How to Have an Easier Birth: understanding the hormones of labor

I'm gonna share some birth wisdom with you all: the same feelings and hormones that help create a baby, are the same ones that help get them outta there. The more safe, comfortable and loved a person feels during labor, the more effectively the body can do the birth thing.

In other words, your body is not a birth robot.

Being relaxed and calm in labor can help increase your birth hormones

Birth is a very biological and vulnerable process. However, our current attitudes towards birth and our highly medicalized culture often makes labor longer and more difficult than it needs to be. We put people into an unfamiliar, uncomfortable environment with bright lights and we attach them to wires and monitors. There's strangers that come in and out of the room and noisy machines and countless other distractions. All the while, we expect labor to move along like a perfectly timed, birth machine. Often things move slowly or stop and we tend to blame the mom or her body. When in fact, this is an environment that does not help facilitate the highly-sensitive hormonal changes that are necessary for labor and birth to progress. It's no wonder things can slow down or go awry.

But it's possible to do things differently. If you understand the very delicate, emotional process of birth, you can use it to your advantage.

In the simplest terms, the hormones of labor can:

Help us feel loved and connected

Help decrease pain

Help us be strong

Personally, I feel the ones that we have the most control over are the hormones of Oxytocin and Adrenaline. You can actively plan to encourage and manage these hormones in order to have a better birthing experience.

The tub is a great place for rest and privacy in labor

When I'm teaching childbirth classes we take some time to plan how we can feel safe, calm and loved during labor. This looks different for everyone.

During early labor especially, IT IS SO IMPORTANT to increase your oxytocin and decrease the adrenaline. Avoiding extra stress and feeling safe and loved in early labor can help move the process along. The Oxytocin hormone is the one responsible for contracting your uterus. This means you can prepare items and activities that will help you feel calm and connected during the earlier stages.

Want to learn more about the birth hormones and how to unlock your power for a positive birth?

Hop over to my shop and check out my mindset guide.

On the other hand, extra stress in early labor can slow the process down. This can look or feel like: not enough privacy, feeling pressure from the clock or medical staff, feeling confused about the process, not feeling heard or supported.

Later in labor, the stress hormone Adrenaline increases to help us be really strong to birth a baby and trigger your body to release endorphins which can help you manage pain and feel happier. Your oxytocin also continues to rise during the process to help you bond with your baby and release the hormones which encourage breastfeeding.

Takeaway message

Your feelings affect your hormones ------> your hormones affect your labor

Imagine the kind of conditions which you would want to make a baby or practice making a baby? What would help you feel most safe in those vulnerable moments? What kind of lighting or atmosphere would help you feel comfortable and loved?

It is literally the same kind of hormonal process and atmosphere that will help you have an easier time in labor. The environment and how you feel matters.

You are not a diva to want to have a comfortable and calming birth experience. It's not selfish to ask for things like dim lights, freedom of movement, music, less stimulation and privacy. You are not being a "difficult patient" if you want less interruptions and more control over the birth environment, extra support with positions and hands on comfort or to refuse extra staff and residents in your room.

IT'S ACTUAL SCIENCE.

Are you looking for doula support in the Raleigh-Durham Area? Get in touch today! and let's make a plan for your calm and supportive birth experience.