midwife's muse

Stimulating childbirth

I just found this article in The Independant about birth, and in particular how some women find it an orgasmic experience. I have heard this on extremely rare occasions, perhaps more women do find it an erotic experience and just haven't felt able to disclose that aspect of birth to me. I have suggested nipple stimutaion to women as a way to induce labour and also to improve flagging contractions but I have shied away from performing that act for them, suggesting instead that their partners help them out whilst I am out of the room! Here I am obviously imprinting my inate coyness on couples as I know that I could never allow my other half to do that whilst some person observed, or was even in the room. Anyway, it would be pointless as I wouldn't relax enough for it to be of any use in stimulating the release of oxytocin, supposing someone came in to the room. To my mind, if it were going to work, it would be in the home environment that it would be most effective as, generally, women are more relaxed and receptive in their own homes. The article certainly gave me food for thought but I shall not be extending my practice to provide this service for labouring women but I shall think harder about how to suggest it without sounding too tree-huggy. 

22.3.07 17:29