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This burst of CA’s gives a mother the energy to push her baby out, and Michel Odent observes that, when unmedicated, women usually want to be upright at this time. Some traditional cultures have used this fight-or-flight effect to help women having difficulty with the delivery by surprising or shouting out at this stage. It makes sense, at this point-of-noreturn, for fear or danger to speed up the birth, so that a mother can gather up her newborn baby and run for safety.
CA levels drop quickly after the birth, which can make a mother may feel cold or shaky. At this stage a very warm atmosphere is essential, according to Michel Odent, to keep CA levels low and to allow oxytocin to work effectively to prevent bleeding.
The other major birthing hormone, prolactin is most noteworthy for its effects after the birth. Prolactin is the major hormone of breast milk synthesis. Suckling by the newborn baby increases prolactin levels; early and frequent suckling from the first days makes the breast more responsive to prolactin, which in turn helps to ensure a good long-term supply of milk.
Like the other hormones, prolactin has effects on emotion and behaviour. Prolactin helps us to put our babies’ needs first in all situations by increasing submissiveness, anxiety and vigilance.
When prolactin is combined with oxytocin, as it is soon after birth and during breastfeeding, it encourages a relaxed and selfless devotion to the baby that contributes to a mother’s satisfaction and her baby’s physical and emotional health.
Beta endorphin (pronounced bait-ah en-door-fin) is one of the endorphin hormones which are released by the brain in times of stress or pain, and is a natural equivalent to painkilling drugs like pethidine.
During labour, beta-endorphin helps to relieve pain, and contributes to the “on another planet” feeling that women experience when they labour without drugs. Levels of betaendorphin are reduced when drugs are used for pain relief.
Very high levels of beta-endorphin can slow labour by reducing oxytocin levels, which may help to “ration” the intensity of labour according to our ability to deal with it. Moderate levels of beta-endorphin help us to deal with pain in labour, as well as encouraging us to follow our instincts. As part of the hormonal cocktail after birth, beta-endorphin plays a role in bonding between mother and baby, who is also primed with endorphins from the birth process.
Beta-endorphin also switches on learning and memory, perhaps explaining why we remember our labour and birth in such amazing detail. Like oxytocin, endorphin hormones can induce euphoria and are also released during lovemaking and breastfeeding. In fact, endorphins are actually present in breast milk, which explains the natural high that babies can get after breastfeeding. Beta-endorphin helps the body to release prolactin, underlining the elaborate interplay between these hormones of labour, birth and breastfeeding.
So, there you are at the door with your bag in your hand and a strong contraction. You remember the oxytocin and endorphins, which you also carry with you, and with your next relaxed breath, you breathe out fear and tension. You’ve packed your new nursing bra, and you know that prolactin will come to your aid as well. As you take a last look around the house, you notice your cat.
She’s lying down as her kittens attach to her nipples, and, as you catch her eye, she winks at you.
About the Author :
Read more about Dr. Buckley here: www.sarahjbuckley.com
This article retains copyright by the author, Sarah J. Buckley, MD. Permission to reprint any or all parts must come directly from her. For references and additional information about the author and topic, please visit: http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/references.html
 This article appeared in Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #10.
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