Being a Good Mom? It’s In the Genes
Photo Credit: Veer
We all know about mom jeans. You know, those way too high-waist, tight-in-the-crotch pants that you think are flattering. But now, scientists think they’ve found a different, more important type of mom gene.
Researchers at Rockefeller University believe a single gene, referred to as the “mommy gene,” could be responsible for motivating women to protect, feed and raise children. In the study, published last week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists injected a group of “mice moms” with an inhibitor that blocks a specific estrogen receptor in their brains, essentially “turning off” the gene. Once the mice received the blocker, they simply stopped caring for their babies.
“Once the gene was silenced, not only did the moms not nurse or lick their baby pups, but they wouldn’t even move the baby mice back into the cage or fight off a strange intruder,” Ana Ribeiro, one of the authors, told Today.com. “In other words, our study shows that, without this gene, the skills to be ‘a good mom’ were lost.”
Some may be quick to dismiss findings from mice. However, Ribeiro notes that the same alpha estrogen receptor is expressed in women, and that suppressing this gene could affect a woman’s maternal behavior. She believes some women carry this gene and some don’t.
While more research needs to be done, it’s clear that there is something that makes women “good” at motherhood. And I don’t think it’s the denim.
Do you think the mommy gene exists? Do you know anyone who you think might not have it?
Plus, more from The Bump:
You Know You’re a Mom When . . .
The Knot Blog
The Nest Blog
Interesting post! I have often wondered what makes some mothers so amazingly good at what they do and others completely hopeless! There must be something because not every woman makes a great mum!
WOW, this explains so much about all those mothers out there who care less about their children’s welfare.
Poor puppies and mice babies in this research
I really wish you wouldn’t post articles that feature experiments that are cruel to animals. I find no purpose to the research, or this article for that matter. This website is supposed to promote and empower pregnancy and motherhood, to simply say “it’s possible some people can’t make good mothers” is proposterous and not helpful to anyone.
You bring up interesting points! Though I found it intriguing to read, I think your point that it’s not helpful to suddenly say that BIOLOGICALLY, some moms just aren’t going to be good is pretty terrible, confining, and certainly unhelpful. Especially without more information behind the research done! There is a lot of research out there but not all of it is reliable. But yeah, more importantly, I think we as mothers need to be encouraging and supporting one another, not labeling some moms as all bad and some as all good – and worse, basing it on potential genetics!
Sonia, I couldn’t agree with you more! Why even present that idea to women. Why not empower them to be the best mothers that they each can be for their children. It’s amazing that research would look for reasoning to allow women an excuse for NOT being a “good” mother for their children. We each have it in us to do what is best for our children. It’s a choice.
Sonia you are an ignorant woman! Research is important and we should value research findings because it can help us make needed changes. The animals in the study are not subject to any cruelty, if you have never been around research you should not make ignorant comments because ignorant comments such as yours is not helpful to anyone!
Do people really believe it’s in the genetic makeup? I think that’s a bunch of bull. It’s in their responsibility, training/knowledge, determination, adaptability, and upbringing. I highly doubt it has much (and probably not anything) to do with brain chemicals.
Mariah, check out the book The Female Brain by Louanne Brizendine. While I would agree with you that MOST of what makes a ‘good’ mom (whatever that is) is the CHOICE to do what is best for our children, there is research that shows the hormones in our bodies are what guide us to ‘mother’. I think this study is actually proving a fact that it is not realizing, that the hormones that flood the female body are what guides us to want to mother-our body’s chemical makeup really does guide our consciousness more than we realize.
Sorry Mariah, but you must not have it if you think that. For those of us that do, it makes TOTAL sense. However; for those who don’t, all the things Mariah mentioned are even more important. I definitely know someone who must be missing this gene and if her parents wouldn’t have shoved the fear of God down her throat growing up, I fear all the additional harm she might have inflicted upon her children.
What in the world are you talking about? You specifically said that woman’s parents shoved the fear of God down her throat. That might have something to do with her problems. I’m a Christian and very strongly believe in raising your children in church, but “shoving it down their throats” isn’t the way to do it. You also didn’t mention anything about how responsible she was before she had kids, how much she’s educated herself (again even before having kids), and how hardworking she is when it comes to her kids.
And how dare you claim that I “must not have it.” That’s extremely rude.
Very interesting research… definitely makes you think! One thing to remember is that mice are animals, while humans can reason, use judgment, evaluate their morals, and love – - – regardless of what their body tells them to do. If genes tell a woman not to care, but her culture and her human heart say otherwise, it may make her an even better mom because she has to overcome something with a definite choice. Ladies, if you wonder whether you were born without this gene, pat yourselves on the back for choosing to love and nurture.
LOVE your comment. Well said!!
You are so right that doing what is best for our children, and mothering, is a choice! Well said.
Very interesting research… definitely makes you think! One thing to remember is that mice are animals, while humans can reason, use judgment, evaluate their morals, and love – – – regardless of what their body tells them to do. If genes tell a woman not to care, but her culture and her human heart say otherwise, it may make her an even better mom because she has to overcome something with a definite choice. Ladies, if you wonder whether you were born without this gene, pat yourselves on the back for choosing to love and nurture.
Interesting article. For those readers who commented on the cruelty of the animals, my heart did a little twinge for those baby mice as well. My heart also breaks over the human babies who I witness on a daily basis having a mother who does not care for them. It is difficult to condone animal testing, but realistically haven’t you ever wondered why some mothers just don’t care, and how they put their children in harmful situations time and time again. I have, and this research seems plausible to me. Perhaps we can create a hormone supplement for mothers who are lacking in this specific area due to this testing.
Angie-I love it! That is an awesome idea!
Angie, that is an interesting idea, but how much should we as women listen to our bodies about whether we are ‘fit’ or ‘desiring’ to be mothers before we actually put ourselves in the situation to possibly get pregnant? Supplementation just seems a bit unnatural to me, but being honest I do have to take a medicine for a disease, so maybe it is similar to that-if mothers feel they can’t ‘mother’ in a positive way,maybe they can ask their doctors for estrogen supplements. It’s really intriguing. Now, if those unfit mothers could recognize their issues before they harm their children and ask for the help…that may be the problem.
Jaimi-I think you are right on target with what the purpose of this research is for. I have heard the controversy that no one wants to be considered a “bad” mom if they lack the hormone, but this may be part of the cause of all those post-partum women who feel lost or broken after giving birth. For those who don’t feel they may have the hormone, but are awesome mother’s nonetheless, a big kudos to them. I am positive I am soaking in the hormone, but I am still impatient and high strung, even as a mom. Maybe some of us have more of the hormone because we need it and others don’t. Either way, I would hope this type of research may help save the lives of those precious little ones of mothers like Andrea Yates and Susan Smith. Perhaps they were lacking the hormone and had they known and received supplements their children would still be alive today.
I don’t think a mommy gene exists. I do think that some mothers such as myself make the choice to do the best that we can every day to parent our children. It is a choice to do what is right or wrong, or what is best or ok. I think the greater problem is the push for women (and specifically married couples) to have children in the first place. While I think parenthood is exceedingly rewarding and amazingly powerful, I don’t think EVERY woman is meant to be a mother or has the skills (patience and persistence being the most essential) to successfully parent a child. That being said, I do think that everything happens for a reason and just because a woman may not feel she CAN mother, if she gets pregnant she needs to do what she needs to do to raise that child and create a positive family situation. I don’t think ‘bad’ and ‘good’ should be attached to parenting as much as it is lately. BUT, all women, whether after having a child or before ever thinking about getting pregnant, need to research the best practices for children and accommodate those into their life and parenting philosophy to the best of their ability. EVERY mom can be great if she chooses to put in the work ‘great’ outcomes require.
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