Microchimerism, Oxytocin Disruption (Depression?!), and the Book I Can’t Put Down

In Today's Issue:

🧬 Microchimerism: the cells of our children live inside us
🤱 Groundbreaking Study! Depression disrupts oxytocin in breastfeeding mothers
💬 Quick Question for you (and if you answer, I'll send you a private book I wrote on for postpartum pros)
🐉 On my nightstand…

🧬 The Cells of Our Children Live in Us Forever

You carry more than memories after birth.
You carry their cells. In your brain. Your heart. Your bones. For decades—maybe forever.

This isn’t poetry. It’s science.

It’s called microchimerism, and it means that your child’s DNA remains inside your body long after birth. Their cells become part of you—healing you… or, possibly, harming you.

And no one is talking about it.

🧠 Some studies suggest these cells repair tissues, protect the brain, and reduce risk of disease.
⚠️ Others link them to autoimmune disorders that spike in postpartum women—like Hashimoto’s, lupus, and MS.

So which is it?
A biological superpower or a silent threat?

The answer lies in the postpartum body—and how we support it.

This episode is wildly important for providers, researchers, and anyone working to change postpartum care.

🎧 Listen now: Microchimerism: The Cells of Our Children Live in Us Forever—A Curse or a Blessing?
👇 Skip to the part about how these cells integrate into the brain—because wow.

This one will change the way you see motherhood, forever.

🤱 Depression May Disrupt Oxytocin in Breastfeeding Mothers

New research reveals that postnatal depression may reduce oxytocin levels in breastfeeding mothers—even when using an oxytocin nasal spray.

🧠 Why this matters:
Oxytocin is critical not only for milk letdown, but for bonding, social development, and long-term mental health in children. This study suggests that when maternal mental health suffers, the oxytocin pathway may be disrupted—potentially affecting baby, too.

This opens a whole new conversation:
➡ What’s really needed to support breastfeeding in mothers with PPD?
➡ How does depression biologically alter postpartum function?
➡ And could treating the root cause—not just symptoms—improve outcomes for both mom and baby?

📖 Read the study insights here. 

This is one to watch.

💬 Quick Question for You

I want this newsletter to actually be something you look forward to. Something that supports your work, lights you up, and feels worth your time to open and click.

Can you help me make it even better?

Just hit reply and let me know your thoughts on these 👇

1. What kind of content do you LOVE in this newsletter?
   (ex: tips you can use, science updates, personal stories, trainings, etc.)

2. What do you usually skip over?
   (Be honest—I can take it. 😉)

3. What kinds of links or subject lines make you click?

4. If you could change one thing about these emails, what would it be?

5. Anything else you wish I’d do more (or less) of?

It’ll take you 2 minutes to reply, and it truly helps me shape this into something more aligned with you. Plus, send this over, and I'll send you my private book: The Postpartum Pro Playbook. It's personal stories and real actionable steps you can take to grow your practice with confidence. 

🐉 On My Nightstand…

After a full day of work, sports and schooling, and wrangling life on our Alaskan homestead with four kids (yes, it’s as wild as it sounds), my brain needs a reset. And for me, that reset comes in the form of fiction—something totally unproductive and purely for the joy of it.

Lately? I’ve fallen headfirst into The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

Dragons. Power struggles. Feisty heroines. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed—and let’s be honest, if there are dragons involved, I’m in.

Reading at night helps me shift gears, breathe deeper, and show up with more presence the next day. Because without that intentional pause, I’m just go-go-go.

What about you? What are you reading right now—fiction or otherwise? Hit reply and tell me! I’m always looking for my next late-night obsession. 

That’s it for this week—science, soul, and a little dragon fire for good measure. 😉
Thanks for being here, for doing this work, and for being part of the movement redefining postpartum care from the inside out.
Take what you need, share what speaks to you, and don’t forget to hit reply—I really do read every message. 💛

Talk soon,
Maranda Bower
CEO & Founder of Postpartum University®
www.PostpartumU.com

Current Ways You Can Work With Postpartum University®
🔔Sign up for the Postpartum Nutrition Certification Waitlist
🎒FREE Provider's Postpartum Nutrition Toolkit
🧠Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Training