A Sensual Birth

There is an interesting article on the Unison.ie site (free registration required) about what is called “Sensual Birth.”

The philosphy is that giving birth is actually the height of femininity and can be a sensual event, especially when couples use clitoral and nipple stimulation to encourage labour to progress. In fact, some women get so turned on during labour that instead of experiencing childbirth pain, they have an orgasm.

• A visit to the Unassisted Childbirth Organisation’s US website confirms just how erotic childbirth can be. The site describes in graphic detail women’s fantasies in which romantic and sexual union leads to “blissful waves of pleasure”, and “cosmic orgasms” at the point of birth. More women, it seems, get turned on by birth than you’d think. When Ina May Gaskin, a US midwife, conducted a poll of 151 women, 32 reported experiencing at least one orgasmic birth. Admittedly, these were home births by women who were “open” to the experience. The plus points are pretty significant – a single orgasm is thought to be 22 times as relaxing as the average tranquilliser, while sexual arousal widens the vagina significantly, the article at Unison.ie reads.

What is the result? Women who learn how to use this power don’t need epidurals or other forms of artifical pain relief.

My personal experience, is under the cut.

Now, I did not climax during childbirth. Nor, did I experience painlessness. In fact, if I have a third child, I might do it just to see what one of those epi-lite things is all about. However, when my second child was induced with mineral oil, my husband and I did have sex. We weren’t sleeping in anticipation of the birth anyway, and we figured we wouldn’t get another chance for a long while. My midwife was in the living-room and we did not ask permission or ask if it was a good idea, which I assumed it probably wasn’t…but sneaking around and feeling naughty was arousing.

My water broke within an hour of the act. From what I remember, the pre-transition phase of labour was pretty manageable, but I went through transition pretty quickly and the pushing stage was quick and intense. There was never time to think about an epidural or to start screaming for one the way I did during my first birth (it was too late).  

Thinking about the experience, I do think it would have been possible to use sensual power during labour as a form of pain relief. In other words, if you’re about to pop, it probably is worth learning about sensual birth.