Many years ago, even before I was a nurse, I trained in Mount Airy, Philadelphia to be a Doula or a birth coach. I was always fascinated by women's health and natural medicine, yoga. I did an internship at a Birthing center. Being a childless woman, it was interesting to learn about how women's bodies changed in childbirth, the process, etc. The woman teaching the class talked about natural ways to ease labor etcetera. I was a bit surprised when the instructor asked me and the 5 husbands because she wanted to show the men how to massage their wives to enhance their birthing experience. This is the true account of what happened in that little back room...
The labor coach explained to the wives that she would be right back and to help themselves to refreshments and take a break. We went to the massage room which had soft yoga music playing, dim lights and a lot of crystals and Buddha statues surrounded a large massage table that was draped with soft sheets and a headrest. She took me aside, behind the Japanese screen and asked if I would be comfortable lying on the massage table and she demonstrate on me the techniques that the men would use to massage their wives. I tentatively said yes, because, after all, I WAS a student. She requested that I take off my clothes, just leaving on my bra and panties and to lie on the massage table as she worked on certain muscle groups. I blushed because at that point in my life I had only been with one man and I was a bit shy. With a warm and reassuring smile, she assured me everything was going to be all right.
There were five men. All handsome, well-built men. All looking a bit uncomfortable being in a new situation and out of their comfort zone. They stood around the table fidgeting, with their hands in their pockets, looking away as I awkwardly climbing on the table, lying face-down as the woman directed me. I noticed a faint whiff of jasmine perfume as she removed her blazer and her full breasts straining against her blouse. Were her nipples a little hard? I tried to control my nervousness as I laid my head in the headrest. She began to talk to the men about what kind of massage oil to use, recommendations for music, etc. I felt her slightly press the bottom of my spine and rock it. Then I felt that slight pressure of her warm, scented hands on my neck and I almost instantly relaxed. She was making long strokes along the back of my neck and shoulder blades, leading into my back, feathering her touch to my buttocks, then rubbing the backs of my legs and calves with strong kneading movements. I started to almost rock my body in rhythm with her strokes. She unhooked my bra and I startled but she quietly said, "shhh" to me as she demonstrated effleurage.
