Why Prenatal Classes Are Essential for a Positive Birth Experience: Hormones

Pregnancy and birth are incredible journeys, and your body and your baby are naturally equipped to navigate them. Prenatal classes can help you understand these processes, build confidence, and make informed decisions about your birth and postpartum experience.

Even though your body instinctively knows how to labour and birth, learning about what happens inside can be empowering. For example, a newborn placed skin-to-skin immediately after birth can instinctively find the breast and begin feeding, showing just how well your bodies work together.

Understanding Birth Hormones and How They Impact Labour

Birth hormones play a key role in labor, delivery, breastfeeding, and bonding. Both you and your baby produce these chemicals, which guide your bodies through this transformative process.

Oxytocin – The Love Hormone

Oxytocin stimulates contractions, helps the cervix dilate, moves your baby down the birth canal, and triggers milk production. It also promotes feelings of bonding and nurturing.

How to support oxytocin: Stay relaxed, keep upright positions, allow skin-to-skin contact, and consider delaying interventions unless medically necessary.

Endorphins – Natural Pain Relief

Endorphins increase during labor, helping you manage discomfort, stay focused, and even experience a natural “high” after birth. They also support early bonding.

Boost endorphins naturally: Practice relaxation and breathing techniques learned in prenatal classes, limit interruptions, and consider non-medication pain relief options.

Adrenaline – The Fight or Flight Hormone

Adrenaline can slow labor when stress or fear levels rise. Feeling safe and supported reduces stress and helps labor progress more smoothly. Adrenaline also plays a positive role in childbirth. It helps you push your baby out even if you have been in labour a long time as well as it helps you protect your baby after birth.

Keep adrenaline low: Prepare in advance, trust your body, surround yourself with supportive people, and create a calm birth environment.

Prolactin – The Mothering Hormone

Prolactin is critical for milk production and nurturing behaviours. Early skin-to-skin and responsive breastfeeding naturally stimulate this hormone.

Support prolactin: Minimize stress, keep your baby close, and breastfeed on demand.

How Prenatal Classes Help You learn about Hormones

Prenatal classes do more than teach positions or breathing—they equip you with knowledge and tools to support your natural birth process:

• Learn how hormones affect labour and birth in your prenatal classes

• Understand pain relief and intervention options

• Practice coping strategies and comfort measures

• Prepare your support person to advocate effectively

• Build confidence and reduce fear and stress

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Classes also introduce tools like the B.R.A.I.N. decision-making method, which helps you weigh benefits, risks, alternatives, intuition, and the option to wait before agreeing to medical interventions.

Doula Support Enhances Your Birth Experience

Hiring a doula can make a significant difference in your birth experience. Doulas provide continuous support, help maintain a calm environment, guide your partner, and encourage positions and techniques that naturally support beneficial hormone production while keeping stress hormones low.

If you’d like help finding a doula, just send me an email! We have both birth and postpartum doulas and can connect you with a few who have availability around your due date. This way, you can meet them and decide who feels like the best fit for you. You can also check out our blog post to learn more about what a doula does: Why Do I Need a Doula? 

Final Thoughts

Your body and your baby are designed for birth. Prenatal classes give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence to work with your body’s natural processes, make informed decisions, and create the best start for your baby.

By taking classes, you’re preparing not just for labor but for a positive, empowering birth experience and early bonding with your baby.