'In the moment it might be a ferocious raw, but it could also be blissful like an orgasm during sex'
A birth coach is teaching women to climax during labour to help relieve pain and says having an orgasm can be ten times stronger than morphine.
Jannine Markou 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 labour.
The mum-of-two became passionate about prenatal yoga and coaching after struggling with her own traumatic birth experience and now uses movement, voice and knowledge to help women have the best possible birth experience outlook.
The 49-year-old, a prenatal yoga teacher and birth coach, from Toronto, Canada, said: “If you allow birthing hormones to work for you then a woman can come into a state of bliss or labour land."
"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.
“In the moment it might be a ferocious raw, but it could also be blissful like an orgasm during sex."
Jannine says her goal is that "whatever their birth was like that they look back and they are happy with it".
After suffering her own "birth trauma", Jannine became a qualified yoga teacher in 2004, then went on to teach prenatal yoga and become a doula, a trained companion during birth.
Jannine now tailors the process for clients who she helps through pregnancy including movement, toning and breathing exercises.
“I often find taking them out of the comfort zone and helping with toning such as making deep ‘o’ sounds can really help," she explained.
“This relaxes the jaw, pelvis and cervix.
“But I also help them to be truthful with how they are feeling throughout pregnancy and birth.”
She teaches yoga and movement such as dancing to help with labour and encourages women to achieve orgasmic birth. “I teach orgasmic birth which for me means birthing in joy and in trust," she said.
“I was at a home birth, and I held my client close, and she was able to achieve that state of euphoria.
“It was amazing to see.
“Not everyone is able to achieve it but if you can it can be really beneficial during birth.”
Jannine encourages her clients to dance and swing during labour. “Laughing helps during early labour and sitting in the toilet is also a great place to labour because you have inner knowing to soften and relax," she said.
“Child's pose, squatting, kneeling and rocking back and forth are all great positions for labour. “I had a client labouring on hands on knees and she didn’t want to move – and in the end the baby came out that way.
“Free movement during labour is so important.”
Most importantly Jannine wants her clients to feel satisfied with their birth - even if it doesn’t go to plan or how they expected.
“My goal is to make sure woman are happy with their birth experience in postpartum, no matter the journey,” she said.
“I want them to have no guilt and no shame over it.
“I teach women to get out of their comfort zone and release their inhibitions and for them to know what they need in that moment.”
One of Jannine's clients Hanna Faustino, 36, said she was able to achieve a blissful state during the birth of her second child, Kaiya, seven.
She said: "I forgot they were in the room as I was just able to focus on this natural extension and reached a really blissful state.
"I surrendered my mind to my body and I had similar sensations to an orgasm.
"I had this fullness and I didn't want the feeling to stop.
"It wasn't the same but it was a really profound moment and one I'll never forget. "It was a blessing."
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