The Doula Movement Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future​

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Today, the evidence supporting doula care is robust. A recent blog and podcast by Rebecca Dekker on Evidence Based Birth eloquently states this facts and cites compelling statistics that demonstrate the profound impact of continuous labor support. From reducing the risk of cesarean birth to increasing the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth, doulas play a pivotal role in improving birth outcomes.#OrgasmicBirth #Podcast #VBAC #CesareanBirth #BirthPreparation #FertilityJourney #PregnancyLoss #BirthPlans #CesareanBirth #PlannedCesarean #Healing #CommunitySupport #BirthChoices #BirthingExperience #MedicalDecisions #DoulaStories
Visit https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/ for more information on how to Positively Prepare for birth and parenting.

The State of World Doulas

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The State of World Doulas or Exploring the Global Landscape of Doula Care​ICI Step 4: Offering Continuous Support during labor and birth including doulas.
The ICI includes how Doulas play a crucial role in providing continuous support, contributing to positive birthing experiences and improved outcomes for mothers and newborns.
This week I am celebrating the longstanding presence of doulas in Brazil. Sophia Feldman Maternity Hospital in Brazil is a pioneer in the implementation of ICI and a shining example of the integral role doulas play in maternity care.

Orgasm can be a tool for pleasure in pregnancy, birth and parenting​

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The Power of Orgasm
The female orgasm is an incredibly powerful experience.

It’s described differently by every woman, with some experiencing full-body waves of pleasure and others feeling pleasure more directly concentrated in their core.

But all women can likely agree that orgasm is beyond any level of pleasure they have felt otherwise.

More important than the physical experience, though, is the spiritual.

The female orgasm is a primal pleasure. During orgasm, we lose all sense of self and ego. We exist only in the pleasure we feel, and this can lead into a fullblown feeling of transcendence. The out-of-body experience can be a lession in how to harness your power and overcome the physical pains of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

birth_faith

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The birth of our love child turned out to be a testament to love. We trusted our baby, she trusted me, and luckily we got a midwife who trusted us both. That alone made what could have been a chaotic and fearful hospital birth, where nearly all my wishes were thrown out the window, into a dignified and strengthening experience that we can all be proud of.

A Powerful Homebirth Story

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For some time now I have believed in the power of the moon energy for birth and conception. This birth’s timing reaffirms this for me.

I went into this pregnancy aiming to stay calm and at peace. I did pretty well. I focused on prepping my mindset and noticed the mind/body connection.

Powerful Homebirth Stories

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I knew the moment after James was born that I wanted to do that again! But it took a long time to be ready for it. In the meantime I was going through my journey into the Feminine. I read all about Orgasmic Birth. I trained as a birth doula, a prenatal yoga teacher and a Reiki practitioner. In fact, I’m pretty confident that it was while I was practicing Reiki on my husband that the conception vessel opened and we got pregnant again. There was no extra preparation or trying this time.

Are you Clitorite?

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Birth is designed to be orgasmic, the fluttering vaginal contractions of orgasm initiated by the pressure of the fetal head also help ease the baby out. The engorgement of the vestibular bulbs and the crura provide a cushion for the back of the baby’s head to protect it from the hard bones of the pubic arch. All mammals evolved to have vaginal orgasm at birth to help their offspring out. Orgasm by external stimulation during sex is an added bonus.

Why Don’t Doctors Study the Clitoris?

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“Every patient who enters Dr. Rubin’s office, regardless of age, is taken on a tour of their own vulva. No longer is a sheet draped over a patient’s legs for the pelvic exam — a convention that Dr. Rubin believes helps keep women’s “private parts” shameful and hidden. Instead, Dr. Rubin starts by handing her patient a long-handled mirror to see the same anatomy that she will be examining.

With a Q-tip, Dr. Rubin probes each part of the vulva for pain, pointing out the labia minora, labia majora and vaginal opening as her patient follows along. Then, she checks under the clitoral hood for adhesions or other skin conditions. The entire exam usually takes under five minutes. “We go at your pace,” she said recently in an exam with a 62-year-old woman, who was experiencing pain after sex. “You’re the boss of this show.””

Inside Magazine Features Orgasmic Birth

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Rodríguez, who works as a doula in Cancún, said she experienced the kind of orgasmic birth that Pascali-Bonaro referred to, which Rodríguez described as “intense, orgasmic states of mind.” She added that while giving birth she also experienced sexual orgasms.

Why Cashell Became a Doula

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I loved learning from the various specialists (lactation consultant, midwife, etc.). I loved how empowered, inspired, and informed I felt after each class. I felt so fortunate to receive life-changing training from such a knowledgeable and passionate teacher (Debra) from the comfort of my home.

Doing it at home

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What an important and personal discussion I had with Sarah Bivens from Doing It At Home, a company helping parents to feel confident, prepared and excited for home birth She shared a bit of her own birth story and decision to change from a hospital birth to a home birth and then we dove deep into her practices that include utilizing sexual energy for manifestation, healing and joy (as opposed to only looking at it for procreation, fun and/or duty)!

She shared how important it is for us to do our own work on having healthy relationship to sexuality and went onto discuss sexuality as a pillar of health (in all senses of the term) that impacts creativity and expression.

Watch our conversation below.

4 Reasons We Struggle with Pleasure

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Tilly shared her story of how her first birth opened her up to a pleasurable birth experience and she wanted that feeling of being fully connected to her body again without having to be in labor. She explains how “Birth has a way of awakening and pushing up our trauma and drama “ and how healing is at the root of what holds many people back from experiencing their pleasure and desire to its fullest. Yes!! For me this is so important to consider as pregnancy, birth, and early parenting benefit so much from healing and as Tilly said acknowledging that intergenerational trauma – what is handed down from our ancestors, impacts us and now as a new parent you have a choice of bringing healing and providing your children with a different story and healthy connection to their body, pleasure, and sexuality. I asked her and ask you to consider what the world would be like if everyone had a positive relationship to your body, pleasure, and sexuality with great sexual education so you can experience your pleasure in birth to its fullest?

I would love to hear your thoughts?

Best Day of Her Life Birth Story

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My husband ran to press the button that opens the condominium door on the bottom floor (we’re on the third). He ran back to me, I pushed out our baby, and he put her on my chest. The whole birth team rushed in together. “We’re here!!! OMG you did it!! We’re here! You did amazing!!” I heard the click-click of the camera. I had done it. Maria Elena was so sweet looking up at me. She stretched and seemed to like having extra space. We stared at each other. It was pure magic.

pandemic rainbow baby

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I had a very smooth pregnancy and actually felt some gratitude towards this crazy situation (Covid). I normally travel a lot for work and was worried that my work travel schedule would create stress during my pregnancy. Since we had to be at home, I really slowed down, became more present, and even further connected with my husband during this special time in our lives. Up until little Oliver’s arrival, I stayed as active as possible walking, swimming, and practicing yoga.

Ways to help Ukrainian Pregnant People

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Together with the help of many birth keepers, we’ve compiled a list of the birth groups and ways you can donate, send supplies and hold both the MotherBaby-Families and those providing care in your heart and prayers for safety, strength, and with love. We will continue to surround them with love and support in these challenging times.

Please comment below or email us to add additional resources. Our document is a living doc, and we will update as more information comes in.

Ideal Birth Rooms

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A hospital with a bed and stirrups is definitely lacking in privacy and feeling unobserved, and it may not be as safe as you’d like.

The process of labor and birth is controlled by a carefully orchestrated set of hormones and processes. These processes are enhanced by the environment and the comfort and calm that can be maintained. A birthing person feeling stress or adrenaline will reduce the building hormones needed to continue moving labor forward.

So, when you walk into a birth room and only see a bed and stirrups, your response should be “what else do you have available for comfort and privacy during birth?”

A Single Mother’s Home Birth Story

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One of her proudet moments, 💓💫
The home birth of her second daughter.
The pregnancy she experienced as a single mama.
The birth she planned as a single mama.
The birth she achieved as a single mama.
And now raising her two girls as a single mama.

How to become a doula

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DONA International is one of the oldest and most respected Doula Organizations in the world. I’ve been a Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer for most of my career, and I am honored to be a part of this exceptional organization. Read my guide to becoming a DONA certified doula.

Birth is Sexual: 5 Reasons Why

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The anatomy of birth is the anatomy of pleasure, intimacy, and sacred sexuality. Birth moves a baby through a cervix, vagina, opens the labia, and touches clitoral nerves – all that under the right conditions can also bring pleasure and orgasm. I always say if you were to tell a person with a penis that they would have sensations there for over 10 hours, but that it isn’t sexual, that they would look at you like they were crazy!

Free Childbirth Hub by Choices in Childbirth

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After a year-long, community-centered process led by Every Mother Counts, the Choices in Childbirth series launches this week! This is a FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND educational hub for pregnancy, birth, and beyond–including films, worksheets, and helpful advice to guide every stage of your maternity care … Continued

6 Birth Experiences

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How Birth Effected her Sexuality TW: miscarriage    shared by Aimee I have had six incredible birth journeys, each one beautifully supported and held. I felt empowered to make my own decisions and supported to traverse to the depths of … Continued

Homebirth story

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The First Sight is Everything – Homebirth Story of Danae The hardest, proudest, most intense, beautiful, empowering, healing, soul connecting, incredible experience of my life! ~ birthing my son at home. Never in a million years did I think I … Continued

Survivors Give Birth

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If you need support contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 When Survivors Give Birth Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault Our webinar covered difficult feelings that can be challenging, and yet is essential to talk about. I hope as you listen … Continued

Healthline Orgasmic Labor and Birth: Could It Be for You?

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By the time you got pregnant, chances are you saw plenty of people on TV and in movies having painful, difficult births, complete with lots of screaming and crying (and maybe a spouse’s hand being squished, too).

But what if birth didn’t have to be anything like that? What if it could be pleasurable? It turns out that there’s a movement trying to help more people experience this type of orgasmic birth.

Contraction Stations

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I felt like I had to learn how to push.

It was the most POWERFUL feeling I could ever imagine and I was in awe of my animal nature. It was as if the power of all the women before me was coming through as I roared and roared. Laurence and Francesca were like my cheerleaders. They were so so amazing, words can’t explain.

Catch Your Own Baby

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Catching Your Own Baby shared by Hannah Atterberry, Empowerment Birth Services My birth was such an incredible journey. It was long… it was intense… and oh. So. Satisfying! Intense, transcending, beautiful, empowering, powerful all describe my birth perfectly. My daughter … Continued

Lotus en caul Birth Story

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One of the greatest joys of being the founder of the Orgasmic Birth movement is meeting people around the world who are in all different places of healing and expanding into their vision for birth and parenting.

I’ll never forget meeting Sarah-Jane at our Eat Pray Doula retreat in Bali. It was particularly special because Sarah-Jane was preparing to welcome her second child. We were not only able to spend a beautiful time together during our eight-day retreat, but afterwards we enjoyed many hours together as she moved through the many emotions and healing from her first birth as she prepared for her second.

I loved watching her create her incredible and supportive birth team as she prepared for a beautiful Orgasmic Birth. I’m so excited to share our special webinar – reconnecting and sharing not only her ecstatic birth story but with inspirational tips and wisdom as she is birthing forward her wisdom in some very special ways.

Seeing each person find their power in birth is an honour beyond what I have words to describe, I invite you to hear for yourself Sarah-Jane’s power of birth. ~Debra

Empowering Birth Story

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Empowering Birth Story Today I want to share the story of one of my doula clients, Naomi.  Here’s what Sara Elizabeth, another student, had to say about watching Naomi’s birth story: “The videos of Naomi’s first and second birth experiences … Continued

How to have an Orgasmic Birth

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Having an Orgasmic Birth with Renee Rodriguez Renée Rodriguez talks about her experience of pregnancy as a woman in the corporate world and how she was able to explore birth options that were as dynamic as her changing life. She … Continued

Become A Doula

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Are you ready to begin your doula practice or learn how to support your partner, friend, or family at their birth? BECOME A DOULA Download my free guide9 Steps to become a working doula [in less than 1 month] Plus, … Continued

sensual birth

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Renée Rodriguez talks about her experience of pregnancy as a woman in the corporate world and how she was able to explore birth options that were as dynamic as her changing life. She highlights how involving sexuality throughout both of her labors transformed her state of mind and being, ultimately leading to two orgasmic births. With her stories, she aims to emphasize that you don’t need perfect conditions or a perfect pregnancy to have an orgasmic birth.

Find more resources for expectant parents: https://orgasmicbirth.thinkific.com/for-parents

3 Tips for a Pleasure Packed Pussy

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Yanique Bell is a Tantric Intimacy and Empowerment Coach, also known as the Pussy Queen. She helps wild-hearted woman reclaim their pussies and unlock their sacred potential.

She got her Bachelor’s in Religion from Princeton University, where as a former pre-med student, she focused on the relationship between Religion and Science. A long-time lover of the mystical with a deep hunger for knowledge, Yanique takes an approach to healing and actualization that weaves both ancient wisdom and modern science. She’s gone from being a celibate people-pleasing Christian good-girl, someone who was “holy and broken” to a woman who is “whole and complete.” And now, she’s here to guide you deeper and deeper into YOUR personal wild.

She joined my Orgasmic Birth Practitioner Members (interested, learn more here) for a webinar and I’m excited to share a snippet of that with you today.

5 Reasons to Hire a Doula

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Are you dreaming of your birth with many swirling emotions? 
Would you like to have a safe, gentle birth with respect and love? 
Are you afraid of the pain and wondering if you can do it? 
Are you confused? 

There are so many options and stories it’s hard to know what is best.
A doula can make the difference to help you achieve the birth you desire!

How Well Do You Know Your Vagina

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Carolyn DeLucia, MD., FACOG is a board-certified OB/GYN helping women to regain their feminine empowerment through sexual wellness by solving painful sex, lack of sensation, and pleasure. She helps women to restore their confidence, reconnect with their partners and reclaim their lives. She is also the author of Ultimate Intimacy.

Dr. DeLucia shares a review of female anatomy, G-Spot, Clitoris and the effects of childbirth, menopause, and estrogen on the vaginal walls and sexual sensation.

She also shares a beautiful understanding of how our vulvas are each like a snowflake, beautiful, and unique.

Birth of Harmony

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🌝🌺

My dharma is to raise you, Harmony Riot, in the consciousness of this Essence which lives and breathes inside of you. I love you from the depths of my being and I will model to you how to love yourself above all else and then offer that love to the world 🌎

WOMBen… take your power back, reclaim your birth, you just might hold more strength than you realize… I bow to you, Namaste 🙏

3 Key Topics Birth Practitioners Need To Know

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Our guest, Sheila Kamara Hay shares 3 key topics birth practitioners need to know to support pleasurable birth. You’ll learn about reconnecting with your body’s wisdom, expansive pleasure, and how to have an ecstatic birth amongst the intensity that comes with labor. She calls this “Body, Bliss, and Ecstatic Birth”. If you want to watch Sheila’s full interview and other guest experts, be sure to join our wait list for our Orgasmic Birth Practitioners: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/practitionerwaitlist

Pregnant and Empowered

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Elizabeth Clyde, the author of Pregnant and Empowered, retells her birth stories and discusses her experience as an African American millennial mother. She advises pregnant people to make birth a mental experience and to make it their own. She found the presence of mind to be a powerful, reflexive tool that is useful whether a birth experience is a marathon or a sprint. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of advocating as the primary care for your child and explores how disparities emerge from lack of encouragement toward education. The power in birthing and nursing a child is one that should be chosen but is too often stolen away.

Birthing Goddess Birth Story

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Regardless, I had set everything up to make sure this birth was everything I wanted. I had been suprised weeks before, on return from a rare outting, by Bodhi and Clint, who had decorated our loungeroom and from that moment on it was referred to as our birthing space. Bodhi meticulously positioned the birth pool in the exact spot it was for his birth, we had blockout curtains on every doorway, fairy lights, affirmations, crystals, diffusers, homeopathy, essential oils, blankets, towels, baby cloths, cloth nappies, GoPros and cameras set up… I wanted to spend time floating in the birth pool before birthing in there with Clint and Bodhi in the pool too, and my birth plan even listed Bodhi as one of the people to “catch the baby”. I had taken him shopping in the weeks leading up for his own mirror as he had become equally as obsessed as me with watching birthing videos and seeing the baby crown. I had an Erykah Badu playlist ready (I think she’s a Queen and FUN FACT she is a Doula; more on that at another time), I had planned everything to the T. Which oils would be in the diffuser at each stage of labour, I had premixed roller bottles with instructions of when and how to apply, I had a memo on the wall of when to call Janine and Me

Twin Homebirth Story

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After many months of struggling to conceive and with the help of fertility assistance, we were finally pregnant! I went in for an early ultrasound to make sure everything was progressing normally and then – TWINS!! The first thought that went through my head was – “oh no!!! My birth!!” Thinking I may be doomed to a medicalized hospital birth or cesarean. Little did I know I was already under the care of remarkable midwives who had vast experience supporting twin home births, so the doors of possibilities for a positive and peaceful home birth experience were still wide open to me!

12 Pleasurable Birth Rights

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Let’s talk about our Rights In Birth.

Not just those that we “expect” like quality care, and respect, but even more. It’s time to start demanding that birth is more than just another medical procedure, that it can be full of love, pleasure and power.

Today, I’m sharing with you what I call your “Pleasure Rights” in Birth.

1. You have a right to a Pleasurable Birth (SHOCKING? But I believe it’s the basis of all rights in birth.)

Know your options in birth

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Caroline, a Doula and birth photographer from Belgium walks us through her two different birth stories and talks about how she learned from the first to advocate throughout the second. This involved making decisions based on what felt right for her body and overall exploring her options and finding ways to make them possible. Caroline discusses the important role that movement played in her second birth and how the support of her birth “crew” felt like the final pieces coming together for her complete experience.

Benefits of Sex

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In this article, Megan Harrison from Couples Candy provides a rundown on all of the health benefits of having sex. From living longer to being smarter and having a ton of fun while doing so. Unadulterated, consensual, fabulous sex is often a … Continued

A Sacred Birth

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Michelle and Rodrigo were able to grow through the sacred experience of birth as a couple. They highlight the importance of using a doula as well as educating onesself on the options of labor and knowing what to expect. Throughout their experience they prioritized honest communication and normalizing when things don’t go according to plan. Also, their discussion of a birth ambiance featuring a neutral yet decorated safe space mentions the use of calling upon ancestry for assistance and support.

Follow the Lead of Your Body and Baby

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Nienke de Leeuw, a midwife of Vive, a group based in Amsterdam, talks us through her two birth stories and her discovery, exploration, and experience of orgasmic birth. She describes a transformation she took on within her role as a midwife to explore pleasure and joy in birth as a result of her own experiences and expansion of ideology. Nienke also discusses the benefits she has experienced with sensual dance and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing self love before and after pregnancy.

Prepare your space for birth

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Reena, a Balinese midwife, moved to Belgium with her partner and gave birth to two children in a completely new culture. We got together to catch up, and she shares with me about her first and second births, the things she changed, and how she healed.
Using all of her knowledge as a midwife, her first birth experience, and her love of Bali, Reena worked to create an environment that would remind her of the comforts of her Bali home. With the help of a supportive team, Reena was able to feel confident in her second birth.

Labor Induction

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Induction of labor has become increasingly common but is not always successful because of how it differs from physiological onset of labor. The optimal number of oxytocin receptors are often not yet ready during induction which means contractions can be longer, stronger, and closer together. This hormonal gap can be closed, however, with skin to skin contact as well as breastfeeding.

Closing Hormonal Gaps When Giving Birth by Cesarean

While pre-labor cesarean sections can lead to hormone gaps for MotherBaby, beginning labor before the cesarean birth can limit these effects. This allows hormones such as catecholamine to surge and ready the baby to exit the womb. Skin to skin contact and breastfeeding are post-labor ways to bridge the hormone gap as well. Find out more about Dr. Sarah Buckley’s perspectives on gentle cesarean births.

Labor Pain Prevention

In Part II of our six-part video series with Dr. Sarah Buckley, we weigh the benefits and risks of using an epidural for pain management in labor.

Our naturally occurring hormones of labor also act as pain relievers.

Together with Dr. Buckley we discuss how these work, how an epidural can effect our hormones, and ways to close the gaps when we do need an epidural.

We do want to honor those that chose to have an epidural. No one should ever suffer in birth and sometimes an epidural is the right choice.

However, knowing all of the benefits and risks, will help you weigh whether an epidural is right for you.

Watch below for more.

Hormones of Childbirth

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Your Brain, Birth and Pleasure: Mother Nature’s Superb Design – Dr. Sarah Buckley discusses the positive feedback loop of hormones in childbirth.  Learn why birth is designed to be the best first date ever to fall in love and get ready for a lifetime of parenting.  Understand how to have an ecstatic birth,  how to set up a birth environment according to the science of our brains and why birthing a baby requires the same environment as making a baby.

Story of a Birth Warrior

Stella looked curiously into our eyes. It felt as if I had always had her in my arms. After about 40 minutes Josh cut the cord and we went up. The midwives thought I was bleeding a little too much so they gave me a shot of synthetic oxytocin to stop the bleeding quicker. On my way into our bedroom I said that I wanted to do this at least 10 more times. Everyone laughed. In the light of a torch, Leopi gave me a few stitches since I had tore a little bit, probably because I had pushed so hard and fast. At last we got into bed and the midwives left quietly. The following day they came back to check on us and Stella. We stayed in bed for the rest of the week and were cared for by friends and family who came over with nutritious meals. That way we could spend all our energy on our little star.

Home Birth Skeptic to Believer

When I became a doula 5 months after my VBAC birth, I didn’t “believe” in home birth. As if home birth needs me to believe in it (ha!). And less than a year and a half later I would be giving birth in a fishy pool in my living room. I had preconceived notions about home birth being unsafe, about mothers and babies dying, about home birth being something only radical and rebellious people did (I hadn’t quite tuned into that part of my life yet). And yet, when I decided on my youngest son’s 1st birthday to have another baby, and subsequently found myself pregnant 3 weeks later, I couldn’t help but feel curious about it.

2nd Birth Helps Kaitlin Find Her Power for the First Time

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This birth turned off the little voice in my head that shut down every ambition and good idea I had and turned on my self-confidence, my power, my curiosity, and erased every bit of fear I have ever had. It was a transformative moment that changed me forever. The work I did during my pregnancy, the support team I built for myself, the active role I took in my birth, it all had impacts far beyond the delivery room, and is the fuel behind my lifelong passion to improve the maternal experience.

cesarean-birth-of-cesar

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When Birth Isn’t What You Expected: 3 Lessons by Kaitlin McGreyes Kaitlin had three very different births that reflect her journey from new mom to seasoned birthworker and advocate for women’s health. Each experience offered lessons and room for growth … Continued

Bengkung Belly Binding

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Bengkung or Stagen is considered as the ancient way of healing. This product’s primary function for the postnatal mother is to make the mother feel warm and comfortable.

Every Detail

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Our home birth was so amazing, I keep going over the events in my mind, hoping to remember every little detail. It was three months ago now, and I still get goosebumps.

Ecstatic and Embodied

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by Nena Complo When you were almost here, about ready to emerge I knelt upon my bed, and fell into deep prayer To you I told you about everyone in the room, loving you and waiting for you I confided … Continued

Mexican Rebozo

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by Alejandra Lozano, LCCE, Midwife, Orgasmic Birth Community Manager Since the birth of her son Mariano, she became passionate about birth, and began her preparation to become a professional and traditional midwife, with the intention that more women have the … Continued

Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss

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October is Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month. About one in four pregnancies ends in pregnancy loss. For many people this can be an emotional process, and it is important that they receive care in a setting that is comfortable and safe.

Amy Wright Glenn, the Founder of The Institute for Birth, Breathe and Death has a special, limited time offer for you to expand your knowledge in supporting families around loss.

Prepare for an Orgasmic Birth

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You are the expert on your body and your baby! Your care providers should be like lifeguards there to help you when you need assistance, but otherwise they sit quietly in the corner as you navigate the gentle waters, giving you the privacy and safety you need to experience the intimacy and joy of childbirth.

How do you begin to prepare for an Orgasmic Birth?

empowering-second-birth

I coped so well through that labour. I was lying in bed but comfortable, totally in lala labourland. But at one point a nurse came in and tried asking me some questions. I was so in the zone that I could only answer with a slight nod of my head.

“She must know better than me…”
She then told me “I know you wanted to avoid the epidural but if you can’t even speak with me now how on earth are you going to push a baby out?”.

The Bali Birth of Augustus

I woke up around 5am due to a light ache in my belly. I knew that it was a beginning and I felt very quiet. I just knew that we would meet very soon and decided to continue sleeping and give Arturas time to rest. Every morning we had the same things: fresh papayas, oatmeal with dates, sesame seeds and peanut butter, but this time it felt different. It was a strange feeling overall, I felt slow, everything I did was slower than usual, thinking, moving around, almost like taking time to experience every moment in full. I felt like I had a secret which no one saw or knew about. But there were special processes within me – the little one was coming into this world.

History of the Labor of Aixa Laxmi

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I had these intense and close-knit contractions for over 14 hours, and now comes the surprising thing about my case: Those uterine contractions were completely painless to me.

Despite the stupefaction of the nurses and the gynecologist who attended me, my uterine contractions were completely painless …

On multiple occasions they offered me epidural anesthesia, I always rejected it. I felt no pain at all.

What was going on in my uterus? For a time I thought that I might have some kind of special sensitivity to pain. But later I found out that it wasn’t that at all.

PLEASURES: 9 Steps to Transform Your Life {After Baby}

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I honor and celebrate you! You have become (or are about to become) a parent. You are doing the most important job in the world to shape the next generation with your love and parenting.

I remember when I first became a parent and wondered why there is no preparation for parenting that includes all the changes you will experience in your relationship and sexuality.

I couldn’t find any book that honored this aspect of the major life transition of parenting.

There was nothing out there that celebrated mothers, and all birthing people, and our new and changed bodies.

A Romantic Birth Story

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Childbirth is a portal of self-knowledge and connection, and motherhood is a channel for the present. I was studying postmodern midwifery at the Da-a-Luz school, Andalucía, Spain, in a community very focused on women, nature and alternative ways of living. Most of the people there live in trailers, caravans and tents; they spend most of the day outside and live very closely with their neighbors. The school’s classes take place in a vagina-shaped building, and we study inside the womb. After having spent 5 years using IUDs, and 4 of them without menstruating, it was a huge reconnection with my feminine to know this school and these people: to live with women planting their menstrual blood, holding women’s circles, singing at the fire and bathing in the river. After the first year at school, I got pregnant by my partner Elijah, and we decided to give birth there.

The Birth of Noli

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Join our Pleasurable Birth Essentials Online Class to Positively Prepare for your Birth!

“I knew this birth would be different from Odyns, from all that came in between, and it was my second baby after all, but I don’t think I could’ve seen this. Since around December 12 I’d been having start and stop contractions and felt like labor would come at any time. Of course the next weeks were torture because nothing ever came of any of it…”

El nacimiento de Mariano

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El nacimiento de Mariano, el día que pari mi cuerpo.

Desde el momento en que supe que estaba embarazada todo mi pensamiento se fue a investigar el proceso, los cambios que sucederían, el desarrollo de mi bebé y el parto, lo que mas me intrigaba era el tema de la epidural, le tenia una especie de terror a esa intervención… no había a quien preguntarle mas que a mi mamá que decía que no era para tanto, seguí investigando hasta que encontré la opción del parto en agua en Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, lo que me llevo a encontrar cursos de preparación para el parto (me sirvieron muchísimo) y fue donde encontré a mi partera, en ese momento mi vida cambio totalmente, estaba decidida a tener un parto en casa (y a convertirme en partera), no había otra opción posible en mi cabeza, así tendría que ser, a costa de lo que fuera.

My Journey to Become a Midwife

Hi! I’m Alejandra Lozano, a Midwife in continuous learning and development. My history has been long and will continue, today I want to share a little bit of it…

The love for midwifery started when I got pregnant and I meet the midwives who would attend the birth of my son Mariano, who is 8 years old today. As soon as I met the first midwife I had ever seen in my entire life, I felt a deep admiration and inspiration inside me that led me to forget about my birth for a few moments and strongly desire to be a Midwife, I wanted it so much so much that I said it out loud without thinking, that was the beginning of everything…

I accompanied the first birth as a doula, I quickly realized that my place was not in hospitals. I love being a Doula and it’s a job that I deeply honor, yet my heart has always belonged to midwifery and home births. Then my Midwife became my teacher, and when my son was 2 years old she started teaching me.

Birth Story of Mika

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I began moaning and doing my best to keep the sound flowing, as it seemed to help me stay afloat. With my knees on the floor and my arms gripping the pillows tightly in front of me, my body was in control. I attempted to quiet my mind and began rocking back and forth now, as opposed to side to side like I’d done while standing. I kept thinking about how I should try to perceive the sensations as interesting instead of painful. Some of the time, I found I was able to flow through part of a contraction as though I were simply witnessing an intense feeling, observing a wild ride that my body was on. Though, much of the time, I was experiencing it as the most intense pain I’ve ever felt, only comparable to the birth of my son.

A Peaceful Induced Birth ​

I fell back to using my hypnobirthing practices, telling myself to breathe through each contraction rather than letting myself get upset and tense. I genuinely feel that this mindset is what allowed me to have such a peaceful and wonderful birthing experience.

I climbed onto all fours and leaned my top half over a beanbag for support. My body told me to sway my hips back and forth and I gave in, listening to every cue that I was being given.

Ruhi Iris Rain Birth Story

I’m pretty sure that you were conceived just before Christmas and during one of the craziest storms I’ve ever experienced. I was supporting someone as their doula at the birth centre here in Ubud, and Daddy was in Java working. The energy from the birth combined with that of the storm made for a crazy night. I was taking a quick breather outside the birth room in the middle of the night, when one of the midwives walked past and said, “I didn’t know that you were pregnant”. “I’m not” I replied. Suastini looked at me funny. I later learned that she has an innate intuition for knowing when people are pregnant. Sometimes, it turns out, even before they do themselves.

You were also born during an epic storm on the night that the following rainy season started. It rained through the roof of our house and in through the ceiling of the room we were birthing in.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Birth Story of Amalya Ivy

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Interestingly, Daddy and I had only very recently had a conversation about having another baby. About how, after being told that it was unlikely that we would have children naturally and trying for three and a half years for Indi, we felt incredibly blessed and completely accepting of the fact that we may only have one child.

Clearly you had other ideas about that!

Indi and I went for a walk to the pharmacy and that night, after she was asleep and without thinking to tell Daddy about my suspicions, I did the pregnancy test. I was so shocked at the positive result that I couldn’t speak and just went downstairs and showed it to Papa. Understandably, he was a little confused about the situation, and it took a few minutes for what he was seeing to sink in.

We sat and held one another for quite a long time while we let the news soak in. What a truly wonderful Christmas gift. I did have one concern though: how on earth was I going to find the same amount of love for another baby, that I had for your sister? Was my capacity to love that great?

Apart from nausea and some extra tiredness until I was around 14 weeks pregnant, early pregnancy was fairly uneventful with you! The biggest challenge for me was breastfeeding your sister through the intensely sensitive nipples I had during those first weeks! My pregnancy was busy, healthy and active and the months whizzed by. Naturally, we planned a home birth for you.

Acupressure and Acupuncture during Birth: An Integrative Guide for Acupuncturists and Birth Professionals

Over long years teaching acupuncturists and students at a busy L&D unit in New York, and listening carefully to other birth professionals such as Debra, I have come to rely on needles less and less. Instead I focus mainly on understanding what is happening in birth from the perspective of Yin or Yang abundance or deficiency, and the free or obstructed flow of Qi. From that understanding, I teach a mixture of approaches for helping out before, during and after birth, using Chinese home care methods such as foot soaks, exercises and simple dietary modifications, as well as acupressure and Chinese bodywork (Tuina). Few acupuncturists are allowed to needle in hospitals, but most of them have friends, family and beloved patients who can benefit from their insight and touch throughout the birth journey. I therefore proposed to the publisher that the book should be a resource of primarily non-needling approaches for acupuncturists, and they agreed.

Birth Story of Indira

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Daddy and I were swimming in a lagoon off of Tsoi Lik, when it occurred to me that my bleeding was almost a week late, which never happened. In fact, after almost three and a half years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, we were near to giving up hope of having a baby. Grandma had come to Papua New Guinea on holiday and the three of us were adventuring in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea’s most remote.

Floating in that magical lagoon, I took deep calming breaths.

I could be pregnant.

I told Papa.

5 Steps for Achieving an Orgasmic Birth

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In my documentary, Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, Dr. Sarah Buckley says: “Personally I think the most effective form of pain relief for a laboring woman is to have people around her to support her and with whom she feels comfortable and relaxed.If she’s in a state where the hormones are working superbly as they do in an undisturbed birth, the need for pain relief will be very low.”

This is an essential concept in all of my work – the need for privacy, safety, support and encouragement.

If you want to learn how to achieve a pleasurable birth, I have the roadmap for you.

Cliteracy

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Cliteracy
What a wonderful word!
I love the reaction I receive when I say the word clitoris. At our Eat Pray Doula retreats in Bali, Ibu Robin Lim has us all yell clitoris every time we take a group picture.

Yes we count to three and yell “clitoris” and the pictures captured are always amazing – every person shining and laughing. I have brought that tradition to my Birth Day Presence doula workshops in Brooklyn, NY with the same wonderful results.

You can see it now that you look, can’t you? 😂

Your Birth, My Day

So I began to envision my upcoming birth. I wrote a detailed birth plan – things to resolve, changes to make and an experience to embrace. Even without taking one test or sonogram during pregnancy, I remained positive about my body’s natural ability to birth my baby. I began a process of undoing some of the fearful thinking that had prevented me from experiencing motherhood on a more blissful level. I also began internalizing the belief that birth – as with other aspects of life – is very much a self-fulfilling prophecy. My state of mind will determine its outcome.
Friday night the week spring arrived, I lit Shabbat candles and began feeling signs of labor. I sat on the couch reading a newspaper as my almost-five-year-old daughter played in the empty birthing pool my husband had pumped up earlier. We wouldn’t fill it with water until I was ready to get inside so that the water would be warm.

The benefits and risks of hospital versus home births

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For the last fifty years, women have been told that hospital birth is safer than home birth, despite the research showing that this not true. Obviously, if you or your baby have a problem then having a hospital birth would be a sensible decision. If, however, you and your baby are fit and healthy home birth is as safe as birth in hospital.
Obstetric technology was developed to help women and babies with problems but, throughout the developed world those technologies are over-used, and as a result, many women end up with a cesarean operation to save them from the problems the interventions caused in the first place.

HOW TO HAVE YOUR BIG O BIRTH

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What if birth could be one of the most ecstatic, pleasurable and positive experiences of your life?
Our new ebook will guide you through the ABCs of Orgasmic Birth, how to use pleasure as a tool for birth and a bonus real-life orgasmic birth story.

Ecstasy and Loss: A birth story

For many years I had wanted to tell my story to someone who would totally understand and “get it” and that person was Debra Pascali-Bonaro. After sharing my birth stories with Debra in Bali, I have never felt so validated and heard before, it was such a beautiful moment to share together and will remain very special to me forever. Debra affirmed my experience, with celebration, gentleness and so much love and understanding, and it was such a pleasure to feel that I could be true to the truth of what happened in those moments of my life.

The Science Behind Doula Support

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Fortunately, the scientific community is finally catching up with what many of us already knew. There has been an overwhelming amount of studies with findings that are backing up the importance of having doula support during labor. These include fewer birth complications, reduced labor time, a decrease in pain levels, a boost in early breastfeeding scores, and positive mother-infant interaction. WeTheParents demonstrate the importance of 17 evidence-based benefits of doula-support.

Hand over your power in birth

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So, what can you do?

Review my ten tips above and think about their importance for you to be able to open to birth. Birth is intimate and requires the same hormones to flow as when we are opening to orgasm. Things that will disturb your intimacy will disturb you when you are laboring and giving birth to your baby, can also make birth longer and more painful. Talk to your partner about your feelings, hire a doula and consider taking our online Pleasurable Birth Labor Essentials class to help you expand your Comfort and Pleasure kit, release your fears, and gain the confidence to create the birth your desire in any location with our tips and secrets to a birth filled with pleasure and love.

Euphoric Natural Homebirth

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At that moment 2 Fire fighters show up to witness my husband catching my daughter and lifting her up for the world to see. Not a drop of blood ended up on my husbands clothes or feet which to me is hilarious and amazing!

The moment I pushed her out was the most euphoric feeling I have ever felt.

Orgasmic Birth Creates Breastfeeding Ease

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Unrecognized by medicine for years, myself and other birth workers were noting that childbirth was a fully integrated mind-body-soul experience, full of hormone release, emotions, and with deeply sacred and physical components. It was apparent that birth was designed to create ease in breastfeeding, bonding and the important attachment of MotherBaby love. Dr. Sarah Buckley’s Hormonal Physiology report was the science to back up all we knew and believed deep down – that a challenging or traumatic birth was creating more difficulties to overcome, often making it harder to breastfeed, increasing risks of depression and adjustment to parenthood.

extended breastfeeding benefits

The larger a child grows the more a mother will be subjected to the judgment of others, and this can push some to give up on breastfeeding earlier than they otherwise would. 

Despite the World Health Organization recommending that breast milk can make up a part of a child’s diet for two years and beyond, it is rare to see Mothers make it past six months in western countries. 

But why?

Creating the Birth I long for

When I learned that I was pregnant to my second child the first thing that came to mind was “How am I going to give birth this time?”. My first birth although being quick and healthy was still a hospital birth and I felt very far from good during the whole process.

Mistreatment in Childbirth

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The “Giving Voice to Mothers Study” only further ignites my excitement to be named Co-Chair of the new International Childbirth Initiative (ICI). The International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization (IMBCO) and the Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) have joined forces developing a single global initiative to provide guidance and support for safe and respectful maternity care, building upon their previous work and incorporating the most recent evidence and insights into what constitutes optimal maternal and newborn health. The Initiative is endorsed by leading birth organizations around the world, and includes “12 Steps to Safe and Respectful MotherBaby-Family Maternity Care.”

Orgasms for the win!

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Orgasms for the win! I am honored to be included in Kelly Hoover Greenway’s article this week in Romper recently – “5 Benefits Of Orgasm During Pregnancy You Need To Know About!” “If you haven’t heard the term “orgasmic birth,” … Continued

Birth is birth is birth: All Birth Should be Celebrated

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On Sunday, February 11th I woke up feeling a little strange. Nonetheless, as mom’s do- I got ready and my family and I left for the 9:30am service at Orchard Hill Church in Wexford, PA. I was a bit nauseous during the service, and remember stepping out into the lobby for some air. When we returned home, I took this adorable photo of my son, which would become the last picture I took of him as an only child! He was SO excited to become a big brother, and took practicing very seriously.

Beautiful Work Challenge

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The Beautiful Work Challenge: On Birth
What are the essentials of birth? Who broke maternity care? Is transformation possible? Empowerment, disempowerment, the health of babies & society all begin at birth. Have you thought about these questions? I am honored to be a part along with many of my mentors, colleagues and friends in this powerful discussion in The Beautiful Work Challenge: On Birth–a new podcast.

Creating Space for Sexy Birth

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Creating Space for a Sexy Birth
with Debra Pascali-Bonaro and Amy L. Gilliland, Ph.D., BDT(DONA)
Amy Gilliland joined me for a sexy webinar all about pleasure and birth in any setting.

We share:

Creating comfortable space for your sexuality in birth (even in the hospital)
The role of a doula and partner for your sexy birth
How sexual beliefs, perception and trauma can get in the way of a pleasurable birth
“Great info!! Thank you. Loved the rule of 3, Friendliness hormone, and the fact that pleasure and safety go together. Looking forward to more of these webinars, Amy and Debra!!!”

6 Tips for a Loving, Pleasure-filled birth

Red Miller joined me for a pleasure filled, orgasmic webinar. It’s filled with so many amazing tips for finding your own pleasure in birth and life.

We share:
-Preparing for a Pleasurable Birth
-How to Claim your Power Instead of Giving it Away
-Orgasmic Birth is more than Orgasm
-Self-Love Practices Every Pregnant Mamma Needs
-The most loving way to address an intervention
-What do your throat and your vagina have in common?​​​​​​​

A Midwife’s Gentle Support of a Long Labor and Cesarean Birth

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Today I have a very special reason to thank and celebrate Midwife, Lonnie Morris for not only being my midwife 30 years ago at her birth center in New Jersey, but as a dear friend, colleague and most recently for caring for my daughter Megan and helping to welcome my 4th grandson Jordan into the world!Lonnie and I have had the opportunity to attend many births together – friends, family and clients and most recently for my daughter too.  It is so special when you can trust your children’s birth to the wise loving hands of a midwife you have know since my own births.

Tips for Birth Partners

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10 Years ago, we introduced you to Piper and Chaz as they welcomed their baby in our film, Orgasmic Birth. Since then, they have gone on to have 5 more babies, move to Hawaii, are unschooling their children, and are on a mission to support parents in their journeys to become parents.
Together they are Lovemore Lamaze, teaching Lamaze Childbirth Classes to expectant parents. Piper also serves families as a birth doula, midwife, and freebirthing consultant. Chaz shares his wisdom counseling partners in addressing their own fears and finding their intuition.
In our latest webinar, Piper and Chaz (along with cameos from the Lovemore pack), share their top tips for Communication and preparing for birth as partners. As Piper said “Birth is a grand foreshadowing of the tools you’ll need as a parent. So the less obstruction there is in downloading that information that is trying to come through, perhaps the more ease you’ll have in growing and expanding into parenthood.”

Who’s throwing Black Women in the River?

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Gabriella A. Nelson shares “”City planners were no innocent bystanders in the abusive history of Black women’s bodies… Evidence indicates that housing instability is associated with low and very low birth weights, preterm delivery, infants that are small for their gestational age, and maternal and infant mortality.”

A CBAC Story and Practice of Acceptance

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I gave myself to the process of birth. I trusted it unconditionally. I let go in every way that I could. I completely and entirely surrendered to my body and to the universe. I spent the years after my first cesarean truly soul-searching and working very hard on myself, to heal, to be at peace with my first birth story and most importantly to relinquish the concept of control. This took years of spiritual practice and yoga. When I got pregnant this time around, I felt empowered, peaceful and relaxed. I had no fear, no tension and no anxiety. I finally understood the connection amongst mind, body and soul, as it relates to pregnancy and birthing.

A Homebirth Midwives View of Hormones

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Birth is controlled by the natural flow of our hormones. It’s a perfectly orchestrated process for MotherBaby. As Valeriana says in our webinar below “it’s a perfectly choreographed dance with no dress rehearsal.”Watch our special webinar below and learn:Valeriana’s Top 6 books to read in pregnancyWhat’s a birth alter and why would you want to create oneWhy a homebirth supports hormones more than the hospitalWhy the pain of birth is extremely different than an injuryYou too can enjoy the flow of hormones at birth, as one of Valerian’s client’s said “hormones at birth made me feel like I was in an altered state, a lot like a dream. It allowed me to let go and just be with the experience. It took me out of my head, and put me into my body, I knew exactly what to do.”

Homebirth story with daddy catching

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“He saw the baby’s head come out, the baby sliding out and this time he was able to catch the baby! They then put her on my back to get some skin to skin. Daniel loved the experience and thought it was the best birth ever!”​

Bumps and Boobs

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About two and half years into my nursing career, I cared for a woman who changed the trajectory of what birth meant to me. She laughed her way through labor, made out with her husband between contractions, and was supported by her mother. This woman labored during a night shift, so the on-call OBGYN was asleep. It was just this woman, her husband, her mother and I, all working together to bring her baby into the world safely. Wow, what an incredible thing to be a part of! About two weeks after I helped this woman deliver her baby earthside, I applied to a Certified Nurse Midwifery Program. I am so pleased to say that I begin classes this April. As I go forth in my career, I carry the stories of many birthing people who were mistreated, just like my mom. In the United States, where intervention and cesarean rates have skyrocketed, I feel called to leave a positive mark in the birthing community, no matter how small.

An Orgasmic Birth Story

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I know it is hard to believe but YES, I got an ORGASMIC BIRTH! I literally DANCED my baby down! People around me know that I am passionate about birth and pregnancy, and since I found out about orgasmic birth I was preparing myself to get one! I mean, who wouldn’t want to get waves of pleasure instead of waves of pain during childbirth?

Overcoming the fear of birth [video]

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Expanding your sexuality, extreme sports, locking the door and a toothbrush for pleasure…

That’s just a taste of what Julie Bonapace and I chatted about on our webinar! It was so special connecting with my dear friend and together sharing ways to overcome fear and the pain that is created by it – in birth and in life.

The Birth Story of Violet

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It was in that class that I was first introduced to the book Orgasmic Birth.
I remember the whole class snickered at first at the concept that birth could be orgasmic, but I admit my ears perked up. I was already frustrated by how medicalized birth had become in the US but I had been so programmed that birth was painful and dangerous. This was the start of beginning to unlearn, or deprogram from that mindset.

Birth Story: Remembering the exact moment it began

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Like most everyone who’s ever given birth, I remember exactly when it started. It was around 4 am on a cold, winter Wednesday morning. Lying in bed in the darkness, trying to decide if “this” was “it.”

Nothing else existed, and I relished in the moment. In a secret knowing between baby and me, that -for now- was only ours to hold.

Unexpected Benefits of Doula Training

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There is something so special being with Angelika, my host at Elysia Red Tent when we facilitate Doula circles. We are sisters on a journey Singing now as one Remembering the ancient ones The women and the wisdom We are … Continued

Doula Dance Party at Midwifery Today

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I didn’t know that it could get better… And then it did! Midwifery Today is a special home for me and so many of my colleagues. I always meet new doulas, midwives, nurses, educators, and doctors who often feel alone … Continued

A Dream Homebirth Story

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Byron Bay hinterlands – a dream homebirth story 18.9.2013 – The day before my estimated due date. After seeing my friend Priscylla and asking her little darling daughter Lyluna to tell the baby boy in my belly to finally come … Continued

Questions to Ask your Provider

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10 essential questions to prepare for a safe gentle and pleasurable birth   1. Respect Do you feel respected by your caregiver and that all of your questions are answered with care and compassion? Respectful care and informed decision-making are … Continued

6 Strategies for Safer Birth

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The United States is failing women and infants. Maternal and newborn health outcomes are worse than in other high-income nations, costs are high and many women cannot access safe, evidence-based maternity care that truly reflects their needs and preferences. The … Continued

Pleasure is the Key

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What does a parent need postpartum? Information shared by Dr. Alessandra Bortolotti at a recent Postpartum Doula Workshop To be heard Trust Relationship Relaxation Intimacy: Sensuality – Connection Respect Consideration Protection Nourishment Nurturing To be accepted Rest What does a baby … Continued

48 Hour Home Birth Story

By @bornathome5 This is the story of my fifth homebirth. With four successful homebirths under my belt and a strong belief in the birth process and my body’s ability, my partner and I decided to try for an unassisted birth. … Continued

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Eita Segawa was the inspirational organizer of the first Orgasmic Birth Screening in Japan. I was moved to meet him as the universe’s divine timing had me in Japan with Kiyoe to teach doula workshops at the exact time Orgasmic … Continued

Birth of a doula

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There is something magical about watching participants arrive into a doula workshop and slowly blossom and open like a lotus flower as they become part of the special circle of doulas supporting one another in birth and life.   As … Continued

MeTooBirth

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It was almost a year ago that I marched on Washington for the Women’s March. What a year it has been since that powerful and transformative day. Since then the #MeToo Campaign began – with women from around the world … Continued

Baby 6

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Some years after our 5th daughter was born I felt this strong longing for another baby. It was more like a calling. My rational mind told me I was crazy wanting another one after 5 babies especially that I feel … Continued

Do you Dare to Rest?

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Will you be daring with me? Enjoy the replay of my webinar with Karen Brody talking about her new paradigm-breaking book, Daring to Rest: Reclaim Your Power with Yoga Nidra Rest Meditation. On the call, many of us were inspired … Continued

Grey’s Anatomy + Orgasmic Birth

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“When you add Pleasure to Pain – Pain can become Pleasurable!” -Carina to Arizona in Grey’s Anatomy when discussing using masturbation to get a laboring mother’s natural oxytocin to flow, moving labor along in the most pleasurable way possible! Grey’s … Continued

100 Reason to Choose the Breast

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Over 100 Reasons To Choose the Breast This World Breastfeeding Week Breastfeeding makes the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child” all too real. The success of breastfeeding isn’t just reliant upon mom & baby, but upon … Continued

Doulas: The Keepers of Pleasure

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New research is strong that doulas reduce the chance of cesarean birth (or vacuum/forcep assisted birth, shorten length of labor, reduced use of pain medication, and a more positive birth experience. The newest review from the Cochrane Collective states that … Continued

Benefits of Homebirth

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As a doula and film-maker, I’ve had the honor of attending all types of births, in all different locations – hospital, homebirth, and birth center births. Each birth is unique, each mother/father/partner/family, each care provider, each location. While homebirth is … Continued

Orgasmic Birth…Going Mainstream?

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What’s It Actually Like to Have an Orgasmic Birth? By Nina Bahadur   “Orgasmic birth—a phenomenon of labor and delivery being pleasurable, also called ecstatic birth—is a controversial topic. One study estimates about 0.3 percent of women experience one. Some … Continued

Kangaroo Care after Cesarean

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From “The Mindful Cesarean”: “Jill Bergman on How to do Kangaroo Mother Care Following a Cesarean” By Mary Esther Malloy “When a baby must be born by cesarean, what can families do to optimize healthy birth hormones to best ensure … Continued

The Doula Movement: A 31 Year Journey

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31 Years ago a doula movement began. Today I share my story of becoming a doula, the doula history – transformations that have begun, and the reality that so much more needs to be done. By Debra Pascali-Bonaro World Doula … Continued

Kangaroo Mother Care

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by Mary Esther Malloy, MA Our Species’ Best Medicine for Parenting a Baby Following a Cesarean “Cesareans are good for many reasons,” says Nils Bergman, a South African physician and international promoter of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). “Yes, if medically … Continued

The Mindful Cesarean

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Introducing “The Mindful Cesarean” by Mary Esther Malloy, MA While most placentas move as the uterus grows, this one didn’t. It was covering Renee’s cervix, obstructing her baby’s exit. Her doctor was certain that a cesarean would be the best … Continued

Birth Memory Stays with us

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Sarah Olney –we “underplay the achievements of mothers” in a Commons debate about International Women’s Day. “Although the experience leaves a lasting imprint, it is never fully acknowledged. the memory of childbirth remains with us, unshakeable, un-shareable, but never fully … Continued

The First Doula: Wendy Freed

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  Interview taken May 28th 2003 Seattle, WA – Penny Simkin’s home [Tweet “Wendy Freed the first “doula” shares how she couldn’t just observe women in labor.”] In 1973, Wendy Freed, an undergraduate student at UC Irving, spent the summer … Continued

Tips for making birth safer

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“Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out. –Karl Augustus Menninger” YES. I really believe this – I believe that fear is mostly created by the unknown. I believe that by educating and empowering yourself, … Continued

Ina May on Fear & Pain in Childbirth

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[Tweet “Instead of crying, yelling or cursing when you stubbed your toe – what if you instead KISSED it? What would happen? @InaMayGaskin”] My dear friend, colleague, and inspirational wise-woman, Ina May Gaskin recently joined me in New Jersey at … Continued

7 weeks and 7 countries…

posted in: Blog, Doulas, News | 0

As my journey continues… I arrived to Barcelona, Spain after 2 incredible weeks in Japan teaching and sharing about doulas – it was truly special and memorable – but I also fully ready for a holiday! I am often asked how I … Continued

Japan

posted in: Blog, Doulas, News | 0

More than 2 years ago, my dream of travelling to Japan began when I met Kiyoe, an amazing nurse during a birth doula workshop I was teaching in NYC.  I had always been interested in Japanese culture, enjoyed the food, … Continued

World Breastfeeding Week 2016

posted in: Blog, News, Postpartum | 0

by Megan Stark What if every woman who wanted to breastfeed was supported in this choice, fully, by her family, peers, community, government, workplace, how different would our world be? World Breastfeeding Week is coming to a close today – and … Continued

An Orgasm a Day

posted in: Blog, News, Orgasmic Birthing | 0

Enjoying and enhancing your sexuality is an important aspect of your overall health and well-being.  I have been following and learning from Kim Anami – an amazing sex and relationship coach, and was thrilled to meet Kim in person this … Continued

Fiji Midwifery Today

posted in: Blog, Doulas, News | 0

June 2016 Conference  When I imagine travelling to Fiji, I envision the beautiful images that fill the internet – beaches, boats, scuba diving and snorkeling among coral reefs, colorful fish, manta rays and reef sharks, and the smiling faces of the … Continued

Women’s Rituals

posted in: Blog, News, Pleasurable Life | 0

A documentary about three important passages of women : menstruation, childbirth and menopause Watch the trailer: Love this? Consider supporting the filmmaker and learn more about this awesome project! Learn more  

Orgasmic Birth Daddy

posted in: Blog, News, Orgasmic Birthing | 0

I recently caught up with Arp Laszlo – a wonderful supportive partner and daddy who was featured in Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret. He has the famous line “For my next birth I would like a much bigger bathroom!” – … Continued