Orgasmic Birth

That's right, you heard it here first - some women (they say 20%) have orgasms while going through labor. Interesting, no?

T.J. and I went to see a movie called "Orgasmic Birth" yesterday. It was different, to say the least. Some of it was a bit uncomfortable to watch - namely the woman who was smiling and giggling and obviously having an orgasm. She was sort of like watching bad porn. But the other 10 ladies who allowed their births to be filmed were much more "normal" in that they seemed to just have what the movie called "ecstatic births". There was obviously lots of pain involved, but there was a definite focus on the man's part in birth as a support person, lots of touching (non-sexual) and just plain joy.

The main premise (in my opinion) was that birth is not only normal and natural, but that it should be viewed as a joyous (even sensual) occasion, and not something to be feared. I think that's an important message, now that it seems all media depictions of birth are frightening emergencies in need of fixing.

I still liked the technical aspects of the movie best - for instance, they talked about the hormone oxytocin being released during birth and lactation. This is the same hormone released when you have sex and orgasm! But I could also relate to the other side, too... I've been feeling this deep urge to be around women who are pregnant or who have birthed lately. I don't really know what it is, but I think it makes evolutionary sense... historically women took care of each other, and knowledge was passed down that way.

After the showing, they did a Q&A which was fun (I got to plug home birth some more) and then we went on our merry way. Our midwife was there, too, so we got to see her.