December 11, 2008

TMI.

“When the baby’s coming down the birth canal, remember, it’s going through the exact same positions as something going in, the penis going into the vagina, to cause an orgasm. And labor itself is associated with a huge hormonal change in the body, way more prolactin, way more oxytocin, way more beta-endorphins — these are the molecules of ecstasy.”

43 comments:

Wince said...

Conversely, does this mean children too can now be replaced by dildos?

The Drill SGT said...

well it does bring to mind that female putdown about penis size, hen the woman reminds the man that a baby's head fits the same space

dbp said...

This is all well and good, but won't this interfere with the mom's later use of guilt?

Agatha June said...

Oh please. For the NYT, a story is only worth reporting on if 1)east coast liberals are involved, 2) it can make Republicans look bad, or 3) it involves sex or some other titillation. I heard about orgasmic birth 12 years ago when I took Bradley classes. And, yes, it can happen. I guess it was a slow news day... too many Dem. scandals so break out the sex.

John Stodder said...

I heard about orgasmic birth 12 years ago when I took Bradley classes.

Aha! The Bradley Effect!

ron st.amant said...

Funny, I was with my wife for the births of both our daughters...and I don't her being in ectasy...ectasy wasn't even in the same zip code.

knox said...

“When the baby’s coming down the birth canal, remember, it’s going through the exact same positions as something going in, the penis going into the vagina, to cause an orgasm.

Let's just call this an Oversimplification for the Ages.

KLDAVIS said...

Yah, you thought that was TMI? Trying hearing about it from your mother (an OB nurse and Lamaze instructor).

Ann Althouse said...

I had C-sections, so I'm blessedly free of guilt over any insane sex with a baby's head.

Trooper York said...

Sure gloss over that incident with the Cabbage Patch doll in FAO Schwartz in '97.

George M. Spencer said...

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chickelit said...

And throwing up can be as pleasurable as eating too.

Egress ≠ ingress

rhhardin said...

The headline of all time was ``US Sues Hooker to Clean Love Canal.''

rhhardin said...

I suppose there must be fake orgasms during birth now, too.

MayBee said...

If it happens during birth, can't we just call it a "muscle spasm"?

Jennifer said...

What would happen if women were taught to enjoy birth rather than endure it?

I can't stop giggling about this. Right. My experiences were only mindblowingly painful because I was taught wrong! Well, damn. To think I could have focused on having an orgasm instead of paying attention to delivering the stupid kids.

Chris Althouse Cohen said...

Maybe some women can experience orgasm during childbirth. Some gay men can experience orgasm by having an entire hand in the ass; that doesn't mean it wouldn't be an excruciating experience for most.

Meade said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Between having children of our own, and my wife's role as a doula for several births, I've learned more than I care to about the female body, childbirth, and babies. The birth orgasm is one of the tamer trivialities of childbirth.

This topic has popped up on a few blogs lately. I find it somewhat amusing to read people's reactions. I don't recall if FARK has posted a thread on it. Those guys would have a riot with this information.

veni vidi vici said...

Too much "journeying through" in our discourse anymore; the wussification by therapy culture appears complete.


On the other hand, this orgasm by childbirth may have been what Lenny Bruce had in mind when discussing the "baby's arm holding an apple"...

Mortimer Brezny said...

My experiences were only mindblowingly painful because I was taught wrong!

It's called feminism.

Some gay men can experience orgasm by having an entire hand in the ass; that doesn't mean it wouldn't be an excruciating experience for most.

It's called lubrication.

lowercase said...

Oh my god, what a stupid idea. First of all, the baby is going down through A DILATED CERVIX which makes it MUCH DIFFERENT than sex and using DIFFERENT AREAS. Your bones are shifting! If a penis goes through your cervix most women scream in pain, not pleasure. Secondly, the baby is BIGGER THAN YOUR ARM. Jokes about 14" aside, that's not all that pleasant-- especially the first time.

Darcy said...

Thank you for that very practical post, PJ! LOL. And the reminder of why I had an epidural.

Beta Conservative said...

I was with my (ex) wife during 2 labor and delivery events and I don't reacll my naughty parts getting so much as a tingle.

Cheated again.

Tibore said...

"When the baby’s coming down the birth canal, remember, it’s going through the exact same positions as something going in, the penis going into the vagina, to cause an orgasm."

Okay, look, as much as I (like all other men) make jokes in that direction, the reality is that my wang is not ~20 inches long or 7 to 9 pounds, and neither is any other human male's. Nor (to put it bluntly) is the baby trying to rub the clitoris when he's/she's on the way out.

For all the qualifications the filmmaker presents, she sure makes silly statements.

Meade said...

"Nor (to put it bluntly) is the baby trying to rub the clitoris when he's/she's on the way out."

Doesn't need to. The clitoris is much more extensive than many people realize.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Clitoris_anatomy_labeled-en.jpg

KCFleming said...

Wow, that's amazing.

So are breach births like multi-orgasmic, or maybe like a French tickler or something?

I feel so insignificant.
Well, to be fair, I was feeling that way before reading the article, but it didn't help.

Palladian said...

So should women who have orgasms when they give birth be arrested immediately after for child molestation?

ron st.amant said...

chickenlittle writes: And throwing up can be as pleasurable as eating too

Actually vomiting apparently helps pushing during the delivery. Something about the same muscles being used. During my wife's first deliver she threw a lot during the delivery and she pushed that little girl out like 2 minutes (it helped too that somehow our daughter managed to turn her own shoulders at the perfect time).

For the guys out there who will someday become fathers, trust me, the level of respect you have for women and nature will skyrocket when you see a live birth.

Wince said...

This just in...

I'm being told that one of the actual baby pictures has now been posted on the web.

chickelit said...

ron st.amant said: ...the level of respect you have for women and nature will skyrocket when you see a live birth.

So true.

Donna B. said...

Another thing I missed out on. I'm so old they put me to sleep to deliver after giving me all kinds of pain meds during labor. I bet I had orgasms and don't remember! Cheated, I was. Cheated by the medical-industrial complex!

Unknown said...

So... is that why wives commonly ask their husbands in the delivery room:

"Was it good for you too?"

KCFleming said...

So that's why some middle aged women collect dolls!!!

Anonymous said...

So............

I guess size matters, then?

Jennifer said...

"My experiences were only mindblowingly painful because I was taught wrong!"

It's called feminism.

Say what? As in a real feminist would feel no pain? Or those damn feminists getting all nutty with the orgasmic births?

Henry said...

The comments at the New York Times article are very funny -- until they segue into self-righteousnous.

I read the good ones to my wife last night. It was comedy central.

Here's a sample:

I didn’t get the impression that my wife was particularly receptive to kissing and caressing during labor. She did however claw my arms and make it perfectly clear that she would never have sex again....

Meade said...

Say what? As in a real feminist would feel no pain? Or those damn feminists getting all nutty with the orgasmic births?

Jennifer,

It's called Mortimer world.

Freeman Hunt said...

So, the couple was making out and feeling each other up with the midwife in there? Weird.

Synova said...

A friend of mine said that... um...

Okay, TMI it is.

We'll just say that nursing causes the uterus to contract.

It's a good thing.

Freeman Hunt said...

It's a good thing.

Did your friend think the uterine contractions felt good? I thought they hurt. A lot. Thank you, Percocet.

Synova said...

It's good for the uterus to contract.

I didn't say it felt good.

And everything I've ever heard was that Percocet was incredibly painful. What I didn't say about my friend was that during labor they had her stimulate her nipples to aid the uterine contractions... I don't know how well that works, but I'm certain it's less painful than Percocet.

Jennifer said...

Synova, you're thinking of Pitocin. And yes it is incredibly painful to have heavy duty labor come out of nowhere. But, Percocet is a pain reliever I believe.