A new research study from The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry reveals that mothers who breastfeed their new born babies exclusively, as opposed to using formula, are more likely to bond emotionally with their child during the first few months after delivery. This is the first paper that examines the underlying neurobiological mechanisms as a function of breastfeeding, and connects brain activity with maternal behaviors among mothers.
The findings highlight the dramatic relationship between breastfeeding, brain activity and parenting behaviors. The survey candidates were breastfeeding mothers; the results showed that the breastfeeding mothers had greater responses to their baby's cry in brain regions that are related to care-giving behavior and empathy than mothers who relied on using formula as their baby's main food