y'all thought.  Think of your own mothers.  And, I guess, in some cases, try to do better.  Find new ways to love your babies, even when they can't sit in your lap anymore.

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The Gift of Days-Long Labor

Having a baby is such an exciting time, not just for the new parents, but for the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, sisters and brothers.  There are so many people that are invested in this new little person.  They all want to be called the minute you start labor so they can rush to the hospital and wait.

But what if labor isn't like the movies?  We know how often that happens, right?  First contraction and the baby's practically falling out.  Regardless, everyone is rushing around to get out the door and races to the hospital.  There is this idea, even subconsciously,  that if we head to the hospital, the baby will come. 

I recently had a couple start good contractions on a Sunday.  We thought for sure she'd have her baby and would not be in class Tuesday night.  We'd text or talk every several hours.  I knew her mom was nervous and wanted her to head to the hospital.  This woman knew it wasn't time.   She visited her chiropractor, and while it didn't seem to necessarily help speed things up, she didn't have back labor after that.  A success, for sure! 

I finally talked with her husband who had been a fun guy to have in class.  He said everyone was asking if this was normal -- labor taking so long.  All their comments were getting to him and he was starting to doubt their decision to stay home as well.  The pressure from family and friends can often lead to going to the hospital too early, which can lead to interventions that the couple didn't want in the first place.  Most people have never seen labor "take so long" because women don't labor outside the hospital very often.  And in the hospital, time limits are enforced.  So two days is unbelievable!  Surely, something must be wrong!

I believe that we'd see this so much more often if women:  a) waited until labor was very well established to go to the hospital, even if it meant days, not hours; b) were not dying to get an epidural, and thus, rushing to the hospital; and c) were not induced and simply allowed labor to start spontaneously.   If this couple were to go to the hospital, labor would likely be augmented either with pitocin or breaking water.  Were they ready to interfere with the natural process? 

Needless to say, they made it to class Tuesday night.  It sure was fun watching her contract all through class!  Some were super intense and she handled them beautifully.

This type of labor continued for a couple more days.  Baby B was born on Black Friday in the early morning.  I got news while I was in a line at Staples, or was it Sports Authority?  No drugs, no augmenting labor.  Just trusting that this labor was just what mom, baby, and even an emotional new father needed.  They are on cloud nine.

Another one of the couples from the same class has had a very similar week.  Contracting every 3 minutes, lasting about 60 seconds.  Still getting some good sleep.  Eating, resting, walking.  The story from the first couple has bolstered their confidence that this is normal.  They have had to remove "the family" periodically as well for the same reasons.  Both these women have amazing husband-coaches.

Like I always say, the baby will come out!  Labor will not last forever, although you may get to a point that you can't imagine it ending.  It will.  Enjoy your labor.  Take it as it comes.  Don't rush through it.  You'll treasure these hours -- or days! -- down the road.  Do something memorable with your labor.  Get creative.  Stay in a hotel, see a movie, take some long walks, build a fire, enjoy a warm bath, eat a yummy candlelight dinner, get a pedicure, eat chocolate, get a massage.  All these things can release endorphins that encourage oxytocin to get flowing.  Remember, oxytocin is a feel-good hormone.  It's hard to feel good when you feel rushed or watched.  So when I say enjoy your labor, I really mean ENJOY YOUR LABOR!

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Do Epidurals Affect the Baby?

In class last week, I had a couple express surprise when I said that all drugs get to the baby, including epidurals. They have friends that are doctors that have said otherwise. I have spent the week looking up several articles and resources, and, my friends, epidurals indeed adversely affect the baby. I do not want to make this an overwhelming post, so I will touch on the highlights of how the babies are affected.

First, it is important to note that the "older" studies with very significant data were largely done by pediatricians. The newer studies, found to not be nearly as complex, have been done by anesthesiologists. Obviously, there is a conflict of interest there!

There are a couple of problems that researchers have run into with these studies. The first is that so many women that have epidurals also have other "pain relieving" drugs in their bodies that also influence and affect the babies. This makes it difficult to assess the effects of just the epidural. In addition, epidurals have different drugs in them. Different anesthesiologists and/or hospitals will often use different drugs in their epidurals.

So many of the effects on the baby have to do with the effects on the mother from the epidural. I am not focusing on the effects for the mother in this post, however, but some of these effects on the mother is what creates a problem for the baby from the epidural. For example, maternal fever is very common and can cause complications for the babies. So is a drop in maternal blood pressure. This is why a woman will receive IV fluids before the epidural is administered -- it is a preventative measure.

Effects of the Epidural on the Baby
Epidurals can change the Fetal Heart Rate (FHR), indicating that the baby is lacking blood and oxygen. This will often occur in the first 30 minutes after an epidural is placed. Opiate drugs, common in spinals and epidurals, are the likely culprit. These changes in FHR will often resolve themselves if the mom is allowed to move a bit or change position. If the baby's heart rate does not bounce back, the woman may have a cesarean section.

The supine position (lying on your back), also contributes to changes in fetal heart rate. A woman with an epidural is mostly in this position, which can deprive the baby of oxygen, affecting the baby's brain. In my case, this is why I nearly had a c-section. I had the epidural, pitocin, etc., etc., and my baby's heart rate would not come up after contractions. Moving from side to side after each contraction is what helped his heart rate. Had I remained on my back, his heart rate would not have come back up, and I would have had surgery. Had my sister-in-law, a doula, not been there, I would have had a c-section. The nurses or doctors certainly weren't telling me what to do. They would have been happy to perform surgery, I have no doubt.

Babies that are born to mothers who developed a fever from the epidural in labor are more likely to have a low Apgar score -- poor muscle tone, require resuscitation (11.5% versus 3%), or have seizures in the newborn period. One of the most common problems from the maternal fever is that the doctors do not know if the fever was from an infection involving the uterus or from the epidural. They will typically do a sepsis, or evaluation, of the baby. This involves prolonged separation from the mother, invasive tests, and almost always, antibiotics until the test results are available. In a study of first-time mothers, 34% of epidural babies were given a sepsis evaluation, but only 9.8% of nonepidural babies underwent the evaluation.

It is important to note that a newborn's ability to process and get rid of drugs is much less than an adult's. It must also be considered that the drugs are often stored in the newborn's tissues such as the brain and liver where they are more slowly released. Epidural babies are more likely to have jaundice. The reasons are not entirely clear on this, but it is suspected that it is related to an increase in assisted delivery (forceps or vacuum extraction) or to the increase use of pitocin with epidurals.

Neurobehavioral Effects
Epidural babies have been found to have a depressed NBAS (Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Score, devised by pediatricians) Score at five days old, with difficulty "controlling their state." Babies that received pitocin as well as the epidural had even more depressed NBAS scores, as well as higher rates of jaundice. At one month of age, epidural mothers found their babies "less adaptable, more intense, and more bothersome in their behavior."

Other differences between epidural babies and unmedicated babies include: less alertness and ability to orient themselves. The epidural mothers typically spent less time with their babies while in the hospital, finding the more drugs they received, the less time they were with their baby.

In another study, researchers found that at three days old, epidural babies cried more easily and more often and aspects of this continued for the entire six weeks of the study. In the conclusion of this particular study, researchers expressed concern about "the importance of first encounters with a disorganized baby in shaping maternal expectations and interactive styles."

Finally, the effects of an epidural on breastfeeding must be addressed. The first hour is a critical time to establish breastfeeding and if a baby has poor muscle tone or sucking reflex, or mom is hemorrhaging (more likely with an epidural), breastfeeding may be put off until well past that hour. As I write this, I have mixed feelings. It is crucial that mothers understand the effects of their actions in choosing an epidural, but if something happens and for whatever reason you cannot breastfeed immediately, do not give up since you missed out on that first hour. Babies and moms can figure this out! With that being said, I will continue on the effects of the epidural on breastfeeding.

Oxytocin is a breastfeeding hormone. If a mom has been induced with pitocin, administered an epidural, had an instrumental delivery, etc., this hormone was not allowed to be present in its natural form. There were just too many disruptions. This can adversely affect how well breastfeeding gets started. If mom is tired, baby is still feeling the effects of the drugs and not sucking well, the nurses, and even the pediatrician, may be pushing formula on this baby. And then starts the vicious cycle of nipple confusion. The baby doesn't have to work to get milk from the bottle, and when he is put to the breast, gets frustrated. Mom gets frustrated and resorts to those stupid formula samples she's been receiving on her doorstep for months!

Epidural mothers are less likely to breastfeed exclusively compared to nonepidural mothers. Epidural mothers are more likely to report having "not enough milk."

It is unfortunate that doctors are leading people to believe that the epidural is safe for moms and babies and there are no risks. There are risks, not just to our health, but to how we parent our babies. The more attached you are, the better you will appreciate your baby. You will trust your body to breastfeed and your baby will be eager to nurse.

I'd like to end with a quote by musician, Ani DiFranco, talking about her unmedicated birth: "I'm really happy in the end that I felt every last bit of the pain, and was as present as I could be. Whenever you go through something terrifying and come out the other side, you grow and have more self-respect in terms of your own strengths. I wanted that more than I wanted whatever sort of numbing the hospital would have offered."

What's good for mom is good for baby. Just say NO to the epidural! You are strong and powerful. You can do this, just like millions of women before you have done this. Giving birth is giving life. You and your baby deserve the very best start down this new road. Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and your abilities.

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Benefits & Stimulants of Oxytocin

This month I had the opportunity to attend the International Childbirth Educators Association (ICEA) Conference in Oklahoma City. I actually had to take a test for another certification (I passed!). The conference ran for three days and there are lots of things I'd like to share with you here.

In honor of all the women that I have due right now and in the next few weeks, I decided the first thing I wanted to write about is oxytocin - its benefits and how to make it flow!

Let's review for a moment: We hear so much about pitocin, but rarely oxytocin. Pitocin is the synthetic form of oxytocin. Oxytocin is what causes the uterus to contract. Released are also endorphins that help mom to cope -- even feel good. In other words, when oxytocin is released naturally, it crosses a blood-brain barrier to release those endorphins. When labor is started artificially with pitocin, or "pit", the uterus contracts without all these extra benefits I'm about to share.

Benefits of Oxytocin that you may not be aware of:
Mom experiences lower blood pressure and fewer stress hormones.
Her pain threshold increases.
Her sleepiness, even laziness, increases, causing relaxation.
Her muscle tension will decrease.
She will feel more calm and even more curious.
She will become more trusting and possible more daring.
She is more open to touch and be touched.
Oxytocin facilitates learning.

Wow! Who knew! Oxytocin levels are at their highest in a woman right after she gives birth. If you have given birth without medication, think back to how you felt right afterwards.

And did you know that women being together will also produce high levels of oxytocin. In comes the doula. Why is it that women are more able to relax and have fewer interventions and medications with another woman by her side in labor? We often assume that it is because she is more sympathetic or has been through this experience before. While these are often true, it's more than that. Think of when you have a girls night out. Oxytocin is flowing! Men will often report that their wives are in the mood for sex they come home from a girls night out. Oxytocin is often called "the love hormone" and makes us feel good!

So how do we get it flowing? There are many different ways. I always talk about nipple stimulation and sex as the number one way. This weekend, another educator reported that some serious kissing can often get oxytocin flowing more than nipple stimulation. If you have read anything by Ina Mae Gaskin, she'll probably say the same thing. Following is a list of several contributing factors to the natural production of oxytocin:

Ways to get oxytocin stimulated:
Warmth
Sex
Stroking
Descent of the fetus
Good food
Doulas/Companions
Low light
Mediation
Visualization
Positive thought
Movement
Suckling
Pleasant smells

Adrenalin is the opposite of oxytocin. If a woman in labor, or one who is trying to start labor, is under too much stress (ie. the threat of induction!), the production of oxytocin is squelched. Too much stress can actually stop labor. We've heard of the "fight or flight" response. It applies to labor as well. You can sometimes tell if a woman is under too much stress by looking at her eyes. Her pupils will likely be dilated instead of her cervix. Her digestion will slow, while her heart rate and blood pressure will increase. When this occurs, not enough blood will get to her vital organs and muscles, including the uterus.

The mind is a powerful, powerful thing. I was talking with one of my moms-to-be this week who was due about a week-and-a-half ago. I found out she was still working because she feels great. Better than sitting around waiting for baby to get here, right?! Wrong! I told her, no matter how the baby comes out, she will be a mother by the weekend. Her brain knows, when she's still working, that she has someplace to be tomorrow. Her focus needs to be on getting oxytocin to flow.

Relax. Take some time for you. Gather your girlfriends for some plain ol' fun. Go see a movie. Take a warm bath. Close your eyes. Take some good deep breaths. Enjoy the end of your pregnancy. Burn a favorite candle. Get a pedicure or foot massage. Wrap yourself in a warm blanket and read a book. Nap. Make out with your hubby and have some great candlelit sex. Let the oxytocin flow. Don't fight it. I feel good just writing all this!

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