Ep 114 Description:

“We can't make birth better unless we understand what makes birth good.” —Dr. Elisabeth Bolaza

Pleasure is not just a nice-to-have in birth - it's a vital sign of a healthy, empowered experience. Yet for too long, our culture has suppressed and shamed the very idea of pleasure during one of life's most transformative moments.

However, the groundbreaking research of Dr. Elisabeth Balaza is changing that narrative. Dr. Elisabeth is a reproductive anthropologist and the Principal Investigator of The Birth Pleasure Study. As the founder of Sorada Research & Consulting, she is committed to disrupting the status quo and making her work on pleasure, sexuality, and reproductive justice useful to everyday birthing people and their families.

Join this week’s conversation as Debra and Dr. Elisabeth share how prioritizing pleasure, joy, and bodily autonomy at birth can transform the maternity care system, why pleasure is a fundamental part of birth justice, the 5 different forms of pleasure, how the environment and support system around the birthing person greatly impacts their ability to access pleasure and physiologic birth, an important call-to-action for medical provider, and why developing a "birth pleasure management plan" can help birthing people feel empowered and in control.

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Episode Highlights:

03:15 A Discussion About the Birthing Body

10:48 Reframing Our Thinking About Enjoyment and Pleasure

17:22 The Role of Providers

22:58 Focus on Feeling Good, Not Alleviating Bad

29:11 Trust Your Birthing Body