Breastfeeding is linked with greater maternal responses to her own infant cry in brain regions important for caregiving behaviors and empathy at 1 month after delivery. The levels of activation seen at 1 month postpartum are correlated with maternal sensitivity measured at 3–4 months postpartum.
They examined 30 first-time new mothers to test whether differences in attachment, based on the Adult Attachment Interview, were related to brain reward and peripheral oxytocin response to infant cues.
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Breastfeeding, brain activation to own infant cry, and maternal sensitivity - PubMed
Adult Attachment Predicts Maternal Brain and Oxytocin Response to Infant Cues - Neuropsychopharmacology
