One of my friends has told me that if I keep thinking this way I will end up having one. I have heard there is a mind-body connection and now I am worried that my thoughts can actually affect the way I give birth. Gayle Peterson, Ph.D. MSSW Gayle Peterson, MSSW, PhD is a family therapist specializing in prenatal and family development. The mind-body connection is commonly oversimplified, and misunderstandings about psychological influences on childbirth are no exception. It is true that our beliefs and expectations influence our ability to cope with labor, which can impact the hormonal flow and physiology of the process.
Labor is an autonomic process.
It must happen by itself, just as digestion, gestation, and millions of other automatic bodily functions. Instead, it is the emotional beliefs communicated through the limbic system that interact with our biology. The limbic system is often described as the emotional center of the brain because it sends messages to the body based on emotional arousal. Hormones, neurochemicals and other substances are released according to an individual's perception of the world. During labor, the hormone oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland.