A midwife has shared the beautiful reason why she got her tattoo and revealed how it helps parents-to-be during antenatal appointments and labour.
Jen Pountain, 38, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, says she’s “always been in awe of women’s biological functionalities” and during her training, she decided to get the oxytocin molecule tattooed on her arm.
“Our complex system of hormones are so unique so when I started training to be a midwife I fell in love even more with oxytocin – AKA the love hormone, childbirth hormone, feeding, bonding and attachment hormone, and social utility hormone,” she tells HuffPost UK.
“Put simply, Homo sapiens would completely cease to exist without oxytocin. How cool is that? I love quirky tattoos so I thought why not!”
Pountain loves it when patients notice her tattoo and ask about it at work, because it often prompts helpful conversations about the physiology of childbirth and other elements of pregnancy.
“They love it so much when I explain this is exactly what is being pumped round your body right now as you gaze into your babies eyes, or cuddle each other, or this is what will make you give birth to your beautiful baby,” she says. “I have never ever had anyone tell me it’s not appropriate.”
Oxytocin really is the mother of all birth hormones, she adds. As well as triggering nurturing feelings and behaviours, it plays in a big part in the labour process.
“Oxytocin is the hormone that makes your uterus contract, so we always want plenty of that good stuff flowing in child birth,” Pountain explains.
“Also, oxytocin is what is released when you love your partner, friend, or child, so as midwives we are the gatekeepers of oxytocin, we nurture, respect and are in awe of it!”