Understanding hormones is the foundation of everything else that I talk about and teach to do with labour, birth, breastfeeding and babywearing! 

Your hormones aren’t just little chemicals floating around doing their own thing.

They’re messengers, constantly translating how you feel, what you think, and even your environment into real, physical responses in your body.

Once you understand how they work, you’ll start to notice how your emotions affect your body — and, even better, how simple actions like breathing, resting, or connecting with others can influence your hormones to support a smoother, more straightforward pregnancy, birth, and postnatal experience.

In modern medicine, we’ve developed synthetic versions of many hormones, turning them into drugs that mimic some of their effects. Some of these are absolutely lifesaving — like those that stop bleeding, stimulate contractions, or manage pain.

But here’s the catch:

They’re not quite the same as the natural hormones your body produces.

Before we dive deeper into hormones, I want to pause and take a look at the wider picture: the birth culture and maternity services we’re living in right now.

Because here’s the thing — a lot of what I’ll share in this course might sound very different to what you’ve seen on TV, read online, or even heard from well-meaning friends or family. And there’s a reason for that.

Welcome to this section all about Oxytocin — sometimes called the “love hormone.”

Before we get into the science, I want to start with a little moment for you.

Now, let’s break it down.

Oxytocin is one of your body’s most powerful hormones. It’s responsible for:

• Bonding and connection: It helps you feel love and trust, whether with your partner, baby, or friends.

• Labour contractions: It causes the uterus to contract and progress labour.

• Breastfeeding: It triggers milk let-down.

• Calm and safety: It lowers stress, relaxes muscles, slows your heart rate, and creates that feeling of “ahh, all is well.”

You can take simple, practical steps to encourage maximum oxytocin release in pregnancy, birth, and beyond.  And the best part is – the more you practice in pregnancy, the easier it will be during birth.  So practicing feeling loved, relaxed and connected will actually help you and your baby have a quicker, easier and more straightforward birth!

Here’s what helps:

You’ve probably heard of names like Syntocinon, Ergometrine, and Pitocin — these are synthetic forms of oxytocin commonly used in hospital settings. They’re typically administered to induce or accelerate labour, or to assist in the third stage by helping expel the placenta and help the uterus clamp down.

Let’s start with a little moment to check in with your body.

Now let’s dive into what’s going on inside your body.

 Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers.
The name literally means “endogenous morphine” — meaning they’re like your body’s own version of morphine or opioids.

 In labour, endorphins:

So, how can you encourage your body to release more of these wonderful, natural endorphins—not only during labour but throughout life?

Here are some simple, yet powerful ways:

Adrenaline is a powerful, fast acting, and lifesaving hormone - something we’ve all felt before. Think of a time when something gave you a sudden rush….

In many maternity settings, bright lights, time pressures, and constant checks can raise adrenaline levels — making it harder for your body to relax and progress naturally.

We’ll look at how you can navigate this in the mini-series at the end of the course, with practical tips on protecting your hormonal flow in those environments.