How Breastfeeding Can Impact Your Hormones

As soon as you get that positive pregnancy test, your hormones are already starting to shift dramatically. Hormones such as progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) signal your body to stop menstrual cycles and start production of the cluster of cells that will become your baby.

During your pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone levels skyrocket. The production of these hormones releases serotonin and dopamine which is why so many women feel so good during pregnancy.

After you give birth, those estrogen and progesterone levels plummet significantly and the hormones prolactin and oxytocin start to rise, preparing you to breastfeed. But what happens to your hormone levels when you start to nurse your newborn baby?

Our team at the Center for Women’s Health Richmond located in Sugar Land and Richmond, Texas, reviews how breastfeeding impacts your hormone levels here.

Breastfeeding and hormones

Breastfeeding mostly affects your levels of prolactin and oxytocin hormones. Let’s take a closer look at how each one is impacted:

Prolactin

Prolactin is the hormone that triggers your body to start producing breast milk. Your prolactin levels start to increase during pregnancy, but your body doesn’t start producing milk due to elevated progesterone levels counteracting the effects of prolactin. 

Once that progesterone drops after you give birth and you start nursing, prolactin can kick that breast milk production into high gear. Your prolactin levels steadily decrease over time but they can increase as your baby nurses. This encourages your body to continually keep up your milk supply.

The production of prolactin can also inhibit the hormones that are responsible for ovulation, so you may notice that you don’t get your period if you’re exclusively breastfeeding.

Oxytocin

Breastfeeding stimulates the production of oxytocin which is the hormone that allows for milk ejection so your baby can efficiently get the milk from your breasts. Oxytocin also triggers the letdown reflex and encourages bonding with your baby.

In addition, the production of oxytocin can help your uterus shrink back down to its original size which also helps reduce the risk of excessive postpartum bleeding or hemorrhaging. 

The release of oxytocin while you’re breastfeeding may make you feel sleepy or relaxed. It can also raise your body temperature making you feel hot while nursing in addition to giving you a headache or making you feel thirsty.

Next steps

If you’d like to learn more about how breastfeeding can impact your hormones, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team with any questions you may have. You can contact us online or over the phone at 281-342-6962 today.