Now that we’ve talked about how fear changes the way your body births, let’s talk about how birth actually works when it’s left undisturbed—and why so many hospital policies directly contradict this.

Because here’s the thing:

💡 Birth is not an event that needs to be managed. It is a process that needs to be supported.

Yet, for decades, the system has treated birth like a medical event that needs control, intervention, and strict timelines. And that’s where many of the problems start.

🌿 How Birth is Designed to Work (When Left Alone)

If you watch an animal give birth, you’ll notice something:

🔹 They find a quiet, dark, safe space.

🔹 No one tells them when to push.

🔹 No one checks how dilated they are.

🔹 They move instinctively, following their body’s signals.

This is physiological birth—birth that happens when the body is allowed to do what it was designed to do, without interruption. In humans, labour follows a precise hormonal sequence—each stage triggers the next, like dominoes.

Here’s what happens when birth unfolds naturally:

1️⃣ Early Labour: Your body produces oxytocin (the love hormone) to get contractions going.

2️⃣ Active Labour: Oxytocin levels rise steadily—contractions become stronger and more efficient.

3️⃣ Transition: Endorphins flood your system, acting as natural pain relief.

4️⃣ Birth: The final surge of oxytocin brings your baby earthside, followed by a natural peak that helps your placenta detach safely.

5️⃣ The Golden Hour: Skin-to-skin contact keeps oxytocin flowing, supports bonding, and encourages breastfeeding.

✨ No rushing, no forcing, no unnecessary interference—just the body doing exactly what it was built to do.

So what happens when the system interrupts this sequence?

⛔ How the System Disrupts Birth

Maternity care is designed for efficiency, not for physiology. And as a result, most hospital policies go directly against the natural hormonal flow of birth.

💉 Inductions Before the Body is Ready → Oxytocin Disruption

If contractions are started artificially (with synthetic oxytocin), the body doesn’t produce endorphins in the same way.
This can make contractions feel more painful and harder to cope with.
Solution? Informed choice—knowing when induction is truly needed and when it’s just being suggested for convenience.

⏳ Routine Time Limits on Labour → Increases Stress & Risk of Intervention

Some hospitals expect a certain dilation rate per hour (even though every woman progresses differently).
If you’re not dilating “fast enough,” you may be told your labour is “failing to progress.”
But often, the body just needs more time.

🚑 Routine Continuous Monitoring → Triggers Fight-or-Flight

Many hospitals require you to be strapped to a monitor, lying in bed.
But being immobile can actually slow labour down.
Solution? Knowing your options—continuous monitoring is not always necessary and can often be done intermittently instead.

💉 Epidurals Too Early → Slows Labour

Epidurals can be a great tool when chosen at the right time.
But getting one too early can reduce oxytocin flow and slow things down.

💡 The key here isn’t to avoid interventions at all costs—it’s to understand when they’re truly needed vs. when they’re just routine.

🔥 Why This Matters for You

Understanding how birth actually works isn’t about rejecting modern medicine—it’s about knowing when it’s helping and when it’s interfering.

Birth works best when:✔ You feel safe and supported.✔ Your body is given time to do its job.✔ You’re not rushed into unnecessary interventions.

What can you do to protect your birth?

Learn about hospital policies in advance—know what’s standard vs. what’s optional.
Create a birth plan that reflects your preferences (but stay flexible).
Surround yourself with people who trust birth.

Tomorrow, we’ll talk about how to navigate the system and advocate for yourself—because knowing this information is one thing, but making sure you’re heard is another.

You’ve got this!

3. How Birth Actually Works (And Why So Many Hospital Policies Go Against It)

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