The Hidden Power of Oxytocin in Childbirth & How to Break the Fear-Pain Cycle

Oxytocin in childbirth is what’s needed in order for mother and baby to meet in a calm and connected environment, yet we’re not told about how powerful this hormone truly is. Let me share.

Oxytocin is the love hormone which is the foundation, in order to limit the fear and pain cycle within birth. 

When oxytocin and childbirth are in sync, a woman can connect to her primal, natural instincts and birth her baby into her world, by listening to the clues of her body.

But unfortunately, the moment fear arises and she finds herself within fight, flight, or freeze, her body begins to prepare to react to a threat that may not be there. 

The body acts faster than we can articulate, and it begins to pump us with adrenaline. When adrenaline increases, oxytocin cannot flow freely. The extra blood flow is given to the arms, legs and heart, so that the body is prepared to fight or flee from the threat it feels it’s under. 

The unfortunate truth is that the majority of women deal with this cycle as they go into labor, for an array of reasons we’ll go over within this blog post. 

The Fear Cycle in Birth 

When a birthing person experiences fear within labor, this leads to them tensing up their body, which then increases further pain. This pain then leads to a heightened feeling of fear. This is where the cycle begins.

FEAR  ➤

FIGHT OR FLIGHT ➤

ADRENALINE INCREASE ➤

ENDORPHINS & OXYTOCIN LIMITED ➤

LESS BLOOD FLOW TO THE WOMB ➤

TENSION INCREASES➤

PAIN INCREASES ➤

Grantley Dick-Reed was an acclaimed obstetrician and childbirth researcher within the 1930’s. When visiting his patients side during the birth of their children, it was the norm to give chloroform and other questionable pain relief to birthing mother’s, for the pain that was believed to come hand in hand with birth. 

One night when joining a specific birthing mother as she brought her baby earthside, he followed his normal routine of preparing the pain relief, but the woman declined. 

In his many years of supporting labor, Grantley Dick-Reed had never found anyone to decline. When he asked why she didn’t want the relief, the woman answered: “I’m not in pain. Should it hurt, doctor?”

This was the beginning of the Obstresian’s research to find out why many women experienced radical pain in birth, and why some didn’t. 

What’s more interesting, is that within those times, it was the more affluent mothers with money that accepted the pain relief for the immense pain they felt, yet the poorer and less educated women experienced less pain and health complications.

He and his team came to the conclusion that because the poorer birthing women didn’t have as much fear surrounding birth, their experience was calmer, faster and led to a healthier labor for mother and baby. 

Their understanding was that the more fear and anxiety someone had connected to the birth experience, the more likely it was to meet complications and pain, which would start the fear-pain cycle.

You can read more about Grantly-Dick Reed’s Findings here: Natural childbirth | Labor, Pain Management & Delivery | Britannica

During the birth process, your body’s primal wisdom kicks in, where you are innately wired to work with the contractions of your body to guide your baby down. 

When you find yourself getting stuck in your logical thinking brain, this innate knowledge can turn into panic, and inhibit your body’s ability to send you the natural pain relief that your body makes – the hormones Oxytocin and Endorphins.

Why do Women Fear Birth?

• Our society tells us that birth is innately painful, and that it’s something to be afraid of. Many like to share their birth stories with us as we grow within pregnancy, and don’t tend to consider the effect their experience may have on the expectant mother. 

• Women have been treated as if birth is an ailment to be ‘fixed’ by doctors, rather than a natural primal process that their body has the knowledge to progress. Many films and media with birth involved are painted as a painful, traumatic or horrible experience, so this adds to our fear.

• Fear of the unknown – it’s a very natural fear to be scared of the unknown, because when we don’t know something, our thinking brain will make endless attempts to come up with an answer, and usually that’s led by what we consume through the media or those around us, which is usually negative. 

• Triggers – Some women may have lost a child, or may have had a previously traumatic birth, which can lead us to fear anything remotely close happening again. This kind of trauma is sensitive, so you need to ensure you have robust, confident support around you who advocate for your choices and make you feel safe. Therapy and re-educating yourself is helpful, so that you’re armed with the understanding that all births are so different. Your past experience isn’t instantly directed to your current one. 

• Pain – birth doesn’t have to be all pain, but it can come with some depending on your health, if you’ve had a child before, your fears and trauma and the position of your baby.

Ensuring you communicate openly with your healthcare provider, doula and support system surrounding the birthing process and pain relief options are important. There are so many natural pain relief options for during and after birth available, if you’d prefer this option. Examples are practices like Hypnobirthing, combs, tens machines, active birth and more. To learn more about Hypnobirthing, you can read my blog post here: What is Hypnobirthing & How is it Generally Helpful in Pregnancy and Birth?

To support your holistic healing in postpartum, you can read my post here: Primal, Holistic Postpartum Healing

• Interventions – sometimes, your baby may need some extra support to be brought into your arms. Your healthcare professionals are incredibly qualified, and have carried out these procedures countless times. Their main priority is ensuring the safety of you and your child. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you, you are no less than anyone else. Your birth is valid, sacred and honorable, no matter what that looks like. Ensure to communicate with your healthcare provider, so you are aware of each step.

Increasing Oxytocin in Childbirth, Breaking the Cycle

Thankfully, the power of oxytocin in childbirth can be nurtured, no matter where your birth begins to lead. It’s completely normal to become overwhelmed and to feel anxiety throughout this experience, but ensuring you have the resources to bring your oxytocin levels back up is priceless.

When your birthing environment is rich with oxytocin, the fear-pain cycle is severed, and your primal instincts are back online.

To break the cycle: 

• Ensure you mindfully educate yourself on the physiological truths of birth, including how to raise oxytocin in childbirth and your body’s powerful ability to know how to birth, so that you can be guided with deep trust through each stage.
• Ensure you express yourself and connect with birth trauma therapists, hypnotherapists or other forms of therapy to heal any old wounds that may contribute to your fear.

• Identify the fears you carry surrounding birth, and ask yourself if these are yours, or if they were given to you. Commit to working through your fears with your birth partner, family, or a professional.

• Learn Hypnobirthing practices like mindfulness, breathing exercises and other forms of relaxation that can support you in staying calm within your body, rather than the stories of your mind. (Sign Up to my Newsletter below to be updated on the Hypnobirthing courses and tracks I’ll be putting out in due course, along with so much more!)

• Write a holistic birth plan that takes into account all the unique needs of your mind, body and soul for when you birth your baby. This is then given to your healthcare providers, doula, midwife, birth partner and/or family, so that they can honor and advocate for the birth that’s rightfully yours. You can read my blog post on creating a holistic birth plan, including what to pack in your birth bag, here: What to Pack in Your Birth Bag & Holistic Birth Plan. 

You can also purchase a budget-friendly holistic birth plan and New Motherhood Journal from my Etsy Store here: Holistic Birth Plan Template & Motherhood Integration Guide

• Find a mindful birth environment and healthcare support that honors undisturbed birth, and advocates for your wishes.

Ensure you have a birth partner that you trust and helps you to feel safe. You can read more about the power of having a birth partner here: The Power of Support- 5 Ways Your Birth Partner Can Transform Your Birth Experience