Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love [Paperback]

Marilyn A. Moran (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0940128055 | ISBN-13: 978-0940128057 | Publication Date: September 1, 1997 | Edition: 1

Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love describes how birth is a sexual event and how it can be pleasurable when husband and wife birth alone rather than under medical circumstances. Moran cites plenty of examples of truth/facts that are not revealed to patients who submit to the medical childbirth system. She presents research that reveals that couples who give birth intimately return to a satisfying sex life sooner and with more frequency. They often experience less fatigue and a lower incidence of postpartum depression.

On the wedding day, a couple promises to turn to each other exclusively for sexual relations which includes birth in Moran's opinion, since birth is a sexual expression. Conception and birth are not mere technical feats, but holy acts and birth is presented as simple, safer and superior to hospital birth. Obstetricians and midwives detract from the marital union that can be solidified during birth. This book shows why "surrogates" should not be attending normal birth.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This book is the culmination of nationally known childbirth author Marilyn Moran's 25 years of wisdom and insight about husband and wife birthing. Peppered with dozens of quotes and research from prominent authors, Moran makes a compelling argument for the necessity of couples to birth their babies alone. Readers will close this book and admit that they cannot simply submit to the impersonal, medical method of childbirth.

Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love should be mandatory reading for those who work with engaged or married couples. She presents a unique way of looking at scripture and its relationship to birth. Anyone who receives the sacrament of matrimony and enters into a covenant of love has certain obligations. After reading this book, couples will find themselves rethinking their opinions of having obstetricians or midwives at their births. Adults who dismiss the possibility of an unassisted homebirth are dismissing the possibility of a truly holy and miraculous birth experience.

About the Author

After each of her nine hospital births, Marilyn became increasingly disappointed with her birth experiences. With just her husband present for the birth of her tenth child in 1972, Marilyn had discovered the importance of husband and wife birth. Hoping to enlighten other couples, Marilyn shared her ideas for over 25 years until her death in 1998. She founded and published the "New Nativity" (a newsletter for Do-it-Yourself homebirth couples), edited Happy Birth Days in 1986 and wrote Birth and the Dialogue of Love (1981), and Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love (1997). Six weeks before her death, she keynoted the "First National Husband/Wife Homebirth Conference" in Charleston, SC.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Terra Pub; 1 edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940128055
• ISBN-13: 978-0940128057
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,290,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our babies have only one birth, January 12, 2003

By 

Jeannine Parvati Baker (Joseph & Moab, Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love (Paperback)

Terra Publishing has done the world a great service by bringing this book back into print for the new generation of families who have seen through the myths of the prevailing birth machine and our technocratic society's fear of sexuality and childbirth.

I was a young mother when Marilyn Moran wrote to me thirty years ago. Characteristically, she got right to the point. She told me that my work to promote midwifery was missing the boat. She had a better idea.

Her letter changed my life. I had my next three babies without the paid paranoid in attendance, and expanded my own book, Prenatal Yoga and Natural Birth, to include these FREEBIRTH stories.

Freebirth, unassisted homebirth, or whatever it is called, is not for everyone. Perhaps in this example, Pleasureable Husband Wife Childbirth is for those that this society has judged "nuts" -- that is, for those who think outside the obstetrical box.

Moran's book is a must-read for those courageous parents who follow their hearts AND minds, making a truly informed choice. Though it may seem crazy to the dominant culture to give birth as an ecstatic celebration of holy, erotic love between partners, I know it to be the reality many thousands are choosing this century. It was mine.

Mark my words -- there will come a time when people look back to the 21st centruy and think how primitive we were to scare ourselves about something as natural as having a baby. Indeed, so scared that we judged anyone who didn't connect to the birth machine, as "nuts".

Where I live in the Southwest, the Navajo people have a term for folks who don't think for themselves. They are called "sheeple". Families choosing freebirth are members of the new species, Homo Divinitus, at one with their creative source. I consider parents who are delivered by the masked man in hospital as "sheeple". Particularly if they haven't done their research first, but instead just did what "everyone else does".

Our babies have only one birth. Let it be as pleasureable as possible. The gift we give to the world is the answer that Albert Einstein wrote was the most important one to know for the human race. "Each person must answer this question for himself. Is the Universe a friendly place or not?"

In freebirth, the answer for all involved, is a resounding, YES!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just pleasurable childbirth, safe childbirth too!, February 27, 2003

By 

"lmommy" (Sterling Heights, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love (Paperback)

Some of Marilyn Moran's Catholic beliefs may not translate to everyone, but the revolutionary common sense in this book applies to anyone. Childbirth IS a sexual act, whether we ignore that fact in our culture or not. Exploring the sexual nature of birth as Moran does, reveals why it is more difficult for us all to birth in the captivity of the medical and midwifery models of "care". It also reveals a clear way to create the safest births possible; by respecting the intimate nature of man and woman welcoming the ultimate product of their love - their baby - into the world and keeping it a private, gentle occasion. It's such a simple plan that it is startling!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful guide to homebirth!, September 2, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book for anyone who wants to plan or is considering an unassisted homebirth. The book is a terrific combination of how-to guide and homebirth stories. The book is written with warmth and compassion, and the stories all share the common thread of acceptance of unassisted birth. There are lots of really useful tips in here on how to plan for an unassisted birth, great practical stuff you can actually use. And the birth stories are a joy to read.
The author does have a slight couple centered and religious bent, but as a single agnostic, I stil found lots to love about this book!
A must read for anyone who thinks birth should be private, family centered, and full of love!