Episode 7-Let’s chat about the hormonal physiology of Pregnancy, Labour and Birth with Dr Sarah Buckley

This episode needs to be listened and shared with every pregnant Mumma and Birth worker!

I am beyond excited to bring Dr Sarah Buckley onto this show where she takes a deep dive into the hormones and physiology of pregnancy, labour, birth and bonding. If you want to be informed, inspired and understand how our bodies and babies work together during the lead up to birth, labour and bonding then this is the episode for you.

Dr Sarah Buckley

Dr Sarah Buckley is a trained GP (family physician) with qualifications in GP obstetrics. She has been writing and lecturing to childbirth professionals and parents since 1997 and is the author of the internationally best-selling book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering. 

Sarah has a special interest in the hormones of physiological labour and birth and the impacts of interventions. In 2015 she completed an extensive report on this topic called the Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing. This report is extensive with over 1000 references and has been described as and i quote “…one of the most revolutionary and influential publications on maternity and newborn care ever issued.”

She has contributed to many professional texts and parenting books and is is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Queensland, researching oxytocin in labour and birth and the impacts of maternity-care interventions. She has co-authored numerous peer reviewed papers on oxytocin in labour, birth and breastfeeding and has presented at over 120 workshops and conferences in Australia and worldwide.

“Dr Buckley’s work critiques current practices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting from the widest possible perspectives, including scientific, anthropological, cross-cultural, psychological, and personal. She encourages us to be fully informed in our decision-making; to listen to our hearts and our intuition; and to claim our rightful role as the real experts in our bodies and our children.”

This episode we chat about;

• How her own birth experience influenced and inspired her to study the hormones of labour
• We explore the hormonal physiology of pregnancy, labour, birth and bonding.
• How our hormonal systems build and prepare during pregnancy for birth
• The incredible role of the placenta during pregnancy and labour
• How the actual onset of labour is a complex and misunderstood process
• The biological and hormonal processes that our bodies and babies have before labour even starts
• How our hormones during labour promote bonding after birth
• Oxytocin- the complexity and role of this incredible hormone
• The impact our environment can have on our labour and birth
• How to support our limbic systems during hospital births
• What disrupts our hormonal process
• The difference between synthetic and natural oxytocin
• Epidurals-what they are and their affects on labour and birth
• The importance of skin to skin and baby led attachment
• How to restore hormonal gaps when interventions/ inductions/ caesareans occur

And so so much more…

Episode Resources

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering by Dr Sarah Buckley

The ARRIVE Trial by Dr Sarah Buckley

The Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing Report by Dr Sarah Buckley

Hormonal Physiology, Oxytocin and More by Dr Sarah Buckley

Systematic Review on Synthetic Oxytocin

Epidurals in Labour PART 1 , PART 2 by Dr Sarah Buckley

Leaving Well Alone: A Natural Approach to the Third Stage of Labour by Dr Sarah buckley

Parenting for a Peaceful World by Robin Grille

Becoming Us by Elly Taylor

This episode is a must listen and share!! I guarantee it will inspire and inform you.

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Check out Dr Sarah Buckley over at;

https://sarahbuckley.com/

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https://www.facebook.com/drsarahbuckley

Available on all major players including Apple, Spotify and Stitcher

Please note all information shared on this Podcast by myself or guests is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice.