Orgasmic Birth
Is it possible to have an orgasmic birth? Yes! Mother Nature designed the birthing experience to be orgasmic. When birth is undisturbed your body produces birthing hormones that take us to another level as we enter motherhood. A home birth or birthing center can provide the ideal atmosphere for a laboring mother to allow her body to produce all of the hormonal systems necessary during labor and birth. For example, a quiet, dimly lit, private place like home a laboring woman will intuitively choose the breathing, movement, sounds and positions that will birth her baby most easily. Each birth is unique as each mother and baby.
Unfortunately, hospital environments and current birth practices are not conductive to the shift of consciousness that giving birth naturally requires. When a laboring mother is not disturbed her body will properly activate four major hormonal systems. Oxytocin is the hormone of love; endorphins, are hormones of pleasure and transcendence; epinephrine and norepinephrine are the hormones of excitement; and prolactin is the mothering hormone.
Oxytocin is the most well know birth hormone and it is secreted during sex, orgasm, birth and breastfeeding. It is known as the love hormone because it evokes feelings of love and is present in all acts of love. During labor oxytocin contributes to the rhythmic uterine contractions. Your baby also produces oxytocin during labor so right after birth both mom and baby are bathed in love. Skin-to-skin contact and eye-to-eye contact enhance the production of oxytocin after birth.
Beta-endorphin is a naturally occurring opiate which induces feelings of pleasure and euphoria. Beta-endorphin levels are high during pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. High levels of this hormone help a laboring woman to transform pain and enter the altered state of orgasmic birth. Beta-endorphin is present in breast milk and induces pleasure and mutual dependency for both mother and baby in their ongoing nursing relationship.
The hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline and noradrenaline) are also known as the flight-or-flight hormones. When there are high levels of these hormones oxytocin production is slowed, therefore slowing labor. This is useful for animals in the wild if danger is near, labor will slow until they are able to move to safety and continue to labor and birth their babies. In humans, when there is a sudden increase of noradrenaline the fetal ejection reflex is triggered. This quick rush will cause several very strong contractions, which will birth your baby quickly and easily.Prolactin is known as the mothering hormone. Prolactin is the major hormone of breastmilk synthesis and breastfeeding. Prolactin is present during pregnancy and the levels peak during birth. The prolactin hormone helps a mother put her baby’s needs first.
When a woman is able to go through all of the stages of labor at her own pace, without intervention, her body will produce the right amount of hormones, in the right balance to achieve an orgasmic birth.