I think it would be possible - after all there is so much blood flow and pressure going on down there. But I would also think it is pretty rare. I'm certainly not going in with the expectation, but hey - if it happens I'll take it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would you know if you've had an epidural?

You would not, hey another reason to skip the epidural.

Not worth skipping the epidural. I can have an orgasm anytime, I really don't need to have one at delivery with an audience.

My thoughts, exactly!

Interesting that no one so far has said that they've had an orgasm. And in discussions with friends, and from what I've read on other forums, it seems extremely rare. (I know no one personally who's experienced this.)

So is it because we're not open enough to or aware of the possibility, or because the possibility is overblown? My feeling is that it's the latter. I also read Ina May Gaskin's book and felt that she "oversexualized" birth, in a way. It seemed like the book romanticized birth as a sexual experience. The descriptions of people getting themselves off while in the midst of birth seemed like a real wacked out, typically 70s attitude, and kind of gross, but maybe I'm repressed.

There is a difference between an act being related to your sexual organs, and the consequence of sex, and being a sexual act. Having a bowel movement can stimulate nerve endings and cause mild pleasure for some people -- should we start considering the possibility of an O while on the toilet?

Ok, that last line was meant to be provocative, I understand the difference, but let's not turn birth into a fairy tale that women have to live up to.

it is possible but not like the video portrays it. depending on the baby's postion at birth you can have a brief clitoral orgasm. it appears it is more of a brief moment of pleasure than a true orgasm like the video shows.

I had an unmedicated delivery at a birthing center. Laughed and chatted with my midwives as my son crowned. The push out phase was euphoric (seriously) and sort of reminded me of orgasm. I delivered him about 20 minutes after arriving at the center. Throughout, I was fully alert, energized, fearless...I just felt great. We took him home 5 hours later, wish I had birthed at home.

This was my second delivery, I didn't experience any screaming, yelling or chaos as I had previously during my hospital delivery.

Anonymous wrote:Believe me, it does not take a great actress to fake an orgasm.

signed, a very mediocre actress with a happy husband

Never understood why women resign themselves to being cheated from the same pelasure men get. Or why they are in a relationship that is not honest.

I wish. Two unmedicated childbirths during which I kept saying "no more children" means all pain and no pleasure for me--until the moment my babies were on my chest of course buy definitely no orgasm

After bearing 3 children (over the course of 4 years) w/o pain medicine I still have yet to understand at what point during labor (and delivery??) that people are talking about having orgasms.

Please enlighten me b/c the only thing mother nature lets me remember is A) the intense flu-like symptoms the day before I gave birth B)the PMS/food poisoning intense cramps of contractions C) the burning ring of fire as I pushed D) the euphoria of finally holding and meeting my little Peanut

So...at what point was I suppose to feel (or initiate) an orgasm?

It's humilatating enough that your spread eagle in front of the doc and nurses so I'm certainly not going to show them my O face!

Anonymous wrote:I did not have one with my first, but I read about it in Ina May Gaskin's book. There were quite a few of the birth stories that described having an orgasm at the moment of delivery. I have no reason to think that these women are lying so I have decided that it is possible and am hoping for one with #2.

Yes I've been reading a lot of fiction too lately!

I had a low-pain, high sensation childbirth (that is a weird way to put it but the best way I can). The endorphins and the powerful rush of pleasure (well, this was a very intesnse, pain / pleasure mix) of the pushing stage brought on lots of sensations. I think that I could have let them take over, physically, and had some sort of rush of sensation that is not unlike an orgasm, but I did not actually have an orgasm. Nor was I trying to. I read the Ina May book and loved it, but don't see birth as sexual love, just pure love. If physical sensations such as orgasm accompanied, so be it, but I wasn't going for it.

I definitely believe it is possible, however. I think there are different types and "strengths" of orgasm, and while it is possible that some women who had "orgasmic" births may have mistaken intense (and perhaps unexpected) pleasure signals during birth as orgasm, it's equally possible that some women either didn't recognize those feelings as orgasm or were weirded out by them enough that they subsided (the orgasm can be elusive, as PP with the happy husband can attest!)

I do agree that it's very easy to fake an orgasm, but I question the motivation of anyone doing so, and really, really think it would be hard to fake an orgasm during childbirth. It's not exactly a time of careful calculation and scheming!

I guess such a thing is possible, but in a way I roll my eyes at the concept...like it's an unattainable goal some women set for themselves. I had a drug-free natural birth at a birth center, and while the experience was amazing, euphoric, and empowering--and the best day of my life--I was way the hell away from an orgasm. Childbirth IS painful, but when things are going as they should and you're being supported in an intervention-free environment, the pain is manageable and the rush of endorphins afterwards is worth it.

Thanks PPs. DH is so scared of the while
thing and I can't wait for the big end! I also want
to experiment the whole process and feel sad to have to go to the hospital but I already told him: #2 is going to be born at home

Anonymous wrote:Was meaning to post exactly the same question! Enough evidence has been accumulated to convince me it can happen. The sad thing is that well-prepared natural childbirth is so rare, there might not be a lot of people prepared to answer OP's question.

Several birth stories in Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth detail orgasms or pleasurable sensations close to it during contractions or pushing - natural childbirth only, obviously. I doubt an epi could numb pain but still allow an orgasm.

Ina May devotes a chapter of the same book to the "Pain/Pleasure Riddle": she describes pleasure as possible when there is an environment in which the birthing mother feels totally at ease and private, in which she can kiss her partner, touch herself to encourage relaxation and ward off pain, and envision birth as the culmination of the sexual act (when you think about it, it really is).
In order to start thinking in that direction, it is necessary to eliminate from your mind all the horrific birth scenes and myths perpetuated by the media and by the systematic over-use of interventions in hospital settings. Birth nowadays is seen as something inherently dangerous that must be technicalized, not the natural, wondrous and mostly safe biological miracle is actually is.

I had an emergency, pitocin-induced but otherwise unmedicated birth for DC1 - and it was horrible. My goal for DC2 is to have a prepared, natural childbirth - the huge difference will be in my mental state - I know it will be wonderful, and I hope there will be an orgasm!

This is a favorite chapter of the book. While I have no plans to masturbate during labor (at least not in the hospital), I definately plan to take her advice about treating labor as a sexual act instead of a medical act and plan to stay at home as long as possible so that I have some privacy and have the option of having a more sexual experience.

Was meaning to post exactly the same question! Enough evidence has been accumulated to convince me it can happen. The sad thing is that well-prepared natural childbirth is so rare, there might not be a lot of people prepared to answer OP's question.

Several birth stories in Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth detail orgasms or pleasurable sensations close to it during contractions or pushing - natural childbirth only, obviously. I doubt an epi could numb pain but still allow an orgasm.

Ina May devotes a chapter of the same book to the "Pain/Pleasure Riddle": she describes pleasure as possible when there is an environment in which the birthing mother feels totally at ease and private, in which she can kiss her partner, touch herself to encourage relaxation and ward off pain, and envision birth as the culmination of the sexual act (when you think about it, it really is).

In order to start thinking in that direction, it is necessary to eliminate from your mind all the horrific birth scenes and myths perpetuated by the media and by the systematic over-use of interventions in hospital settings. Birth nowadays is seen as something inherently dangerous that must be technicalized, not the natural, wondrous and mostly safe biological miracle is actually is.

I had an emergency, pitocin-induced but otherwise unmedicated birth for DC1 - and it was horrible. My goal for DC2 is to have a prepared, natural childbirth - the huge difference will be in my mental state - I know it will be wonderful, and I hope there will be an orgasm!

and with a child between my legs...kind of kills the mood for me.