The Great Birth Rebellion: Reclaiming Joy, Courage, and Choice in Birth with Midwife Melanie Jackson
Release Date: 01/05/2026
Pain to Bliss: Liya’s Orgasmic Birth and Radical Reproductive Health - Episode 175
Orgasmic Birth
In this powerful episode, Debra Pascali-Bonaro sits down with reproductive health coach and mom of three, Liya Teplitsky, to explore how mindset, nutrition, and intentional pleasure turned birth from excruciating pain into ecstatic orgasmic bliss. Liya shares her three home birth stories—from a long, painful first labor on a yoga mat to a painless second birth and finally an intentional orgasmic birth supported by a vibrator, midwife, and an unshakable belief that birth can be pleasurable. You’ll hear how Liya: -Discovered the concept of home and orgasmic birth from a chance...
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Maternal Health Awareness Day - Holding Ground on Maternal Health: From Survival to Thrival
Orgasmic Birth
What if maternal health goals expanded beyond “alive and healthy”? In honor of Maternal Health Awareness Day, Debra Pascali-Bonaro invites us to imagine a world where pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care are not only safe but also deeply respectful, emotionally whole, and infused with comfort and pleasure. In this moving solo episode, Debra shares her personal connection to the origins of Maternal Health Awareness Day—beginning in her home state of New Jersey—and explores how far the movement has come, and how far we still must go. With maternal mortality rates rising across the U.S....
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The Pleasure Practice: Rekindling Desire After Baby with Dr. Diane Mueller - Ep. 173
Orgasmic Birth
In this episode of the Orgasmic Birth Podcast, Debra Pascali-Bonaro sits down with Dr. Diane Mueller—board-certified sexologist, naturopathic doctor, acupuncturist, and host of The Libido Lounge—to explore how pleasure can become your most powerful mindfulness practice and a lifeline for intimacy after baby. Dr. Diane shares how slowing down, savoring sensation, and weaving pleasure into everyday moments can reset stress hormones, support mental health, and rebuild connection in long-term relationships. Together, Debra and Dr. Diane unpack why passion often fades over time (and especially...
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Kali Rising: Pleasure, Power & Birth in NYC with Genevieve - Ep. 172
Orgasmic Birth
In this transformative episode of Orgasmic Birth: The Podcast, Debra Pascali‑Bonaro is joined by bestselling author and pleasure mentor Genevieve for a fierce, tender, and wildly honest story of birthing a 10‑pound baby at home in New York City. Genevieve entered pregnancy expecting soft, sensual, “bliss‑in‑the‑birth‑pool” vibes—only to meet a very different expression of pleasure: the raw, fiery power of Kali. She shares how her labor moved from serenity and sensual touch into full‑bodied rage, speaking in tongues, drumming, dancing, and primal vocalization, and how...
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The Great Birth Rebellion: Reclaiming Joy, Courage, and Choice in Birth with Midwife Melanie Jackson
Orgasmic Birth
Get ready to challenge the dominant narrative around birth in this deeply inspiring conversation with Australian midwife, researcher, and rebel, Dr. Melanie Jackson — host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast. Melanie joins Debra Pascali‑Bonaro for a heartfelt and provocative exploration of what happens when we choose to birth outside the system — and within our power. Together, they unpack why more families are stepping away from institutional birth, how true midwifery care transforms outcomes, and how bliss, laughter, and joy can ripple through even the most intense moments of labor....
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Pleasurable Birth Begins Within: How Embodiment, Rest, and Self-Pleasure Transform Birth and Life with Lisa Strohdach
Orgasmic Birth
Orgasmic Birth Story Ep 170 Description: "Embodiment only happens if you have a body, so if you have a physical shell, and that physical shell is showing you signs. That physical shell can be sore, it can be tender, it can ache, it can also feel good and nurtured and soft and warm." —Lisa Strohdach What if the secret to a more joyful birth and life isn’t about pushing harder, but about tuning in, letting go, and giving yourself permission to feel good? If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your body or doubted that pleasure belongs in pregnancy and parenting, you’re not...
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Embodying Agency During Pregnancy And Childbirth— Lessons From A Human Rights Attorney with Maria Alejandra Cardenas
Orgasmic Birth
Human Rights in Birth Series Ep 169 Description: "Information is power. It will allow you to differentiate scaremongering and fear mongering and just detect the red flags, and that's important for you to advocate for yourself." —Maria Alejandra Cardenas Have you ever felt sidelined in your pregnancy journey? A lot of women do. Navigating birth can feel like running up against a system that forgets women are the ones at the center. But there’s a powerful truth: our experience isn’t just about bringing a baby into the world—it’s about standing up for our rights and...
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Your Birth, Your Rights, Your Pleasure
Orgasmic Birth
Series: Human Rights in Birth— Birth Options “Birth is a powerful moment of human life. It deserves the care that honors your rights, your choices, and your profound capacity for strength, trust, and pleasure.” —Debra Pascali-Bonaro Ep 168 Description: Every birth tells a story, but too often those stories are shaped by fear, misinformation, or lack of choice. Respectful, informed, and pleasure-aware care can change the way we experience birth. Autonomy and knowledge are as vital as safety. In this episode, Debra shares insights from her recent travels to...
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Holistic Preparation for Your Pleasurable Birth with Dr. Anemone Hedtstück
Orgasmic Birth
Ep 167 Description: “When you heal yourself, you can also influence the healing of your children. And I think every healing of oneself is a healing for the rest of the world.” —Dr. Anemone Hedtstück Feeling anxious about birth, or wondering if it’s possible to actually look forward to the experience? You’re not alone. So many parents-to-be carry quiet fears, old stories, and doubts about what birth “should” feel like. There’s a gentler, more connected way to prepare that honors both your body and your heart. Dr. Anemone Hedtstück’s first birth shook her...
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The Pleasure Shift: Motherhood, Intimacy, & Innovation with Theresa Lasbrey Peters, Bettina Zagoni, and Alejandra Lozano
Orgasmic Birth
"I wish they would be less afraid... Instead of having health care, we have health scare. The things that make the baby usually help the baby come out. And if you didn't make the baby that way, the things with someone you love during the process of having the baby can really bring you from a place of fright to a place of delight.." —Theresa Lasbrey Peters "Pleasurable birth is when we accept the pain, accept the hardship of birth, but we shift our focus to pleasure and joy and to the sacredness that we can experience." —Bettina Zagoni "These need to become like natural language— orgasmic...
info_outlineGet ready to challenge the dominant narrative around birth in this deeply inspiring conversation with Australian midwife, researcher, and rebel, Dr. Melanie Jackson — host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast.
Melanie joins Debra Pascali‑Bonaro for a heartfelt and provocative exploration of what happens when we choose to birth outside the system — and within our power. Together, they unpack why more families are stepping away from institutional birth, how true midwifery care transforms outcomes, and how bliss, laughter, and joy can ripple through even the most intense moments of labor.
Melanie shares intimate stories from her own births — one long and slow, the other fast, powerful, and joyfully filled with laughter — and offers profound wisdom about matrescence, physiological birth, and how honoring women’s autonomy creates safer, more pleasurable births for everyone.
In this episode you’ll hear:
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The bliss and laughter that surprised Melanie in her second home birth
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What matrescence means and why it matters in understanding the transformation to motherhood
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Why “birth outside the system” can be the safest, most aligned choice for some families
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The evidence behind continuity of midwifery care — and why it should be the universal standard
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How pleasure, joy, and oxytocin weave through both sex and birth
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The global movement of rebellious midwives creating change from within
Episode Highlights
- 2:44 — Melanie shares her journey into midwifery and the concept of "Matrescence."
- 5:07 — Melanie describes her two very different birth experiences.
- 13:12 — Discussion of "The Great Birth Rebellion" and its origins as a podcast.
- 14:25 — The importance of evidence-based maternity care and the role of midwives.
- 17:03 — Exploring the connection between birth, pleasure, and sexuality.
- 18:15 — The power of oxytocin and the potential for joy and bonding in birth.
- 19:00 — Where to find Melanie online and her offerings for midwives and parents.
About Melanie Jackson:
Dr. Melanie Jackson is a private midwife, researcher, mentor, and host of The Great Birth Rebellion podcast. With a PhD in midwifery on “Birth Outside the System,” she is reshaping how midwives and mothers understand evidence, power, and physiology in birth. Through The Assembly and Convergence of Rebellious Midwives, she mentors practitioners and uplifts the profession with passion and purpose.
Connect with Melanie:
Website: melaniethemidwife.com
Instagram: @melaniethemidwife
TikTok: @melaniethemidwife
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgYNzASpo0UbzyzRkNb-s-w
Podcast: The Great Birth Rebellion
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
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Pleasure isn't a luxury,
It's your birthright
Discover the secret to a Safe, Sensual & Empowering Birth Experience
Pleasurable Birth Essentials is your toolkit for a birth that’s as safe as it is sensual, as evidence-based as it is soulful.
This is not your average childbirth class.
This is a revolution—a journey designed for mamas who trust their bodies and their minds.
Here, pleasure isn’t an afterthought – it’s foundational.
Evidence isn’t dry – it’s empowering.
Community isn’t optional – it’s essential.
You deserve a birth that honors your strength, your sensuality, and your sovereignty.