Why Your Nervous System Matters in Pregnancy

Here’s something that rarely gets talked about in antenatal classes: your nervous system state during pregnancy directly affects your baby.

Not to create fear — the opposite. To empower you with knowledge, because once you understand this, you can do something about it.

Your baby feels what you feel

When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones cross the placenta. Your baby’s developing nervous system is literally shaped by the hormonal environment you provide.

This isn’t about being calm 100% of the time — that’s neither realistic nor necessary. It’s about having tools to return to regulation when life gets overwhelming.

Fight, flight, freeze — and what it means for birth

Your autonomic nervous system has two main modes:

• Sympathetic (fight or flight) — heart racing, muscles tense, shallow breathing
• Parasympathetic (rest and digest) — calm, open, relaxed

For birth to progress well, your body needs to be in a parasympathetic state. Oxytocin — the hormone that drives labour — flows freely when you feel safe, warm and unobserved. Adrenaline is its direct antagonist.

This is why a calm birth environment matters. Not because it’s “nice to have” — because it’s biology.

Building your regulation toolkit

The good news? You can train your nervous system, just like a muscle. Here’s where to start:

• Breathwork — even 5 minutes of slow, intentional breathing shifts your state
• Cold water exposure — brief cold showers build resilience and vagal tone
• Movement — walking, yoga, stretching all help discharge stored tension
• Connection — co-regulation with safe people is one of the most powerful tools we have

It’s not just about birth

These tools don’t expire after labour. Parenting a newborn, the sleep deprivation, the identity shift — your nervous system is running the show through all of it.

When you invest in regulation now, you’re building a foundation that serves you for years to come.

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This is exactly what we explore in depth on my courses and in breathwork sessions. If this resonates, come along to a Walk & Talk — it’s a gentle way to start.