Orgasmic Birth

I just finished reading Orgasmic Birth by Elizabeth Davis and Debra Pascali-Bonaro and I loved it!

In a nutshell it puts forth the idea that pain during childbirth is actually a myth and does not need to be the norm. In studies referenced in the book, those women who believed childbirth would be painful did have a painful birth while those who did not, experienced shorter labors and less pain during childbirth. One of the books (among the many recommended throughout the book) is also referenced in Laura Kaplan Shanley's Unassisted Birth, which I'm reading now, called Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read. In his book he explains that fear and anxiety are the keys to a painful birth. In Orgasmic Birth, the connection between the psychological emotions of fear and anxiety directly tie in to pain through the brain's release of adrenaline which tightens your muscles in preparedness for fight or flight. It also reduces the amount of oxytocin in your body - the "love hormone" that causes contractions, your muscles to relax and stretch and changes your and the baby's emotional state to that of calm and increased bonding ability. It is said that the receptors for pain and pleasure are located in the same part of the brain, so that you cannot experience pleasure without being open to pain. Some say that contractions are not necessarily painful - although there are circumstances when they can be like when the baby isn't in the right position and back labor... The idea is to remove the expectation of pain and the anxiety that comes with it. The more you fight contractions or try to be strong through them, the more pain you will experience. If you allow the contractions to flow through your body in the faith that your body knows what it's doing and all is going well, there will be less pain perceived pain and more of a surge of energy.

Another point that I thought was interesting is that privacy is really stressed as is creating a birth environment that feels comfortable and safe to you. One reference was made to how animals birth and that if watched, labor reduces and can even stop. So, it is very important that wherever you choose to have your child, that you feel open and relaxed.

For those that suffered abuse - This was particularly interesting for me. No other book I have read so far has dealt with laboring women who have experienced serious trauma and I loved that this book emphases sexuality in a positive, personal way. An anecdote is given of one woman who came to the hospital and would not progress past 3cm in the 5 hours that she was there. The doctor ordered Pitocin (artifical oxytocin without the positive bonding side effects) to get things moving along. While the nurse went away to get the needed IV fluids, the woman confessed that she was scared that she'd never feel what it was like to be pregnant again. It had taken her 3 years to get pregnant and she didn't want to lose the feeling of a baby inside her. She began sobbing uncontrollably and within 30 mins the baby was born - the doctors didn't have enough time to give her the Pitocin and basically had to run to catch it. So, the book also asks you to be aware of what you are holding on to emotionally. It says that crying as well as laughing are acts of letting go so have people tell you jokes if you feel stuck.

One last thing before I have to run... Movement is unbelievably important. I didn't realize until now how important the mother's walking, standing, hip shaking along with gravity helped the baby move along and get into a good birth position. Do not listen to anyone that tells you that you need to be lying down during labor. Do what feels good and right to you. So far in everybody book I've read, lying down on your back is the worst thing you can do. You don't have the force of gravity working with you and vital veins which nourish the lower half of your body and the baby are impeded by the weight of your baby, which means less oxygen for you both. Also, eat and drink what you like and makes you feel good. The book says that you burn about the number of calories during labor as you would during a 50 mile hike, so stay hydrated and bring snacks with you.


If you're interested:

Orgasmic Birth - The book came out after the documentary film. Info on both can be found there.
Unassisted Birth.com
The Bradley Method of Husband Coached Birthing