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.
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.
When you were planning to give birth, how many choices of location did you consider? 1, 2, 3? I am always reminded of my dear friend and colleague Roberta Scarer’s quote, “if you don’t know your options you don’t have … Continued
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?”.
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.
I felt strong and capable. There was little left, and after some pushing, Tereza’s little body also came out. Guinho took our daughter, took the cord ring and handed it to me. I took my big, slippery baby in my arms. I looked at her face, I smelled her smell, I cried, I cried with joy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
by Sam Sundara My birth experience taught me about being open emotionally and how holding onto fear actually creates pain. I remember a moment through transitioning where I actually completely opened to those overwhelming sensations & feelings, and it was … Continued
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
by Wholistic_unity During the time leading up to my daughters first birthday, all I could think about is the day she was born and how I’ll never be the same again. Being pregnant and going through labor and birth has … Continued
by shared by Brittney of Fractal Birth On the morning of November 29th, I woke up before my husband and daughter, which was unusual for me as I had been sleeping in so much the whole pregnancy. This was the exact … Continued
I am a mother of 3 beautiful children. My first 2 I had delivered in a hospital and my third was delivered [as a homebirth] in my living room. by Nichole from Wisconsin My first labor was pretty quick. 6 … Continued
Enjoy this home birth story / natural delivery story submitted by Heather Iverson July 26, 2016 8pm surges start…I’m thinking it’s more prodromal labor that I had been having foe a few weeks off and on. So Kayden (my 5 year … Continued
by Natalie Telyatnikov When I was just 1 day shy of 41 weeks gestation, my midwife called me, concerned. “There are a few things that make homebirths less safe,” she said, “and this is one of them.” In this instance, my midwife … Continued
Savitha Kopperla Breech Birth Of One Brave Mamma, and her Breech Birth Story at 43 weeks complete! Rewind: Feb 2015: I helped her birth her footling breech baby girl naturally. In that pregnancy, she got so fed up with the … Continued
Note from Debra: My dear friend, Jaqueline Eddaoudi has been on an amazing journey giving birth to five children at home with her 6th is on the way. Jaqueline and I met when she was my translator for a big … Continued
For mothers who are thrilled with their birthing experience, For mothers that are not, For mothers to be that have no clue what to expect. By Tanja Nenadovic Vasquez This is the story about my pregnancy and natural, vaginal, … Continued
Birth story Sifra Door Caroline Devulder op 28-04-2017 Sweet Sifra, Your birth story begins on Saturday the 22nd of April 2017. At 00h40 I received a call from your mom telling me that her water broke. I was only asleep … Continued
I always planned a homebirth. My mother had planned for me to be born at home and it always just seemed like normal. But unfortunately due to a haemorrhage after my first was born I felt safer in hospital for … Continued
After having a home birth with our first pregnancy, Daniel and I knew we would want to do another home birth with this pregnancy. We thought we would know what to expect… but this time was very different than our first!
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
by Sheila Kamara Hay The seeds of my business, Ecstatic Birth, were conceived years ago with my first pregnancy. I desired a birth that would leave me breathless and marveling at my body’s strength, wisdom, and capacity to bring forth … Continued
By: Dr Gauri Lowe is a mother, a doctor and a woman that empathizes with the journey of being a woman in today’s world. She appreciates the choices we face about birth, parenting and our own and our child’s … Continued
by Samantha I should perhaps preface this story with the birth story of my first son. I was a Labor and Delivery nurse by trade, however my frustration with ‘the system’ led me to teaching. I teach nursing students … Continued
Pure Nirvana Shared by Kristyn I was 41 weeks 4 days and had, had several bouts of practice labor that never went anywhere so I was growing discouraged. Baby had certainly kept me on my toes between having to be … Continued
Angela Gallo, author of “Why I touched myself in labour – here’s 3 reasons you should consider it, too!” shares her birth story with Orgasmic Birth readers. By Angela Gallo, Australia After a particularly trying week, emotions were running high … Continued
Thank you Saskia for sharing your story. I am honored to join Saskia for World Wide Fertility Week where I will be interviewed, along with 17 other experts from around the world, as we share what you can do to … Continued
By Angela Gallo, Australia After a particularly trying week, emotions were running high and that familiar late pregnancy impatience set in with a vengeance. I wasn’t sleeping much, and neither was RJ. Poor cricket certainly felt the strong pull of … Continued
The last meme in our Pain to Power Online Childbirth Class #languageofbirth series is released (see slideshow below)! Thank you for all the love! We have loved reading all your responses to the #languageofbirth series. Love this. . . such … Continued
By Jasper’s mother, Nichole Bergstrand I revised my birth story many times hoping to capture my audience in a way that would create emotion and thoughtfulness but, out of a personal desire to incorporate the private struggles that ultimately lead … Continued
Written & Shared by Samantha Perkel, New Jersey Photos by Natalia Baechtol & Edited by Jane McCrae, Australia Thank you Samantha for sharing your birth story with Orgasmic Birth after taking Debra’s Birth Doula Workshop. Thank you Jane McCrae, featured … Continued
Henry’s Easy Home Waterbirth in Sweden is shared by his mother, Amy I bundle up and waddle over to the neighbor with a bag of fancy granola and a small stuffed toy frog. It’s November 5th. Her baby is 2 … Continued
“Whenever and however you give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body, and your spirit for the rest of your life.” Ina May Gaskin. By Alison Sharma, Australia They knew, what I did not know then, … Continued
What I learn from home birth stories like this is that you will never know what to expect…. Shared by the mother Madison Lee Born: April 22nd at 1:20am (1 week after due date) When Daniel and I found out … Continued
Amanda shares her Birth story and her Ecstatic Childbirth Itzel (moon goddess, she of the rainbow) Rhea (flowing) The day before my due date, I woke up at 330 a.m. I was having trouble sleeping, I wrote two letters that the … Continued
Bree’s Natural Water Birth Story written and shared by Bree Neal, Texas I am so excited to finally sit down and write my birth story. Since the beginning of this amazing journey I have wanted to share my emotions, experiences … Continued
This past spring I had the pleasure of teaching a group of women at a DONA Birth Doula Workshop in New York City. One doula said “What you don’t know CAN hurt you!” so I asked her what she meant…. … Continued
“With birth comes power, both my births have made me realise the immense power and strength I hold within me”. – Mansi Ashta, India (who inspired this post) By Lina Duncan (Photo credit: @BornInBombay) I have witnessed many extremes of … Continued
As the sun rose one morning in late 2012, I gave birth to our son Charlie Reuben in a beautiful and relaxed birth at home. He was the first baby for my man, Brendan and I – and our first … Continued
*River’s story is about childbearing loss, love, life and healing* Birth often takes us to a place we had never imagined. The extremes of all emotions can be felt in the short hours and long days. Birth can be so different … Continued
After a few hours of feeling crampy on an evening in July, Amy & Dan decided to call their provider and their photographer…. Submitted by Amy & Dan Warren Dan (10:32 PM): I checked in with Amy and told her … Continued
Submitted by Kathryn Los The birth story of our sixth child begins with my Blessingway ceremony. Three weeks before my EDD, six friends and my sister came to my home to bless me on my journey to motherhood once again. … Continued
Submitted by Gypsy Whitford, Australia My Pregnancy and birth story… I knew that this was going to be a totally different pregnancy and birth experience- my first two were extremely medical and there were no midwives involved and they were … Continued
Submitted by Samantha Noel Thank you, my beautiful son, for taking me on a journey like no other. Thank you for showing me patience. Thank you for teaching me to trust myself and for showing me the most blissful side … Continued
Submitted by Michelle, New York State Michelle’s First Birth… I was prepared for the worst… hoping for the best… and expected the average. The labor I got, was remarkable. My husband and I expected the average 16 hour first birth. … Continued
Every birth is a blessing! Being with Naomi was so special and sacred and yet we only met via email the day before! When I entered her home during labor I could feel immediately how to join the circle of … Continued
By Rebecca Mar Young My second birth was hotly anticipated. Would he come earlier than my daughter, being my second? I was taking no chances. Since my daughter was eight days over, I decided to tell everyone that our son … Continued
Submitted by Shiraz Ariel Drori, Israel I am a mother of three great kids, birth coach and doula and want to share with you a special story. The idea that there is a connection between the womb and orgasm had … Continued
Submitted by Emma Stewart (A story from the OBirth library) My birth journey began in 2005, when I became pregnant with my first daughter, Arwen. My husband and I believed that there must be a better way to birth than … Continued
The OBirth Community originally met Piper and Chaz in the Orgasmic Birth film and have been following them ever since, most recently as part of the en*theos Obirth Conference (their interview is now part of Pain to Power). Now we … Continued
The past few weeks we have been sharing the inspirational photo essay from OBirth alumns, Piper and Chaz. Today we are going to share a little background on what you have been seeing. How long did you imagine Piper had … Continued
The OBirth Community originally met Piper and Chaz in the Orgasmic Birth film and have been following them ever since, most recently as part of the en*theos Obirth Conference (their interview is now part of Pain to Power). Now we … Continued
The OBirth Community originally met Piper and Chaz in the Orgasmic Birth film and have been following them ever since, most recently as part of the en*theos Obirth Conference (their interview is now part of Pain to Power). Now we … Continued
Submitted by Eva, Sussex, England Orgasmic birth was a complete surprise to me. I had no idea women could orgasm during birth. I was 27 years old and pregnant with my third baby. I had planned on giving birth in … Continued
“The body is not able to handle pain and pleasure at once.” While in Belgium for the 2013 Midwifery Today Conference, O Birth Director Debra Pascali-Bonaro, and Robbie Davis-Floyd Ph.D. met with Marta, a woman who prepared and experienced orgasmic … Continued
Submitted by Birthkeeper, Linda Hamilton It was one of the most beautiful days here in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. A postcard perfect day – the morning of May 28, 2014. At 3:30am earlier that day, I had woken … Continued
This is the birth story of Emily’s third child, Edith. Edith was born at home, breech, in the water. By Emily Willett Edith is an old name which means “spoils of war” or “treasure.” My Edith is exactly that. She … Continued
Martina participated in one of Debra’s birth doula workshops in Austria- here Martina shares the story of the birth of her second child. Submitted by Martina, Austria For 2-3 days I had felt some abdominal pain and the night before … Continued
What a beautiful gift, to both write about the day I became a mother and to feel and remember how incredible that day was. Birth is a day a woman will never forget. Becoming a mother is a journey that … Continued
Submitted by his Mama Monica Ann Stockall with photos taken by dad Dedicated to Xquenda Luis Stockall February baby. We’re here. I can’t stand the anticipation and uncertainty of not knowing when you’ll arrive. I tell myself it’ll be on … Continued
Written by: Aoife’s parents, Amy & Dan Warren Amy: I woke at about 5:00am on Thursday with rhythmic, menstrual-like cramps. I had been experiencing practice contractions over the past couple weeks — painless contractions that, nevertheless, felt functional, like they … Continued
By Mary Esther Malloy Mary Esther’s Midwife, Valeriana Pasqua Masback, is one of the featured Midwives in the Orgasmic Birth movie. Thank you Mary Esther for sharing your writing here on Orgasmic Birth! “What’s inside an eye?” My daughter turns … Continued