Love Hormone Responsible for Mother-child Bonding

Some mothers are more maternal than others and a new study affirms this by revealing that the love hormone, oxytocin, predicts the level of bonding between mother and child.

The mother-child bond is a distinguishing feature among all mammalian species. But, in certain cases it has been observed that some mothers are more maternal than others and a new study affirms this by revealing that the love hormone, oxytocin, predicts the level of bonding between mother and child.

Oxytocin, dubbed ‘the hormone of love and bonding’, is elicited during sexual intercourse, and is involved in maintaining close relationships.

Now, Ruth Feldman, psychology professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and colleagues have measured plasma oxytocin from sixty-two pregnant women during their first trimester, third trimester, and the first postpartum month.

They also observed the mother and child interact, defining the level of attachment along four aspects: gaze, affect, touch, and vocalization. Stronger attachment would mean that the mother focused her gaze mostly on the child, exhibited a positive energy towards the child, maintained constant affectionate and stimulating touch with the child, used a “motherese” speech with the child, and these species-typical maternal behaviours were adapted to the infant's alert state.

After the mothers completed an extensive survey and an interview on their bond-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, the researchers computed the link between levels of oxytocin and bonding.

The results are fascinating. Initial levels of oxytocin at the first trimester predicted bonding behaviour. Therefore, mothers with a high level of the hormone at the beginning of the pregnancy engaged in more of the aforementioned bonding behaviours after birth.

Additionally, mothers who had higher levels of oxytocin across the pregnancy and the postpartum month also reported more behaviour that supports the formation of an exclusive relationship (i.e. singing a special song to the infant, or bathing and feeding them in a special way). These mothers were also more preoccupied by thoughts of checking on the infant, the infant’s safety when they are not around, and the infant’s future.