The Preen Team

Homepage > Latest blogs > The Preen Team

Posted: 4 months ago by Lucinda Pitt

Rated: |

Give it to me baby!

I once found myself deep in a discussion about the intricacies of childbirth with a 65-year old woman I had only just met. When delivering her son she’d had what she described as the biggest orgasm of her life. (Never did I think I’d hear the words “son” and “orgasm” in the same sentence.)

But wait, there was more: that orgasm stayed with her for three days, she said. I, not yet a mother at that point, thought many things: like, WOW. Like, “Natural, drug-free childbirth never sounded so appealing”. Like, “How did she cope during visiting hours?’.

To this day I am yet to meet or even hear of a woman who has had a similar “Oh Baby!” experience. But that’s not to say they’re not out there. The documentary Orgasmic Birth, found 11 of them.

American doula (birth coach) and childbirth educator Debra Pascali-Bonaro spent five years making the film, which examines “the sexual nature of birth”. Cynics (OK, me) might say it took her that long to find women who had climaxed during delivery.

I’m thinking that as wonderfully wild an idea as this is, it’s yet another pressure on pregnant women to have the perfect birthing experience. Isn’t it challenging enough to produce a healthy baby without expecting a sexual high as well? But mother-of-five Pascali-Bonaro is convinced it’s “the best-kept secret of childbirth”, with a pay-off that goes way beyond the feel-great factor.

“The way a woman gives birth has the potential to change how she feels about herself forever,” preaches her website, www.orgasmicbirth.com. “The way she feels has consequences for how she mothers and cares for her baby.” Consequences? Yes. I can only imagine the consequences of telling my son that when he came into the world, so did I. It’s all just far too Oedipal to fathom.

Regardless, I text a friend who has just brought her newborn home from hospital: “Weird question – did either of your births give you an orgasm?” I hit send, feeling like a perv. No response. Have possibly offended her. Or maybe she’s too busy riding the ultimate post-natal high. God (oh God!) I hope so…

Therese Rein, I blame you

User comments

It is no myth!!! In my experience, it is my opinion certainly that there is a sexual nature to giving birth. After painful contractions, and at a particular stage during the labour, a woman can experience more pleasurable orgasmic sensations as the baby moves down the birth canal prior to it's delivery. I did. It's completely natural. After all....your baby was created during your lovemaking with your partner. Go the natural birth if at all possible!!!!

that is the most *** thing I have ever heard in my life!

While the ecstasy of seeing your baby for the first time is better than any orgasm you will ever experience, saying childbirth IS an orgasm, thats a bigger stretch than some poor 'body' parts endure in the process! Hey more power to ya sister if you did, my personal experience would say time is pretty good memory block!!!

The females I've spoken to say having a baby is easy, not the agonizing painfull cost of bringing baby into the world that some mothers claim....even dogs, cats and other animals do it easy without a whinge, lots of women squeel and yell to get attention and it is most probably just an avenue to claim a bigger hold on the child as well, big deal get over it or get a job and help support our bundle of joy, you wanted to do it too.

I have nine children, and my very first was an orasmic birth. It obviously isn't a common occurance, as it didn't happen with the next 8!

Gee thanks for a short, shallow and pointless article just giving you a vehicle to be negative abt birth and undermine a few women who approach it in a positive and drug-free way.

Certainly never happened for my 3 births - never heard of it from anyone I know either. My 1st & second births I only had the gas and the third birth was totally drug free. Maybe only "special" people experience it, or the drugs they had were really good???. Can't think of anything worse than the pain of childbirth! Thank God I'm never going there again, but can't help feeling for my daughters - one has had 2 beautiful girls with no problems.

I came (no pun intended) as close as I can imagine to utter bliss with the birth of my second baby, a daughter, last August. Whereas my first birth experience, a son, was traumatic and prolonged, painful and a struggle - mostly because I was freaked out and fighting all the way - the second time, I lay back, did what was recommended by my Obstetrician and lovely midwife. I rode those terrible waves of pain and nausea, relaxed when I wanted to seize up and clamp shut, closed my eyes, slackened every muscle in my body, shut up and it was very enjoyable. Besides being a miracle, which I appreciated for the last time, it was very close to 'euphoric'. Is that perhaps the correct word you are looking for when you sensationalise the headline with 'orgasm'?

Hi first of all I would like to say, this is the first time i comment....Normally i cannot be bothered with the questions. however, this theme has stirred something in me.... I have a 3 years daughter, her arrival in this world was FANTASTIC.... I cannot say it was orgasmic, because its not the same physical feeling.....but it was orgasmic in an emotional way....Maybe its just too hard to explain. My daughter was born without drugs, not even gas. the pain cannot be described as such... I have had worse ear pain than child bearing.... Maybe it is the hormonal cocktails that makes women describe as orgasmic....Anyway, , the father of my child has given me many orgasms, but the orgasm of my child coming into my arms was NOT the same.... Aida

Wow. I experienced this with 2 out of my 3 births. At the time of delivery of my 2nd I had a full blown orgasism and then was "sensitive" for a couple of weeks after. My hubby and I were having sex by the 2nd day after. I am so glad to read this as I was embarressed before and to top it off am not generally highly sexed. Maybe woman experience some new feelings but arent too sure?

Write a comment

Email: *
Your email will not be shared with any third parties or published with your comment.
Nickname: *
Location: *

Title:
*
Comment:
*
Maximum characters 1000

* Indicates required field

Comment guidelines > View full guidelines

Avoid using:

Personal attacks
Irrelevant comments
HTML tags
Personal information
Offensive language
Text in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

comment guidelines X

Thank you for sharing your opinions with other users of NineMSN. People will find your comments more helpful if you include relevant information and avoid some common pitfalls.

Please note: All reviews and comments submitted are subject to moderation, NineMSN reserves the right to alter and / or remove any content that does not comply with usage guidelines.

What to include in your comment:

A title that briefly summarizes the opinion expressed in the comment.
Additional comments adding more detail.
Comparisons to other similar products, if this is relevant.
To create a new paragraph, press the Enter key twice.

What not to include:

Information that will quickly go out of date.
Comments on other comments or commenters.
Language that other users may find offensive.
comments of one sentence or less. Provide information to support your opinion.
Personal information like your email address or telephone number.
HTML coding. Tags like <b> or <i> will not be recognized.

Grazia galleries

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards

Dries Van Noten SS 10 RTW

Roland Mouret SS 10 RTW

Blog columnists

The preen teamBeauty & health director Lucinda Pitt and Beauty editor Tracey Withers tackle life's important issues

First in, best dressedFashion features director Glynis Traill-Nash's view from the front row

Out of the pantry!Food columnist Matthew Evans shares his current gastronomic obsessions

From the cupboardGrazia's interns let us peek inside the beauty and fashion cupboards ...

Diary of a fashion shootBehind-the-scenes and on location with the Grazia's fashion team. Did someone say drama?

Catwalk blogGet your virtual seat in the front row with instant show reports from our editors

Grazia newsletter

Get instant news on fashion, shopping, celebrity, beauty and much, much more delivered straight to your inbox – brilliant!
SIGN UP

right_most_popular_articles

Most popular articles

1.The Thin By Friday Diet: the Four Day plans

2.Gossip Girl stars vie for the booby prize

3.The Thin By Friday Diet

4.Starry night at the museum

5.Kate's hair flies solo

Hot topics

Celebrities(155)/ Fashion(154)/ Movies(35)/ Beauty(31)/ Models(28)/ Shopping(22)/ Fashion week(19)/ Miranda Kerr(17)/ Madonna(17)/ Kate Moss(17)/ TV shows(17)