Have you heard of Oxytocin? if you're pregnant you NEED to know about this amazing hormone! This blog explains why and gives you valuable practical tips for boosting your natural oxytocin levels which WILL benefit your labour, birth and postnatal recovery!
The Importance of Oxytocin During Pregnancy, Birth and Postnatal Period:
What causes you to release oxytocin?
Back to natural oxytocin, which and is released when we fell in love, experience connection with others (like your partner, friends, family or children and even pets) and we release huge amounts of oxytocin during orgasm and after birthing a baby (to name only a few examples of oxytocin releases). During labour you need to be in your calm parasympathetic nervous system, otherwise known as "rest and digest", to release oxytocin; as opposed to your emergency sympathetic nervous system, commonly referred to as "fight or flight" which releases the hormone adrenaline.
Adrenaline is an oxytocin inhibitor, so high levels of adrenaline mean low levels of oxytocin. Less oxytocin means fewer and less efficient contractions resulting in a longer, potentially more uncomfortable labour (due to lower levels of natural pain killing beta endorphins - more on that amazing hormone in this blog). Another effect of oxytocin is it alters your state of consciousness, meaning during labour your might feel "high" and have an altered perception on the passing of time. All designed to help you manage during childbirth.
So basically natural oxytocin is awesome and during labour and birth more oxytocin is AMAZING!! but how do I get more oxytocin I hear you ask? well read on...
How to boost your natural oxytocin levels:
Oxytocin is a shy hormone that is released when you feel safe, secure and unobserved, here are some simple, yet important, things that you can consider to help boost your oxytocin levels (you can thank me later!)
Environment:
With this in mind, maintaining a birth environment that is private, quiet, dimly lit and with people who support you is important. I always tell the birth partners on my courses they are the "Guardians of Oxytocin", it is their job to promote and protect an oxytocin rich environment, removing anything that might be bringing adrenaline into the birth space, e.g. close the curtains, turn a big light off in favour for lamps and ask anyone not bringing the oxytocin vibes to leave - yes you can do that! Here's a blog packed with tips to creating an oxytocin boosting birth environment.
Tap into your senses to boost oxytocin:
Senses are really powerful anchors to helping us feel calm and reminding us of happy memories which boost oxytocin, here are some ideas how you can use your senses to boost your oxytocin.
The Power of Touch:
Receiving massages during pregnancy and labour (I teach various massage techniques for birth partners to use during my hypnobirthing courses) has benefits, research from the Touch Research Institute showed that mothers who receive regular massages during pregnancy often report lower stress levels and improved mood. This is your sign to make massage an integral part of your wellness routine and help create an environment rich in oxytocin. Skin-to-skin contact is SO important for bonding with your baby and in establishing breastfeeding, so lots of touch in the postnatal period is fantastic and a big oxytocin booster.
Utilise Music and Movement:
Music has a profound effect on emotions and creating an oxytocin playlist full of songs you love, or can help you relax will certainly help during labour. You can use it to help you focus, relax or dance around during labour. A 2025 study found dancing during labour has multiple study benefits, including "reduce labour pain to an extent, shorten the duration of labour, promote natural childbirth, and improve satisfaction with labour" I often thought there were no downsides to dancing and this just proves it! Amazing!
Supercharge your Smell:
Your sense of smell is really powerful when it comes to feeling safe and happy. Aromatherapy scents like lavender, chamomile or jasmine are known to aid relaxation which will in turn which will boost your oxytocin. You could also use a favourite perfume or aftershave that remind you of a special day or person, and evoke feelings of love and security, giving you a much needed oxytocin boost as you navigate this new chapter of life.
Soothing Sight:
Surrounding yourself with photos of loved ones, pets and places you love to go work well to provide comfort and as visual anchors to boost your oxytocin levels. As do words of affirmation on affirmation cards. You might want to watch an oxytocin boosting film, think gentle rom com genre, Bridesmaids was my birth film of choice.
Conversely, there might be times you want to reduce the input into your sight using sunglasses or an eye mask to block out any environmental distractions or during a transfer from home to hospital, which will inevitably increase your adrenaline hormones, therefore inhibiting your oxytocin levels. When you get to where you need to be, you can re-engage with your sight sense using the previous suggestions to feel safe and calm again.
Tantalising Taste:
Foods that we love also give us an oxytocin release, like chocolate which is not only delicious but also helps improve mood due to its high antioxidant content. Avocados are rich in healthy fats that promote brain health and hormone balance. Nuts provide essential omega-3 fatty acids crucial for emotional wellbeing and fish, particularly salmon is known for its omega-3 richness and positive effects on mood. I always talk about the importance of eating during labour and birth to ensure you have energy, but it can also boost your oxytocin levels, which gives you a double benefit. I also give the birth partner another job of being the "birth butler" and bringer of the snacks! no feeling like a spare part during birth after attending a course with me.
Boosting natural oxytocin during an induction or caesarean birth is possible too...
All of the above tools can be used to boost your natural oxytocin levels during an induction of labour or caesarean birth also (except for taste during a caesarean) and as I said before, boosting your natural oxytocin levels will always be a benefit your birth and postnatal healing experience.
Want to build a practical relaxation and oxytocin boosting toolkit you and your birth partner can use in any birth scenario, I help parents do just that, helping you feel calmer and empowered for birth. Visit the website or book a FREE discovery call to find out more.
Final Thoughts
Oxytocin is AMAZING and boosting your oxytocin levels during pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period can be simple yet transformative to your birth experience and postnatal recovery. Knowing how to boost your oxytocin levels during birth can make a huge difference to your birth and postnatal experience, from the warmth of skin-to-skin contact to the soothing scents of essential oils, I guide parents-to-be with nurturing and practical, life changing tools to help you feel confident and empowered for birth. I hope these tips have helped you.
I'm Charlotte, Doula and Hypnobirthing Antenatal Teacher. I can support you to get informed and feel confident, relaxed and empowered for your baby's birth.
I offer Full, Essential and Refresher Hypnobirthing courses as well as Hypnobirthing for a Planned Caesarean Section and Birth Prep Power Hour sessions.
Visit the Positive Birth Leeds website for the latest group course dates.
Or get in touch to ask about private one-to-one course availability.
Charlotte x
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