A woman claims she was able to feel like she was having an orgasm and ‘climaxing’ during labor

A woman who claims she experienced an orgasm during labor and says she achieved it by just focusing on her breathing instead of relying on drugs to help ease the pain. 

Hanna Faustino, 36, from Caistor Centre, Canada, reached the blissful state while squatting to give birth to her second child, Kaiya, now seven – by focusing on her breathing.

The mom-of-three says the sensations she achieved were similar to that of an orgasm, and she had similar experiences with her third child, Terran, now four.

Hanna, an educational assistant, said: ‘During birth I surrendered my mind to my body, and I had similar sensations to an orgasm.

The mom-of-three said she reached the blissful state while squatting to give birth to her second child, Kaiya, now seven – by focusing on her breathing

Hanna noted the sensations she achieved were similar to that of an orgasm, and she had similar experiences with her third child, Terran, now four

‘I found a rhythm of breathing and I was in a squat with my husband supporting me.

‘I forgot they were in the room as I was just able to focus on this natural extension and reached a really blissful state.

‘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.

‘It wasn’t the same as an orgasm, but it was a really profound moment and one I’ll never forget.

‘It was a blessing.’

The sensation Hanna felt is known as an orgasmic birth or ecstatic birth and according to Healthline, it’s the ‘the idea that some people may be able to experience an orgasm (or several) during childbirth. This orgasm could occur spontaneously or as a result of masturbation or even intercourse.’ 

It occurs because the baby is moving through parts of your body that are involved in sexual pleasure and during childbirth, you release a number of hormones, including oxytocin – one of the same hormones that makes you feel good during an orgasm. 

While orgasmic births are possible, they are extremely rare as one study estimates it occurs in only 0.3 percent of vaginal births. 

And those who do climax during labor do so by experiencing a vaginal orgasm, which means the baby would have to hit you G-spot as you deliver them. 

Research has shown that orgasms can help increase pain tolerance, which means that experiencing an orgasm while in labor may lessen the pain of childbirth.

Studies have shown that oxytocin – the same hormone that makes you feel good during an orgasm – is a pain reliever and increases pain tolerance. 

The sensation Hanna felt is known as an orgasmic birth and according to Healthline, it’s the ‘the idea that some people may be able to experience an orgasm (or several) during childbirth

It occurs because the baby is moving through parts of your body involved in sexual pleasure and during childbirth, you release a number oxytocin – a hormone that makes you feel good

Hanna, an educational assistant, said she learnt about this state of ‘labor land’ through taking prenatal yoga classes with birth coach Jannine Markou, 49

Furthermore, birthgasms or ecstatic births help reduce your chances of experiencing a traumatic birth or developing childbirth-induced post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Hanna learnt about this state of ‘labor land’ through taking prenatal yoga classes with birth coach Jannine Markou, 49.

Jannine has been coaching women to reach a state of euphoria during their birth for more than 10 years and says the technique can be really successful for a positive labor and managing pain.

‘She helped me with breathing exercises and with mantras,’ Hanna said.

‘There was a lot of uncertainty with the birth of my first child, River, nine, so I didn’t achieve a blissful state.

‘It was a long labor and harder than a marathon and I’ve run many.

‘But it was beautiful work and something I’m proud of when I look back.’

For Hanna’s second birth she was able to focus on the rhythm to ‘climax’ – and visualized her baby coming closer to her on a wave to help her through the labor.

She had her husband, Will, 41, a postman, holding her from behind while she labored in a squat position.

‘I was in a squat in my bedroom and the lights were dim,’ she said.

‘With all my babies I’ve worked on a visualization with each contraction that they are a wave bringing my baby closer to me.

‘I didn’t use any pain relief with any of my births.

‘Reaching that state was beautiful and I didn’t want it to end.’

For her third baby, Terran, four, she chose to lie on her side with her leg up.

‘It was almost like a peeing dog,’ she said.

‘I embraced the sensations of the birth.

‘She helped me with breathing exercises and with mantras,’ Hanna said of Jannine’s birthing lessons 

Jannine has been coaching women to reach a state of euphoria during their birth for more than 10 years and says the technique can be successful for a positive labor and managing pain

Hanna credits Jannine for helping her have positive outlooks on all her births and noted that by working on breathing you should ‘trust’ you’ll ‘achieve a wonderful birth outlook’

‘It wasn’t quite as blissful as with Kaiya but still beautiful.’

Jannine teaches her clients to use movement, toning and breathing exercises to help them through pregnancy and birth.

‘If you allow birthing hormones to work for you then a woman can come into a state of bliss or labor land,’ she said.

‘The pain is then not so intense because the endorphins are flowing and there is then no fear.

‘It’s said they are 10 times stronger than morphine if you can that working for you.

‘I’ve seen it work for women and it was amazing, but it might look different for everybody.

‘My goal is to make sure woman are happy with their birth experience in postpartum, no matter the journey.’

Hanna credits Jannine for helping her have positive outlooks on all her births.

‘A birth always has surprises,’ Hanna said.

‘But by working on breathing and trust you can achieve a wonderful birth outlook.’