Magical labour hormones: how your body makes the perfect cocktail for birth

Your brain creates a whole cocktail of hormones during labour, each with a specific role to play in bringing your baby into the world.

Oxytocin. Known as the “love hormone“, oxytocin is vital during labour. It can even speed labour up, especially if this isn’t your first birth. It triggers contractions that open the cervix, allowing the birth canal to dilate and the pelvic floor and perineal muscles to stretch.

Oxytocin is released in pulses, allowing your uterus to contract rhythmically, which also helps your baby’s lungs to prepare for breathing by squeezing out fluid. As labour progresses your oxytocin levels intensify, leading to a powerful pushing urge, otherwise known as the foetal ejection reflex. This propels your baby through the birth canal and out into the world.

Choosing to give birth in a peaceful, cosy birth environment can enhance the production of oxytocin, making the process smoother and reducing the risk of severe tearing and other complications. And oxytocin’s job isn’t over once your baby is born – it continues to play a key role in bonding and breastfeeding.

Endorphins. These are your body’s natural pain relievers which are ten times more effective than morphine. As labour advances, endorphins are released to help you cope with contractions. They act quickly, reaching your brain faster than the pain signals, effectively blocking them and making the whole experience more bearable. They also help us to forget about the intensity of labour, encouraging us to have more babies in the future – genius! Like oxytocin, endorphins thrive in an environment that feels safe. During labour, factors such as darkness, quiet, familiar smells and loving touch can be introduced to trigger endorphins.

Prostaglandins. These hormones prepare your body for labour by softening and ripening the cervix, making it easier to dilate as labour begins. 

Melatonin. While best known as the sleep hormone, melatonin also plays a role in birth. It regulates contractions, particularly during nighttime labour, when melatonin levels naturally rise. Melatonin works in tandem with oxytocin, helping to synchronise the contractions and maintain a steady labour process.

Adrenaline. Often referred to as the “fight or flight” hormone, adrenaline is typically our enemy during labour. We do not want to see adrenaline for most of your birth – it is not a welcome guest at the party! High adrenaline levels can interrupt the delicate hormonal balance needed for a smooth birth, slowing labour down and increasing pain by cutting through our precious oxytocin and endorphins. 

Prolactin. Known as the “mothering hormone”, prolactin is the hormone that orders the milk. Think of it as the customer at the bar! After the placenta is delivered, your prolactin levels will rise sharply, prompting milk production. Early skin contact and suckling is essential to generate large amounts of prolactin and activate maximum milk production. Prolactin comes from your brain and as soon as your baby suckles – or you hand-express, or use a breast pump – your brain gets the message that milk is needed, and it puts the order in!

Oxytocin + prolactin. When combined, prolactin and oxytocin have a big effect on your feelings and behaviour. They may influence you to breastfeed your baby even if this wasn’t your original intention – a phenomenon known as “nature’s trick”. Together, they help you and your baby to recover from the birth experience, and, most powerfully, they help to enhance your emotional connection.

Creating an environment that encourages the release of oxytocin and endorphins can help you achieve the birth experience you’ve been hoping for – one free from unnecessary medical interventions, where you feel empowered and in control. Here are some ways to increase the production of these hormones:

• Create your dream birth environment. A dark, cocooned space where you feel comfortable and unobserved during labour will boost the release of oxytocin and endorphins.
• Ensure you feel safe and listened to. Feeling supported by your birth team, including healthcare staff and your birth partner, can enhance hormone production.
• Get familiar with the reality of labour. Educating yourself about the wonders of your body through a hypnobirthing course can reduce anxiety surrounding birth, allowing your hormones to do their thing. Ours is designed to bust birth myths and equip you with confidence.
• Use comfort measures. Squeezing a birth comb or using a TENS machine throughout labour can stimulate endorphin release, helping to manage pain naturally.

While adrenaline is essential for survival in dangerous situations, it can be a hindrance during most of labour. This is because it interrupts all the hormones we want and stops them from working properly, meaning that labour stalls and becomes more painful.

High adrenaline levels put our bodies into “fight or flight” mode, which can:

• Slow blood flow. Reduced blood flow to the uterus makes contractions less effective and means that labour becomes slower and more painful.
• Increase pain. Tension and fear can heighten our perception of pain.
• Trigger panic. Adrenaline can make us feel anxious or doubt our ability to give birth, leading to a more stressful experience.
• Slow labour down. By inhibiting the release of oxytocin and endorphins, adrenaline can cause labour to stall, increasing the likelihood of medical interventions.

The “Fear-Tension-Pain” cycle, first described by Dr. Grantley Dick-Read in the 1920s, explains how fear during labour can create a negative feedback loop. Fear leads to tension in the body, which in turn increases pain. This pain then reinforces the fear, creating a cycle that can be difficult to break. Understanding this cycle and taking steps to manage fear can help reduce tension and make labour more manageable.

Breastfeeding is driven by the same hormones that served us so well during labour:

• Oxytocin. The “love hormone” continues to be essential after birth, as it triggers the let-down reflex, allowing milk to flow from your breasts. Oxytocin also helps to strengthen the bond between you and your baby during breastfeeding.
• Prolactin. Prolactin is the hormone responsible for milk production. It ensures that your body produces enough milk to meet your baby’s needs. Together with oxytocin, prolactin helps to reinforce your bond with your baby.

Knowing just how powerful our natural hormones are throughout labour and breastfeeding can transform the way that we experience birth. Rather than approaching the experience with apprehension and self-doubt, we are instead equipped with the information we need to feel capable and confident.

Finding ways to harness the magic of oxytocin, endorphins, and prolactin to flourish while minimising the impact of adrenaline allows for a smoother, more empowering experience. The key lies in preparation, relaxation, and trusting in your body’s innate ability to deliver your baby.