Get yer freak on. Doula's orders.

The first thing people do when they find out you're a doula (other than asking what the hell that is) is tell you their birth stories.  Which I love, but they very often end with, "So then I had a c-section, and did I really need one?"  Um, I dunno.  I wasn't there, and if I was, I wouldn't exactly have the authority to say.

The second thing people do is ask about some old wives' tales surrounding birth.  The favorite of mine is always, "Is it true that having sex can bring on labor?"  And let me tell you, the answer is yes.

But why?

Oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone," is at least partly responsible for three distinct physiological events in a woman's reproductive cycle: orgasm, labor, and breastfeeding.  As a sex-positive doula and lactation educator, you might say that oxytocin is my homegirl.

The female orgasm was once thought of as relatively inconsequential to the reproductive process.  In fact, some fertility specialists have even suggested that orgasm "dilutes" a woman's chance of becoming pregnant.  (I call bullshit.  Also sexism.  But that's another post.)  Au contraire, says a bulk of new-ish research that essentially reaffirms what lay-health workers have been saying for years: orgasm increases your chances of conception.  See, when a woman orgasms, her body releases even more vaginal secretion than she does when simply "aroused," helping to lubricate the sperm's path to the egg.  Additionally, the oxytocin released via orgasm contracts the uterus, lowering the cervix (the "neck" of the uterus) and making the uterus more accepting of a fertilized egg (ever wonder what that tight feeling in your lower abdomen was?).

Sidebar: Oxytocin is also associated
with trust, which helps explain why
women who have good relationships
with their care providers tend to have
smoother labors.

So oxytocin contracts the uterus.  Hence labor.  But the wonder-hormone's job isn't over when the placenta is delivered.  Oxytocin is also responsible for the milk "letting down" during breastfeeding.  See, when a woman first lays eyes on her baby, she's essentially OD'ing on oxytocin, as is baby.  That's the love hormone doing its job.  Baby will hopefully find her/his way to a nipple and begin suckling.  When the nipples are stimulated, oxytocin is released from the posterior pituitary gland, contracting the tiny myoepithelial cells inside the milk ducts, forcing milk out of the breast and into baby's mouth.  That oxytocin release is still doing it's job "down there," helping mama's uterus to clamp down post-delivery, thus reducing risk of excessive postpartum bleeding. 

I mention the connection to breastfeeding because oxytocin is also released with nipple stimulation.  Women who are into nipple stimulation during sex may enjoy it for a number of reasons, but physiologically it's because that burst of oxytocin contracts the uterus (which essentially puts interior pressure on the clitoris and, well, you get it).  In other words, if you're into nip-stim, include that in your labor-inducing sex practice.  Otherwise you can just turn on your breast pump when you're finished doin' the deed, and you will probably get a lot of the same benefits.

If a woman is having sex with a man, his stuff may play a labor-inducing role as well.  Semen contains prostaglandins, autocrine hormones that help to soften ("ripen") the cervix.  A softer cervix makes the fertilization/implantation process more likely, but these hormones work the same when a woman is already pregnant.  The low dose of prostaglandins in semen alone aren't likely to induce labor in a woman who's not yet term (which is why care providers don't warn against sex during pregnancy unless a woman is at risk for preterm labor), but the mild softening in a term mama might just be enough to tip her into labor mode.  As an added bonus, if he's, let's say, "gifted," his penis hitting against the cervix may indeed induce some mild (but not earth-shattering) uterine contractions.

Captain Obvious moment: I generally don't recommend the prostaglandin method if a mama is in a relationship where she's at risk for a sexually transmitted infection.  The last thing she needs is to be infected with an STI right before a baby comes squeezing through her vagina!  If infection is an issue, sex with a condom still contains the benefits of oxytocin and cervical pressure.  Masturbation is a safe and effective alternative for women who don't have a partner (or just simply don't want to engage in partner sex).  Again, oxytocin is stronger than prostaglandins... go team vag!

So yes, good sex can in fact induce labor.  In other words, if you're trying to get labor started, just get yer freak on.  Doula's orders.

Call for Contributors!

Well hello y'all.  Welcome to OMG, Ladyparts!  

Yes, we "Let's Be All Sex Positive And Talk About Our Bodies" types are occupying even more space on the interwebz.  Deal with it.

What we're envisioning, actually, is a space where the female-bodied, woman-identified, and genderqueer can spout off rants and raves about our everyday experiences inside our miraculous bodies.

First off, we want to make clear that we know the use of the word "ladyparts" is problematic in many ways, but after about two weeks of email deliberation (seriously, that shit was rough), we decided that the lighthearted feel we're going for here far outweighs the problematic language.  Besides, nowhere are we saying that vag and boobs are the only things that count as "ladyparts," nor that everyone who identifies as a woman has them.  If you are female-bodied, woman-identified, or genderqueer, we welcome you to contribute to our space.  Hell, we'd even welcome pro-ladyparts submissions from some of our cisman allies. 

While we're on the subject of contributors, hey we're looking for contributors!  Janah, Mama Bec, and Everyone's Yvonne are all phenomenal people, but they're also all very busy winning at everything and just don't have time to be awesome on the internet every single day.  We want to have a decent arsenal of regulars, but we also would gladly accept guest submissions.  Here are the subjects we're aiming to have as regular blog topics:

• Body Stories: Our bodies have stories, but we're so often taught to be ashamed of them instead of proudly touting the kinds of cool shit they're capable of.  Contributions under this banner may include (but are not limited to) pieces about menstruation, tattoos/piercings, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, stretch marks, injuries, surgeries, transformations, etc.  Pictures are welcome, but note the ground rule regarding "narrative vs. erotica" below.
• Doing Gender: Judith Butler famously said that gender is something you do, not something you are.  And we wholeheartedly agree!  These pieces will address questions such as, how do you "do gender" in your life?  Does the expression of your gender identity "fit" with the traditional assumptions based on your biology?  Do you intentionally or unintentionally break these molds?  How does the way you present yourself impact the way you're seen in our gendered society?
• Lady Business: For pieces involving our work (either volunteer or for compensation) in reproductive health care, women's and LGBTQ advocacy, rape crisis, health education, etc.  Just remember to maintain the confidentiality of the people you work with (duh).  
• Good Shit: Basically reviews of stuff, good and bad... menstrual cups, sex toys, cloth pads, chest binders, nursing bras, um... pretty much anything like this.
• Recommended Reading: The same kind of feel as Good Shit, but perhaps more analysis.  Can be books, blogs, articles, magazines, or anything else you read.
• The Personal is Political: Here's the category for submissions that address women and transfolk within the broader political climate.  We encourage contributors to not just report on what's going on, but to provide analysis as well.
• A Day In The Life: This is the place for highly narrative submissions involving your day-to-day experiences.  Topics may include relationships, sexual expression, parental anecdotes, or other relevant areas of your life. 

 A few ground rules for contributors:

• While we want the feel of the blog to be casual and lighthearted, please check your spelling and try your best to use decent grammar.  We're not going to call the grammar police for things like comma splices, but write the way you'd write a letter, not a text message.
• Obviously, this space is to remain free of oppressive language.  This includes but is not limited to language or ideas that are racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic, or transphobic.  Quippy profanity, on the other hand, is not only allowed but in some cases encouraged.
• You are free to use a partial name or alias.  If you are submitting as a regular contributor and already have a Blogger account, your Blogger display name will link back to your profile and any other blogs you contribute to.  If you do not want this, consider creating a more anonymous Google username.  You are also welcome to submit as a guest; guest submissions will be posted under "Ladyparts Admin" but will declare your piece a guest post from [name you provide]. 
• All contributors have the option of linking out to other blogs they write for, projects they're working on, etc, within reason of course.  Just don't try to sell anything here, seriously. 
• Oh how we love discussion!  We're leaving the comments section open, but moderated.  That's mostly so people can't spam the hell out of us.  Spirited debate is welcome, just don't be a jerk.
• As much as we love a good one-handed read, this is not intended to be a space for full-fledged erotica.  We welcome narratives that include details about what you do in the bedroom, but we want to keep the conversation more about how your preferences shape you as a person and not about helping some random internet lurker get off.
• All contributors are expected to adhere to Blogger's content policy.  Yup, more rules.
• The admins reserve the right to delete any submission that violates these terms.  We also reserve the right to revoke submitting privileges completely if problems persist.  That being said, we welcome feedback if you feel any of the above ground rules are unfair.  Same goes for if you think someone else's submission crosses a line and it hasn't been removed.

Sound like something you could get into?  Email becca.james87(at)gmail.com to further inquire about becoming a contributor!!

Much love,
The Ladyparts Crew