Oxytocin #love

Oxytocin is such an integral part of our body systems yet many people have little understanding of what it does.

I sometimes describe it as the hormone of pleasure and pain! It is the power behind childbirth yet also has an enormous role in bonding and love.

But it is is importance in lactation we often first hear of it by name. Oxytocin is the hormone which releases milk from the breast. Mothers usually know this as the let-down reflex but it is sometimes referred to as the milk-ejection reflex.

A lot of focus on conditions which might slow down or inhibit the let-down - pain, anxiety, embarrassment - which often leads worried mothers to worry more! Instead, we should be talking about the conditions which naturally support the body to release oxytocin. Loving touch, relaxation, comfort and security all have a role to play. These things all come together to signal to the brain: we are safe and we can breastfeed here.

Like all mammals, human bodies are designed to lactate. Your body is not set up to fail. It can seem like breastfeeding comes with a whole list of things which can go wrong. Including this release of milk. But oxytocin is there for you and you can trust it.