I had an orgasm during labor — I didn’t want it to stop
Come again?
A Canadian woman said she felt like she was “climaxing” during labor — and didn’t want the experience to end.
Hanna Faustino, 36, entered the orgasmic state while giving birth to her daughter, Kaiya, and credits prenatal yoga classes with the pleasurable, pain-free process.
“During birth, I surrendered my mind to my body, and I had similar sensations to an orgasm,” the pleasure-seeking mama told Southwest News Service. “It was really natural to push, and the contractions didn’t feel as painful. I had this fullness, and I didn’t want the feeling to stop.”
Faustino, who works as an educational assistant, said the birth of her son, River, nine years ago was long and painful.
“It was harder than a marathon and I’ve run many,” she declared.
After learning she was pregnant for a second time, Faustino contacted birth coach Jannine Markou, 49, whose prenatal yoga classes famously help women prepare for pain-free labor.
Markou teaches her clients to use movement, toning and breathing exercises — with many mamas swearing that her techniques work miracles during the birthing process.
“If you allow birthing hormones to work for you then a woman can come into a state of bliss or ‘labor land,’ ” the guru declared.
“The pain is then not so intense because the endorphins are flowing and there is no fear,” she added. “It’s said they [the endorphins] are 10 times stronger than morphine if you can get that working for you.”
After taking Markou’s class, Faustino went into labor with Kaiya in 2015 while at home with her husband, Will.
“I was in a squat in my bedroom and the lights were dim,” Faustino said, adding her husband was on hand to support her.
“I found a rhythm of breathing … and it was really natural to push,” she further stated. “The contractions didn’t feel as painful.”
Faustino also revealed that she “visualized” that each contraction was a “wave bringing my baby closer to me.”
“It wasn’t the same as an orgasm, but it was a really profound moment and one I’ll never forget,” she cooed. “It was a blessing.”
After becoming pregnant with her third child in 2018, Faustino again enlisted Markou to help her prepare for the arrival.
During the labor, the mama decided to lie on her side with her leg up — as opposed to squatting like she did while welcoming Kaiya.
“It was almost like a peeing dog,” Faustino said of the position. “I embraced the sensations of the birth.”
And while she didn’t reach an orgasmic state while welcoming baby No. 3 — a son, Terran — the labor was still pain-free and “beautiful.”
Faustino credits Markou with the positive experience of her second and third labors.
“A birth always has surprises,” the mom stated. “But by working on breathing and trust you can achieve a wonderful birth outlook.”