Some Women Report Having An Orgasm During Childbirth

New York Times:

First thing next month (Friday January 2) will be the primetime debut of a film that has been making the "under the radar" rounds of women and film festivals since May. ABC's 20/20 will air the documentary "Orgasmic Birth", by Debra Pascali-Bonaro, a childbirth educator and a doula, which asks the question: What would happen if women were taught to enjoy birth rather than endure it?

Some women will see this film as a declaration of emancipation from the medicalization of childbirth. Others will see it as yet one more way to raise expectations and make new mothers feel inadequate if they do not experience the "ideal" birth.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Horus]

I know I had one during conception. She complained that she didn't get hers, but I'm gonna tell her I just time-delayed it by nine months.

- Dad

[sunnybunny]

Wow reading these comments and having talked about childbirth with other women in different circles, it's obvious people have a lot of different attitudes about what is good and bad and what kind of experience they themselves want and need. For me, natural childbirth at home with a midwife was the way to go and I would be scared to give birth in a hospital, but many of my friends have exactly the opposite opinion. Childbirth was an enjoyable experience for me and I get the relating it to an orgasm thing - it hurts but in a good way. I think it feels different for different people. I wonder if it's due to expectations, intereventions, the actual health and condition of the mother, the way she feels about her body, or all of those things and more.

[Shotgun Mary]

Why is it that when any woman reports having a fulfilling birth experience that is anything different than an infant removal in a medical setting she has to be either lying or disturbed? I'm amazed that so many HuffPo readers are still stuck in that puritanica­l/victoria­n mindset of the asexual mother. Conception, birth, breastfeeding, mothering are all inherently sensual experiences. Just because one woman has a birth experience that is not all pain and drudgery does not invalidate the pain and drudgery that other woman are insistent upon holding onto. I think the main problem people have with this documentary is that the writers chose the word "orgasmic." It makes people uncomfortable because they then have to put childbirth and sexuality in the same thought. Its also amazing to see the number of posts that reflect the idea that if you tell a woman that something other than her experience is possible that she'll feel like less of a woman for not having that experience. I can't decide if this is paternalism at its best or the bitter and frigid side of feminism . . .

[Shieldmaiden]

I read about this a few months ago and it freaked me out. Because the thought of my mother getting the big O as she birthed me just made me really uncomfortable.

[Topfeeder]

Um, let me think about this....hellz no. Do they have O's when Ithey make a BM too?

[Tatiana]

Sorry, I'll use "the bullet" over childbirth anyday anytime!

[kellygrrrl]

it does seem like quite an investment for one O

[bobbysgurl]

You are so funny, and soooo right.

I was euphoric when it was all over. There was nothing remotely orgasmic about it. I really didn't know that I was in labor, but each time I thought I was by the time I got to the hospital I delivered pretty darn quickly. It was the freaking birthing that freaked me out.

[artmaker52]

There is a high with every great heroic accomplishment and birth is no exception. As with sexual orgasm, there is no perfect word to express the experience, so these filmmakers chose the word "orgasmic" to describe the ecstatic experience birthing a child offers. I have seen the film, which is gorgeous and true, and I am an artist, and a grandmother to four. I experienced "ecstatic birth" with the births of my three children, which was a physical experience I did not want to be robbed of by the medical (men) community who offered me their drugged alternative. The film aims to tell women, who are obviously, if the comments here are any indication, in denial about their bodies ability to, yes, achieve its greatest high in this experience. It is a secret that the hospitals also have a huge financial stake in keeping quiet. Get every pregnant woman you know to see this film.

[Channel4NewsTeam]

The Marquis de Sade thought he was a visionary with special secrets, too.

The maternal death rates in Afghanistan and Somalia pretty much devastate the magical thinking on display in your post.

[Roses]

I would have no trouble with "ecstatic birth". The act of giving birth is truly "ecstatic". The act of finally seeing and nursing your baby is truly "ecstatic". Most women experience that if they are not in some 'twilight sleep'.
I don't think the filmmakers should refer to the birth experience totality as "orgasmic". It's not. It is a labor. And work. And natural. And beautiful. But not "orgasmic".

[Brainspore]

I hear it's common for some men to have an orgasm during their child's birth too. Of course, usually it's with another lady on the other side of town.

[alted1663]

Does this mean us guys still have to wear the sympathy pregnancy vests ?

[kit02138]

While interesting, this is not newsworthy. Frankly, my first reaction was to be offended - the whole idea of politicizing and publicizing woman's anatomy in this way just gives me a negative knee jerk reaction: Keep the damn goverment and the media out of my womb. This article smacks of the same kind of cultural nonsense that a) permits the government to feel free to legislate my anatomy with or without my consent b) it reminds me somehow of the depths of intimate knowledge about people that I really don't want to know about but that the reality TV craze has so brilliantly capitalized on.
That said, some of the other commenters remarks about how this happened to them and they felt like they had to keep it secret make me consider that maybe it's okay to share something about this to take back some control over how women feel about what their bodies do. But for the love of Gloria Steinem, I sure would have rather seen it in some magazine like MS or Self or even Cosmo....but featuring it in the times makes it cocktail chatter instead of girl talk.

[Roses]

Are you effing' kidding me?!!!

Natural birth was the most horrible pain imaginable. It did feel almost 'orgasmic' however when it was over......and there were contractions in which your body muscles flexed involuntarily just as in orgasmic ecstasy. But I would hardly call it 'orgasmic'.
It did feel wonderful to push the baby out but that was really due to relief in sight, despite how much men might wish it to feel good and write about it.

If that was orgasm, save me from sex!

[naschkatze]

The second stage, pushing down, is a relief after the first, but I wouldn't call orgasmic. It was more like have a huge, never-ending BM.

[Tatiana]

I agree!
Excrutiating pain IS NOT ORGASMIC!
What a stupid article.

[key5559999]

I am a medical professional
I have practiced for 25 years
When I had my last child, I had the biggest orgasm of my life. I kept this information to myself for 13 years because I was so ashamed at how good that experience felt. I felt guilty. However, I cannot forget the experience. I am happy that this article was written. If someone had told me about this orgasmic experience beforehand, I would have been less astonished and more prepared for this experience. Without preparation the birthing mother will feel guilt. I am happy to see that others have had similar experiences. For those of you who have not had this experience, don't knock it until you have tried it. It is real. It does happen. There is a physical explanation for the experience and, it is not something that anyone who has experienced it will ever forget.

[PMSBarbie]

I had this experience as well - natural, drug-free birth - posterior presentation, water broke when pushing started. Like an orgasm with some fire. And while were on the subject, what about the contractions that happen when breastfeeding? Birth, sex, lactation... lots of grey area.

[Roses]

Natural, warmth, good feelings, warmness, unconditional love, incredible caring?Sur­e.........­Orgasm? H*** no.

[txcowboy77]

If this news gets out, Oral Roberts will start a campaign against birth.

[naschkatze]

Think of the boys in the Catholic church too.

[christianmama4change]

Don't shoot down this observation - I did have rather pleasurable sensations right after I started pushing my first son out. There was tons of pain since I didn't get medication on time - but the earlier phase was mini-orgasmic.

[Motorinstructor]

It sounds plausible to me but I believe pain cannot be avoided.