Pleasurable Birth?

[AnthroAnna]

Hello Mums!

I'm doing my Master's dissertation at UCL about birth experiences that are pleasurable and I need your help.

I know that every birth story is unique and mums feel all sorts of different things during childbirth. Pain and fear are topics that come up a lot in birth stories, and I understand why (and have admiration for all birth experiences!), but I'm interested in sides of birth that aren't researched as much - empowering, positive and even pleasurable birth stories (whether painful too or not).

If you would like to share your story please let me know and I'll send you my email address, I would love to chat with you and all information will be kept anonymous.

Many thanks,
Anna

Not sure if this should be somewhere else but happy to chat

[email protected]

I had a home waterbirth and it was fantastic (and not that painful).

ok that went wrong its lentil on the web with underscores between the words!

Thank you for your reply FannyLogan I would love to hear about your birth experience and
I will write back to you at your email address now.
Best,
Anna

I would be really happy to share with my stories about both DS's birth (in 2006) and DS2's birth recently. Both fantastic both in hospital (birth centre).

Let me know your email address and I'll be in touch! Or better still happy to meet up and chat to me about it? Suggest also contacting the active birth centre - to find out if you can chat to mums there because I would imagine a lot of the women who go there have positive empowering births.

Thank you MumNWLondon! I'll send you my email address. And thank you for the suggestion about the birth centre.

Looking forward to hearing from more mums, this is all very helpful.
Anna

I love Ina May! I have her email and will write to her. Just a bit nervous because she is amazing

Me too! Had a fab second birth, thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had a very positive VBAC although not sure if it's what you're looking for as was in consultant led unit, very high risk (had pre-eclampsia), CFM, canula etc etc. But it didn't hurt anywhere near as much as I expected and there was no fear or panic! Still on a high about it 10 months later... Happy to be e-mailed if you want to hear all about it

I had two hospital births, which while they hurt at the time, I look back on as exciting, intense experiences (even taking the baby out of the equation) iyswim. Empowering is definitely the word. Happy to be emailed on Kate Fallon 44 at hot mail dot com

Oh probably should have said e-mail is lucy e wilkes at hot mail dot com.

I sometimes wonder if it is ok to have had a birth that was neither traumatic nor pleasurable, but just- ok. Ime there are two types of birth stories that come up very frequently: the empowering ones and the traumatic ones. Very little space is given to the "oh well" births, I suppose because that is a less interesting narrative.

I've had two "oh well births", births which were certainly not traumatic, but where any interest in the birthing procedure as such was totally overshadowed by interest in the baby.

I had a wonderful waterbirth, at home, no pain relief with DS2,

[email protected]

Hi, I had a lovely experience, I had gas and air. It was painful....but not was quick and I actually loved it, I would do it again and again, the only bit that wasnt pleasurable was the end, when they had to pull him out because his heart reate dropped!
x

I'd describe dc2's birth as a lovely, empowering, "I'd do it again tomorrow" sort of birth, even though I'd also describe the height of the contractions as "nasty" and the last bit (crowning etc) "excrutiating". The in between bits were lovely, I found the first half of each contraction really exciting, and the experience as a whole had me buzzing for 6 months after.

I had an amazing home water birth... no pain relief needed. If i ever have number 2 i will be looking forward to the birth! Would be happy to share my story with you.

Mums thank you so much for your replies!!!

If you've posted your email address I'll get in touch with you this week. I was away from my computer all weekend (finally!) enjoying a bit of sun

And for anyone who would like to email me please feel free to write to

ucsaanc at ucl.ac.uk

Thanks again. All stories are so helpful.
Anna

I loved the births of both my dcs - both home waterbirths although otherwise quite different from each other.

Often say that while I wouldn't want to do the pregnancy or baby bit again, I would love to give birth again!

I'm with QTPie. Had an amazing (second) c-section. Best moment of my life. Would be happy to talk about it if you are interested in section births too.

I had a fantastic birth at the Barkentine Centre in the Isle of Dogs - water birth for the majority. I was really excited about going there - like being on holiday. Didn't really want to go home...

I'm happy to share my experience. I love talking about it!

[email protected]

I would describe my 1st and 2nd stage as pleasurable, start to DD out was 2hours and 5 minutes, no pain relief not even gas and air.

My 3rd stage was not so simple or pleasurable.

My email is nunniesmail @ sky.com (no spaces) if you are interested, but understand if you want a full pleasurable labour

All of these stories would be great. I'm happy to hear about any pleasurable births whether it is a c-section or a water birth, or whether it was part painful and part pleasurable and everything in between.

Was birth physically pleasurable for anyone? In addition to the mental/emotional/spiritual high I'd like my research to include women's experiences of sensations other than pain (which hasn't been researched much). I'm not just asking about "orgasmic birth" - although I'd love to hear about that experience, I just mean any physical feelings that happen besides pain.

Thanks again mums!
Anna