Oxytocin and pregnancy: what it does in childbirth and postpartum
Oxytocin , also known as the "love hormone", plays a fundamental role during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
Understanding how this hormone works and how we can encourage its production can make the difference between a more stressful birth and postpartum and a peaceful one.
If you are a future mother who wants to experience a conscious pregnancy and face childbirth with greater confidence and tranquility, continue reading to discover everything there is to know about this hormone.
What is the love hormone?
Oxytocin is a hormone that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is a neuropeptide, a small molecule that acts as a chemical messenger in the nervous system. Although it has long been associated with childbirth and breastfeeding, in recent years research has revealed a much broader role for this hormone in our lives.
Oxytocin is mainly produced in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that plays a fundamental role in the regulation of many vital functions and from here it is released into the bloodstream. This hormone is able to reduce the activity of the so-called "sympathetic" nervous system (which is linked to the flight or fight reactions when it senses danger) and increases that of the "parasympathetic" system, linked to relaxation.