Hormone of "love, calm & connection"

Engenders feelings of love & altruism

Greatly affected by stress hormones

Always present during

• intimacy
• birth & breastfeeding
• contracts uterus & muscles in the breast for "let down" breast milk

High levels of these hormones cancels effects of oxytocin

Fight or Flight

During pushing these hormones help mobilize mother's strength to push her baby out. They also protect baby from stress of labor & insure an alert baby at birth

sex, pregnancy, birth & breastfeeding and working out

Body's natural opiate, acts as an analgesic

Released during times of hard work, stress or pain

Creates an altered state of mind to cope with pain

Major hormone for breastmilk production

Has mood elevating affect

The parenting and nesting hormone

Allows mothers to put baby's needs before her own