A hormone releast during delivery and nursing.
Oxitosin is the hormone. It is secreted by pituitary.
Oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone," plays a crucial role in childbirth and breastfeeding for women. It stimulates uterine contractions during labor and helps with milk ejection during breastfeeding. Additionally, oxytocin is associated with bonding and emotional connections, enhancing feelings of trust and attachment between mothers and their infants. Its effects can also extend to social bonding and emotional well-being in women.
Contractions continue due to the hormone oxytocin, a few hours after delivery you can feel the top of the uterus as a hard mass in line with the umbilicus. Over the next few days/ weeks it will return to almost it's normal size. (Longer for c-sections) When you feel 'afterbirth pains'- usually during breastfeeding this is what's happening.