Giving birth to a child can seem overwhelming, scary, and painful to many women. Bearing a child is still one of the most dangerous things a woman can do: It's the sixth most common cause of death among women aged 20 to 34 in the United States. So, it's natural to be nervous and seek out ways to make labor and delivery as comfortable and safe as possible.
When she was pregnant with her third child, Australian mother Avalon Darnesh decided to research the orgasmic way to bring a child into the world, which is something that happens naturally in less than 1% of births.
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"It felt like the most beautiful way to welcome a new baby," she told the Daily Mail Australia.
"I did some research into ancient cultures and found out more about the idea that birth shouldn't be agonising or interrupted. It should be beautiful, pain-free, and empowering."
"I did some research into ancient cultures and found out more about the idea that birth shouldn't be agonising or interrupted. It should be beautiful, pain-free, and empowering."
While the concept may sound a little strange, orgasmic birth is a popular concept in the natural birth community. Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, directed by childbirth educator Debra Pascali-Bonaro took the concept to the mainstream in 2009.
"People see 'birth' and 'orgasmic' together on paper, and it pushes all their buttons on sexuality," Pascali-Bonaro told Live Science. Also, the hospital childbirth experience can be decidedly unpleasant, with women receiving little labor support and not being able to do something as simple as drink water in the case of a C-section (you can't eat or drink before surgery).
How does an orgasmic birth differ? Darnesh told the Daily Mail, "It was an Easter full moon and I was being held by my partner, Brett, when I started to feel quite sensual."
"He was caressing my belly and other areas of my body and I found myself wondering what was going to happen. Suddenly, I felt this different, quite beautiful pleasure deep in my womb and I breathed with it and it felt amazing! As he continued to touch me, I felt a deep expansion low down in my womb, as well as this incredible energy."
She continued, describing the birth, "'It's hard to put it into words, because it's such an altered state, but as the baby dropped down and moved through my vagina, I felt my hips opening. It wasn't painful at all. It was totally ecstatic."
Darnesh now coaches other women in having empowering, pleasurable births, comparing it to guided meditation. She shares a free course online and will also Skype or meet in person to coach moms-to-be through the process.
Wisely, Darnesh reminds us: "But the important thing to remember is that everyone will have a different and totally unique birthing experience, and that's wonderful."