Why Oxytocin Matters

Oxytocin, or 'the hormone of health and life', is a hugely important substance for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding working in a woman's body and brain to make changes during pregnancy, optimise labour, increase milk production and support bonding. Research has shown that we can encourage the body's oxytocin system by supporting mothers wellbeing through birth practices and postnatal care. We also now know that oxytocin is present in everyone, of any age, directing a whole system of effects that have consequences for family life, including bonding, stress reduction and social interaction. In Why Oxytocin Matters Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg, a leading oxytocin researcher, shows how a better understanding of our biology can be immensely helpful for new parents and those who work to support families.

Renowned for her practice's exemplary results and low intervention rates, Ina May Gaskin has gained international notoriety for promoting natural birth. She is a much-beloved leader of a movement that seeks to stop the hyper-medicalization of birth—which has lead to nearly a third of hospital births in America to be cesarean sections—and renew confidence in a woman's natural ability to birth. Upbeat and informative, Gaskin asserts that the way in which women become mothers is a women's rights issue, and it is perhaps the act that most powerfully exhibits what it is to be instinctually human. Birth Matters is a spirited manifesta showing us how to trust women, value birth, and reconcile modern life with a process as old as our species.

Swedish medical doctor and physiologist Moberg persuades readers to cultivate the pleasurable moments of life-when our bodies produce the hormone oxytocin, the ready-made healing nectar she asserts is responsible for inducing peace, growth and bonding. As the ying to the better-known yang adrenaline, which triggers feelings of stress and defense, oxytocin increases social memory (like a mother's recognition of her child), she says, inspires serenity, spurs physical growth and healing, lowers blood pressure and regulates digestion. In simple, flowing prose Moberg argues that both hormones are equally necessary parts of a balanced, healthy physiological system. She explains how oxytocin works to inspire calm and connection, and explores the various physical and mental routes to activate it. While Moberg admits that her assumptions are largely based on piecemeal evidence from experiments and observations of animals and humans, she provides a clear, lay introduction to a little-known hormone and a convincing case for further studies.

The Roles of Vasopressin and Oxytocin in Memory Processing reviews research progress in a subfield of Behavioral Pharmacology concerned with vasopressin’s (VP’s) and oxytocin (OT’s) roles in memory processing (MP). As hormones, VP is well-known for its pressor and antidiuretic action, and OT for its contribution to parturition and nursing. As neurotransmitters, they participate in a wide variety of self- and species-preserving functions expressed at psychological, physiological and behavioral levels. Advances in Pharmacology is available online on ScienceDirect — full-text online of volumes 48 onwards. Elsevier book series on ScienceDirect gives multiple users throughout an institution simultaneous online access to an important compliment to primary research. Digital delivery ensures users reliable, 24-hour access to the latest peer-reviewed content. The Elsevier book series are compiled and written by the most highly regarded authors in their fields and are selected from across the globe using Elsevier’s extensive researcher network. For more information about the Elsevier Book Series on ScienceDirect Program, please visit:http://www.info.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/ * Comprehensive coverage of both alternative theories and relevant research* Several key chapters reviewed by researchers whose studies and theories formed the subject matter of these chapters* Basic laboratory research focus with potential application for understanding and treating human memory disorders

The loss of a baby, however it occurs, can be heartbreaking and painful and leave parents in need of support as they grieve. While awareness about baby loss is increasing, the suffering and sadness, isolation and loneliness parents feel is often invisible and it can be hard for them to reach out, and for those around them to know how best to support them. Why Baby Loss Matters explores what happens when families experience baby loss or the end of a pregnancy, drawing on the first-hand experiences of parents who have navigated life and the fourth trimester without their baby, and the vital work of charities and services which offer support. By examining different approaches to coping with the loss of a baby and keeping memories alive, the book offers insight into the ways that families have found the support and peace that they need to continue living after saying goodbye.

When we think about trauma and PTSD we tend to think about war and conflict. But around a third of women feel some part of their birth was traumatic. This experience can impact on their mental and physical health, their relationships and future plans. In Why Birth Trauma Matters, Dr Emma Svanberg, clinical psychologist and co-founder of Make Birth Better, explores what happens to those who go through a bad birth. She explains in detail how birth trauma occurs, examines the wide-ranging impact on all of those involved in birth, and looks at treatments and techniques to aid recovery. By drawing on her own research and the work of experts in the field, and sharing the first-hand experiences of women, she shows how it is possible to begin to move on.

This detailed book explores techniques for further elucidating the peripheral and central roles of oxytocin as well as techniques key to oxytocin receptor-related drug discovery. The first set of chapters explore this neuropeptide's peripheral and central effects, such as regulation of myometrial contraction, induction of cardioprotective effects, and the facilitation of pro-social behaviors. The book then continues by delving into a comprehensive pharmacological characterization of oxytocin receptor ligands and ligands of other key receptors such as the vasopressin receptor family. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Oxytocin: Methods and Protocols is an ideal guide for researchers seeking to further our knowledge of the varied and power effects of oxytocin within the central nervous system.