Oxytocin In Women

You know the phrase, "A face only a Mother could love?" It turns out that it is the work of oxytocin. Labour contractions begin when the pregnant woman's oxytocin levels spike. To induce labour, doctors administer oxytocin injections to expectant mothers. Thus, nature just about guarantees that even if a woman gives birth to a chimpanzee lookalike, she will still think it is the most beautiful baby in the world.

I swear this is true. I used to think that I gave birth to 2 really good looking babies even though objective reports accused The Son of "red-faced, wrinkled and bad-tempered THING." The effect of oxytocin at birth can last a long time. I still thought my son ever so handsome until he came home and said his friends had nicknamed him Master Splinter, on account of his prominent front teeth. It took a lot of persuading before I agreed to pay for dental work on those front teeth because I really thought him super handsome as he was.

I had given birth to a rat-faced baby and I was convinced he would grow up into Mr. Manhunt 2019.

In 2018, Dr. Xu Lei found that when it comes to dating and relationships, oxytocin has different effects on men than on women. Men exposed to oxytocin nasal spray were MORE inclined to date a woman who had a history of extra-marital affairs. Women exposed to oxytocin nasal spray were LESS inclined to date a man who had a history of extra-marital affairs.

Both scenarios make logical sense in evolutionary terms. Attached men exposed to oxytocin develop greater commitment to their primary long-term relationship, and so have no interest in dating other women who are likely to want a long term relationship too. Instead, they are more interested in women who are more likely to have a short term no commitment relationship. This way, the men can have more offspring with none of the associated costs of raising children.

Women exposed to oxytocin ALSO develop greater commitment to their primary long term relationship. However, the costs to women of short term relationships are high. They could end up raising a child all by themselves. Hence, a woman high in oxytocin is going to be repulsed by men who hold nothing but the promise of a short term fling.

This makes perfect sense when one looks at the profile of the teenage unwed mother. We already know that girls from broken homes are more likely to get snared by the unreliable promises of love from irresponsible men. In homes where daughters get plenty of regard, affection and love, daughters are high in oxytocin. These girls will settle for nothing less than a good man willing to REALLY commit long term to her. This explains why The Daughter (whom we hug and love a lot) went for a good 6 years of dating NO ONE before she found a man worthy of a long term commitment.

Practical Learning Points
(1) Give daughters much love and affection. This raises oxytocin levels, and protects them from roving idiots interested only in short term flings.

(2) Give wives much love and affection. This raises oxytocin levels and ensure that even if the competition out there is much more handsome and rich, she will be repulsed.

In short, go forth and cuddle each other. A lot.