Mothering From Within

This is the world’s first ever magnetic resonance image showing a mother and child’s bond. The image is of neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe kissing her two month ol...d son. The child’s brain appears to be smoother and darker. This is because it has significantly less white matter. White matter is comprised of myelin, which is fatty tissue that acts as insulation for the wires that communicate messages inside your brain. The activations in the image do not refer to the act of kissing but to the organisation of functional activity in infant brains when viewing meaningful images. Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’ because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment. Kissing activates the brain’s reward system; releasing dopamine which makes us feel good. It also releases vasopressin which bonds mothers with babies and romantic partners to each other. It also releases serotonin which helps to regulate our mood. #nhneurotraining #love #neuroscience #neuro

Calling all choice mamas! If you’re looking for a safe & supported space to discuss the meaning of being a choice parent and connect with others in the Bay Area..., we’d love to recommend Dr. Madeleine Katz’s winter support group swipe through for more details or send us a DM to learn more! @ Hayes Valley, San Francisco See more

This is the world’s first ever magnetic resonance image showing a mother and child’s bond. The image is of neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe kissing her two month ol...d son. The child’s brain appears to be smoother and darker. This is because it has significantly less white matter. White matter is comprised of myelin, which is fatty tissue that acts as insulation for the wires that communicate messages inside your brain. The activations in the image do not refer to the act of kissing but to the organisation of functional activity in infant brains when viewing meaningful images. Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’ because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment. Kissing activates the brain’s reward system; releasing dopamine which makes us feel good. It also releases vasopressin which bonds mothers with babies and romantic partners to each other. It also releases serotonin which helps to regulate our mood. #nhneurotraining #love #neuroscience #neuro

Black History Month is upon us. For many of us, this month means the celebration of black Americans in our past who fought for the freedom and equal rights of a...ll people but especially people of color. Unfortunately, while many of us celebrate this month with good intentions, we too often only use this time to affirm ourselves and our culture and how far we have come. I’m here to tell you that the tireless fight for equality and equity is far from over and this is painfully evident in the maternal and fetal mortality rates for black women and their babies. Across the country, black women are more than four times as likely to die during childbirth than white women. They are also much more likely to experience birth-related complications and experience pre-term birth. Equal outcome is absolutely not a reality for black women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Today I want to introduce you to two incredible midwives who are working hard to change this reality for fellow African American families Dallas and Ft. Worth. Over the past two years, I have spent countless hours documenting the work of Tereé and Kennasha, tireless advocates for black families and babies in Texas. Together, they are boldly bringing race-based disparities in birth outcomes to the light and asking our society to do more for African American's and their babies. Through their work with individual families, they are slowly spreading a powerful message: The disparities faced by black women are shocking and unacceptable and must be recognized by our culture before true progress can be made. Photos by: Lane B Photography My Sister's Keeper Birth & Midwifery Services EDITED TO ADD: A Gofundme Campaign was just started for My Sister's Keeper for those who have been interested in how they can help support the families the midwives are serving: https://bit.ly/2vrNWko