The Neurobiology of Safety: Polyvagal Pathways to Pleasurable Birth is an exploration of how the nervous system shapes labor, connection, and the potential for pleasure in birth. In this session, we will examine how to optimize the birth process to minimize trauma and foster deep connection and co-regulation between birthing people, partners, and providers. Grounded in Polyvagal principles, we’ll focus on the key elements that contribute to a felt sense of safety during pregnancy and birth, and how to proactively build rapport and safe support where it is most needed.
Participants will learn how ventral vagal engagement supports physiological birth; how cues of safety in birth environments and care interactions enhance oxytocin, endorphins, and the potential for pleasurable or orgasmic birth; and why safety and pleasure are not opposites, but inherently linked. We’ll also explore practical tools and practices that support vagal regulation in labor and discuss how to apply these insights to birth preparation, partner presence, and even hospital settings.
Focus: How safety and connection enable oxytocin, pleasure, and physiological birth.
Key Points:
Overview of the Polyvagal Theory in birth — ventral vagal engagement and co-regulation.
How birth environments and care providers can enhance cues of safety.
The link between oxytocin, vagal tone, and orgasmic potential.
Why pleasure and safety are not opposites but interdependent.
Practices to support vagal regulation in labor.
Q&A Focus: Integrating these insights into birth prep, partner presence, and birth settings.