Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret

Let me preface this review by giving my background.

I'm a 23 year old male nurse who has a fair amount of experience with the process of childbirth and labor. I've sat through actual births before and given support to new mothers. I am by no means bothered or queasy about the process of birth.

And yet, this was one of the most disturbing movies i've seen in my life. It's not the process of child birth, it's the eerie level of intimacy which surrounds the entire movie. There's lots of footage of cuddly couples to be which in the context presented, comes off to me as voyeuristic. It's being given an uncomfortably close look at the lives of new mothers.

There's plenty of educational value to this film, and i'd have no qualms with recommending this movie to the intended audience. But for every male in my age demographic who has their girlfriend present this movie to them, expect a night of awkward cuddling without any real satisfaction.

This excellent film demonstrates what women can do. Women can give birth without excessive medical intervention including the epidural, IV, and episiotomy. In the film you see women in comfortable surroundings supported and cared for by skilled midwives that respect and trust the normal birth process and allow the women to birth in an undisturbed, safe environment. Are they all "orgasmic births"? No, but the message in the film is not about orgasms, but about reframing how we view birth. I applaud the film maker, Debra Pascali-Bonaro, for being so bold in giving the film this title - it could be why "Orgasmic Birth" is going to be featured on 20/20. Many women that I have told about the film Orgasmic Birth have stated that "they want one too"! A must see film.

I first viewed Orgasmic Birth last June at a screening for professionals in Portland Oregon. I watched it as a doula, a mother and a mentor and it both overjoyed me and saddened me. The missing piece of our modern birth practice is pleasure, and mention the word...eyes roll and the sarcasm starts. Orgasmic Birth shows real birth settings, real women and men, and it serves to encourage, enlighten and educate in a positive way...to counter the negatives we see in popular culture and in the news so frequently. I ask all my clients to watch Orgasmic Birth, even, and especially, the ones who are birthing in a hospital setting, so they can see the organic process take place and balance their fears with the truth...birth can be beautiful, peaceful and fulfilling. Thank you for this beautifully made film.

I am thrilled with the new attention to birth in the media. Of the three recent films, Orgasmic Birth adds depth and beauty to the existing available media.

I have been a childbirth educator, doula, mother, etc. for over 25 years. Because of the technocratic methods of birth in my local hospitals and my lack of access to home births, I cherish the opportunity I have through Orgasmic Birth to witness totally undisturbed labor and birth. I've had faith that it existed but it has been hard to come by in the typical hospital births where I have assisted families.

Now that I have this video, I have been introducing undisturbed labor and birth to my birth classes. I waited a while because I was a bit nervous that it was too out of their reach. But then I began to feel guilty that I was depriving them of knowledge about birth that they should really have the option to choose. I wasn't worried, like some others, about the title. I don't understand how we can have 4 hour erections thrust at us on the TV and yet we giggle and sputter when the word orgasm comes up. Is erection more male and orgasm more female? The expectant parents who have seen the 3 births I choose to show don't have any problems with the births or the title. They immerse themselves in the beauty of the births.

I really REALLY appreciate the narrative in between the births. The speakers say to the parents so eloquently everything I want them to know about birth. The speakers are so passionate and knowledgeable that their messages come through loud and clear.

Orgasmic Birth is a treasure. It allows me to plant seeds of humanistic birth in the minds of my class participants. It empowers them to choose normal, undisturbed birth. It gives me hope for our future generations of attached, loving families. I thank all the parents who so generously allowed their births to be filmed, and to the creative genius that conceived (yes, a pun) the idea to really put orgasmic birth into the culture. I'm excited about the change this film will produce in people's lives, their births, and society in general. From my heart, thank you.

In summary, this film needs to be promoted so that everyone has a chance to see the beauty of birth.

As a supporter of undisturbed birth, I've waited a long time for a film like this! Orgasmic Birth is much more than a film about how to experience pleasure in birth. It's about viewing birth as a natural bodily function, rather than an inherently dangerous, painful medical event that needs to be managed, controlled and medicated. It's about tapping into our own natural resources, instead of turning ourselves over to the medical establishment to "save" us from ourselves. Any natural bodily function proceeds best when it's done in privacy, and this is what the women in the film advocate. Unfortunately, most members of the medical profession pretend that birth isn't sexual, yet it involves the same hormones, organs and emotions as sex. When we recognize the inherent sexuality of childbirth, overcome our fears and inhibitions, and keep strangers away as much as possible, birth CAN be ecstatic if not orgasmic. It certainly was for me. I highly recommend this film, and know it is destined to change the way society views our most intimate act of creation. We do NOT have to choose between a medicated, medically managed birth and a painful, difficult "natural" one. There is a third choice and Debra Pascali-Bonaro has found it!