Scientists at Warwick University have shown how a "trust" hormone is released in the brains of breastfeeding mothers.
It is further proof that breastfeeding promotes the maternal bond through a biochemical process.
The hormone oxytocin which promotes feelings of trust and confidence and reduces fear was known to be released during breastfeeding but the mechanism in the brain was unclear.
Oxytocin also produces contractions during labour and causes the let-down reflex allowing milk to be "let down" from the mammary glands. The hormone is produced in the hypothalamus - the part of the brain that controls body temperature, thirst, hunger, anger and tiredness.
The study found that in response to a baby suckling, specialised neurons in the mothers' brain start to release the hormone from the nerve endings. But surprisingly oxytocin is also released from the part of the cell called the dendrite which is usually the part of a neurone which receives, rather than transmits information.
A spokesperson for the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) said breastfeeding for up to two years can have "significant health benefits" for mother and baby.
July 2008
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