10/21/2025
✨ The Hormones Behind Breastfeeding ✨
Breastfeeding is more than milk—it’s a beautiful dance of hormones working in perfect harmony. Here are the key players and why they matter:
🩷 Prolactin – Known as the “milk-making hormone,” prolactin tells your body to produce milk after each feed. The more often milk is removed, the more prolactin rises to keep supply steady. Prolactin is highest at night-typically between 11pm and 2am. That’s why your baby tends to cluster feed for longer periods overnight.
💞 Oxytocin – The “love hormone” helps your milk flow (letdown) and supports bonding and calmness for both you and your baby. It’s why skin-to-skin and relaxation can make feeding easier.
🌙 Estrogen & Progesterone – During pregnancy, these hormones prepare your breasts for milk production. After birth, their levels drop—signaling your body that it’s time for milk to flow!
🌤️ Cortisol & Thyroid hormones – These influence energy, stress, and metabolism, all of which can affect milk production and overall well-being.
Every feeding session is a symphony of hormonal signals designed to nourish, comfort, and connect you and your baby.
🤱🏽Our bodies are truly amazing!!
🩷At Nourish Lactation, we help you understand the “why” behind your body’s amazing process—because informed support makes all the difference.
