Have you ever heard of the intricate dance that the hormones Oxytocin and Cortisol play during labour and birth?

In today’s newsletter I’m going to share with you how the way we do birth either supports or highjacks this process, creating a massive impact on your birth experience. I’m also going to be giving you 7 tips on how to flood your body with oxytocin during birth to bring your baby earth-side with as much ease as possible.

I believe birth is a perfectly designed process that is beautifully orchestrated, and this hormonal dance plays a huge role in birth’s divine unfoldment.

Why should we care about these two hormones?

Cortisol is the hormone that triggers the fight or flight response, which is essential for survival in times of stress. During labor, cortisol levels rise to help the mother cope with the sensations and uncertainties of birth. However, when the mother is feeling stressed or unsafe, cortisol levels skyrocket, leading to more painful and longer labours.

On the other hand, oxytocin is the rest and digest hormone. In birth, it triggers contractions, helps the body relax and open up, helps the cervix dilate and promotes bonding between mother and baby. It is also known as the love hormone, as it is released when we feel safe and secure when we bond with our loved ones, when we make love and when we orgasm. When a mother feels safe and supported during labour, oxytocin levels rise, leading to more effective contractions, easier opening of her body, and a smoother birth.

Photography Credit: @greenvillebirthphotographer

Are you even Mammal?

As mammals, our bodies are meticulously designed. Our instincts lead us to give birth in safe places, away from predators or any other dangers that may put the vulnerable newborn at risk. When mammals are giving birth in the wild, they seek a dark and secluded space, away from any potential threats to let their bodies do what they know how to do. Be taken over by oxytocin, open up and give birth to new life.

If at any point the mother feels threatened or stressed, her body produces a large dose of cortisol, which stops contractions from occurring, and stalls the labour process so the newborn doesn’t exit her body in an unsafe environment. Her body will wait until she can get to safety again to continue her birthing process. If the body doesn't go back to homeostasis (the rest and digest state) and oxytocin isn’t flooding the mother, labour remains stalled. It’s that simple.

What about modern humans?

Unfortunately, the over-medicalization of birth has played a key part in the disruption of this hormonal dance. Medical settings are the opposite of what our mammalian brains are seeking to be flooded by oxytocin: Bright lights, beeping loud noises, several strangers coming in and out of the room constantly, cold hands and not-so-gentle touch, poking and probing, just to name a few. Add to this already foreign environment the use of interventions, routinely performed to manage the process. It’s to no surprise cortisol levels skyrocket, leading to much higher levels of pain and prolonged or “stalled labours”.

So how can we embrace and support this intricate dance?

Here are 7 things that will support a solid Oxytocin flood in your labouring body. Note that even if you are giving birth at the hospital, these are all requests that you can make and that by law, you are entitled to.

1. Curate a calm and peaceful environment

   • Dim the lights, play calming music, and only invite people that will bring their calm and supportive energy into your birth.

2. Move your body and stay in an upright position as often as possible

   • Being in an upright position, such as walking or sitting on a birth ball can help the baby descend and helps labour advance.

3. Eat and drink as you need

   • Hunger can trick the body into fight or flight mode, causing labour to take longer than needed.

4. Get in the tub or the shower

   • When we do this, endorphins are released, pain is reduced and oxytocin runs free.

5. Receive emotional and physical support

   • This can include physical touch, massage or holding hands, as well as encouraging words and affirmations, or simply a silent and calming presence.

6. Get intimate with your partner

   • Get a little privacy and help boost oxytocin by kissing, and touching. Nipple stimulation is a bonus as it tricks the brain into thinking the baby is at the breast, and that is a recipe for oxytocin floods.

7. Minimize interventions (If at the hospital)

   • Unnecessary interventions, such as continuous electronic fetal monitoring or artificial rupture of membranes, interfere with the natural release of oxytocin and should be used only if absolutely necessary.

Photography Credit: @greenvillebirthphotographer

In today’s blog we learned that the hormonal dance between cortisol and oxytocin greatly affects the labor and birth process. Creating a calm and supportive environment, staying upright, receiving emotional and physical support, and minimizing interventions can increase oxytocin levels and lead to a smoother birth experience. As mammals, our bodies are designed to give birth in safe spaces, and it is up to us to support our bodies in this natural process.

Thank you for being here with me today! See you again soon ✨

With great love,

Maria Rodriguez

konect.to/mariarodriguez