Ep 99 Description:

“Pleasure was a part of what it meant to feel good in life. Sexual identities are important that these things are worth investing and understanding.” —Alexandra Fine

While male sexuality is frequently encouraged or normalized in mainstream culture, female sexuality and pleasure are often negative and stigmatizing. As a result, women face barriers in openly discussing their bodies and experiences with sexuality. This leads to women's health being politicized and their access to information and tools related to pleasure being restricted. However, perspectives are gradually shifting as more voices advocate for women's rights to explore their sexuality freely and pursue fulfillment in their intimate relationships without shame.

Alexandra Fine is a sexologist and the co-founder of Dame Products, a company that designs tools specifically tailored to help women explore pleasure and reclaim their sexuality. Through her work at Dame Products and as an advocate, she aims to have open discussions around female sexuality and empower women.

Tune in as Debra and Alexandra share insight into navigating sexuality, childbirth, and parenting while challenging stigmas around female pleasure. They also discussed societal attitudes towards female pleasure, the challenges of promoting healthy views of sexuality, how vibrators can be used for pain management during labor and birth, and more.

If you would like to Positively Prepare for Birth - check out our Pleasurable Birth Essentials online classes or if you are a doula take our free challenge of 5 Essential Tools to Enhance Pleasure-Centered Birth:

https://orgasmicbirth.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/f09cf842-9294-41f3-941e-ab4cd6833a59

https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/orgasmic-birth-practitioner-training/

Connect with Debra!

Website: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth

X: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1

Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471

Episode Highlights:

04:14 The Business of Pleasure

09:30 The Journey: Childbirth, Parenting, and Sexuality

15:39 Societal Attitudes Toward Female Pleasure and Sexuality

20:51 Vibrators for Pain Management

Ep 98 Description:

“Once you have the facts, once you have confidence in your information, you have confidence in your decision. You don't need to justify that to anyone. It's not your job to educate the world unless you decide it is.” —Jen Kamel

VBAC— Vaginal Birth After Cesarean is a common yet controversial choice that many birthing people face. While the evidence has long supported VBAC as a safe option for most, widespread myths and misinformation continue to obscure the facts.

In this episode, leading VBAC advocate Jen Kamel sets out to separate myth from reality once and for all. She delves into the numerous misconceptions that have taken hold over the years: from beliefs that VBAC is only suitable for a select few, to exaggerations of its risks, to the idea that repeat c-sections are always safer.

Debra and Jen also discuss practical tips on finding supportive providers and navigating unsupportive opinions, the importance of fully informed consent, and the power of realizing one's autonomy in their birth decisions despite barriers.

For anyone with a personal or professional stake in empowering low-risk vaginal births, this can't-miss discussion is a must-listen to counter the barrage of VBAC myths and understand the option in its proper evidence-based light.

If you are a doula, nurse, midwife, or birth worker who would like to expand your practice with pleasure and Orgasmic Birth - Learn more at https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/orgasmic-birth-practitioner-training/

Debra also has a class on positively preparing for a cesarean or a VBAC vaginal birth after cesarean https://orgasmicbirth.thinkific.com/courses/cesarean-vbac

Connect with Debra!

Website: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1

Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471

Episode Highlights:

02:47 Advocacy for Respectful Care

07:18 VBAC Risks, Candidacy, and Decision-Making

12:21 Finding Supportive Providers

16:59 VBAC Access and Midwifery Legislation

20:46 VBAC Rates and Barriers in the US

25:29 VBAC Tools and Resources

Ep 97 Description:

“If that's something that I could encourage other pregnant people to do, is to try to have that clarity about their wants and their needs and their desires, and then to verbalize from a place of clarity to their provider. That inner state of clarity is very important in the conversation.” —Nicole Heidbreder

“My job was to not try to fix things and be more of a listener.” —Amir Niroumand

While vaginal birth is often seen as the ideal, for many birthing experts a medically-necessary cesarean section is the safest option. However, the sterility and clinical nature of surgery can make cesareans feel less personal than desired. But with intentional planning, cesareans can still honor a person's needs and vision for birth.

In this episode, we are joined by DONA International approved Birth doula trainer, Nicole Heidbreder and her partner, Amir Niromand. As a labor and delivery nurse and birth doula of many years, Nicole had clear visions for her own birth plans. However, after struggling to conceive for over a year and experiencing multiple miscarriages, she was forced to reconsider everything.

Nicole and Amir discuss their journey trying to conceive for over a year, which included multiple miscarriages. Nicole explains how her history as a labor and delivery nurse and doula led to shifting her birth plans after being diagnosed with fibroids. She details emotionally accepting surgery and a planned cesarean. Nicole created a supportive medical team and shares her vision for a "magnificent cesarean" honoring her, Amir, and their transition to parenthood, outlining her birth and postpartum plans.

Tune in and learn the importance of grieving loss, the role of clear communication with medical providers, the impact of community support, and the power of crafting a birth centered on the birthing person's needs, voice, and choice.

If you are a doula, nurse, midwife, or birth worker who would like to expand your practice with pleasure and Orgasmic Birth - Learn more at https://www.orgasmicbirth.com/orgasmic-birth-practitioner-training/

Debra also has a class on positively preparing for a cesarean or a VBAC vaginal birth after cesarean https://orgasmicbirth.thinkific.com/courses/cesarean-vbac

Connect with Debra!

Website: https://www.orgasmicbirth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orgasmicbirth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrgasmicBirth

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/OrgasmicBirth1

Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@orgasmicbirth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-pascali-bonaro-1093471

Episode Highlights:

02:59 pregnancy and Loss

10:43 Shifting Birth Vision and Creating a Supportive team

16:42 Grief and Healing After Pregnancy Loss

20:48 Preparation for a Planned Cesarean Section

26:43 Postpartum Preferences

32:10 The Role of the Community in Providing Supportive Care

34:39 Honoring the Mother’s Voice and Choice