Did You Videotape Your Child's Birth?

No No and No. I am so squeemish about blood and such and I knew that I wouldnt be able to handle any of that. I do think that childbirth is the most amazing thing but I just cant handle all the mess that comes with it. I was fine for them to put my baby on my belly as soon as she was born but they asked me if I wanted to see in the mirror and I was like hell no dont bring that out here for me to see. I sadly also couldnt even muster up the strenght to touch my babys head as she was coming out. Maybe I will with number 2 (due in Feb) but then again maybe not =)

We didn't tape it but we had a doula with us and she took pics of EVERYTHING!! And I mean everything. Ahem :) It's pretty amazing, actually.

No way on the recording for any of them. I was too scared to watch the mirror with #1, but I made sure to watch with #2 and #3 since I knew what to expect. My mom took one picture that showed waaaay too much and I deleted it from my camera as soon as I saw it.

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No way to all your questions. I mean I could FEEL it well enough, I KNOW what's going on down there, why would I need to SEE it as well?!

;)

Wait! You're not pregnant are you?

I did and loved loved it! So glad I did!

No, we did not video tape it and yet the memory is very, very clear. My husband and I wanted to keep birth of our children a very private affair so there was only a nurse, Dr. and he and I. I needed him throughout the whole thing for support, encouragement and celebration. I knew I would never want to watch a video tape of that event and neither would my children and of course others watching was not an option. The experience of childbirth was a bonding experience for my marriage and too unique and special to want to share with others via media. Nurse Midwife Mom of 3

We were allowed to tape everything except the actual moment the baby came out. We did sneak in some photos though! My husband could not be there due to an Army schooling conflict, so my best friend and my Mother-in-la had the camera and the camcorder. My husband (who was not allowed to have a phone during field training) had a feeling that he needed to call me and was sent out of the field to do so. He called right before I started to push and stayed on the phone to hear the doctor say "It's a Boy!" which was special because even though he was in a different state, we still found out at the same time. We watched the video together; it was a very special moment for us!

No recording, no taping, no watching. I had a c-section and didn't get to see ANYTHING. My husband saw them cutting me open and he said he will NOT be in there if I have another c-section. He said he still gets chills imagining the sound of my flesh being cut. He can't handle it. He almost fainted when they put the epidural in too. So I guess I better find someone to be in there with me next baby!

If I had natural birth next kiddo --- I would NOT want to watch nor would I want a video-camera anywhere in the room. Not the type of thing I'd want to stick in the vcr later and watch.

I videoed my home birth labor, and I wanted to video EVERYTHING including the head coming out and our first moments... waiting to cut the cord, the birth of the placenta... but after 14 hours at home, I ended up transferred at a hospital where they did not allow video recording of the birth or any care given by a medical professional.

I would have shared my video in the home birthing/natural birthing community and yes, I would have watched it, as I would have allowed my family members (and 6 y/o daughter) to watch it.

Goodness - no! ;)

I have photos from immediately after - that is good enough for me.

I did use the mirror with my first, I had an epidural and it helped me to push because I could see what was happening, even though I couldn't really feel it.

With #2 and #3 I did all natural water births, a mirror wouldn't have helped since I was in the birthing tub... a video wouldn't have shown much either but for me in a less than flattering position..

J.

I did not even want my husband with me in delivery room watching let alone taking pics or videos (and he was secretly relieved by that). I watched in the mirror the whole time. After my son was born, the nurse offterred to take pics....I said after I was cleaned up. I only wanted "G" rated pictures :-) I called my husband's cell after I was cleaned up and he came back upstairs. We were even together more than 10 years at this point (married almost 7) but I really did not think he could handle seeing the natural views of childbirth.

My mom was the "reporter" for that day...she got EVERYTHING and when I say *everything* you know what I mean. My vagina was right there, darn it.
Needless to say i never showed it to anyone as planned...sigh.

My best friend recorded my daughter's birth from behind the doctor and I watched every moment, including my episiotomy, in the mirror. I love watching that video and am so glad I was able to see my daughter born. My mom recorded my son's birth, but not from such a direct angle. My son got into some trouble in the 10 minutes I was pushing, so my mom had to give the doctor some extra room and he stood up, blocking most of my view in the mirror. We still have video of him crowning and his birth, which I'm really thankful for. I would suggest that being a doula might not be the best career choice for you if you didn't enjoy watching your own birth experience. Watching a stranger perform such an intimate task, coaching and supporting them during the entire process and providing relief through traditional and perineal massage is going to be impossible if you aren't one hundred percent comfortable with everything birth entails. Just my thoughts...

No. Lol.
No to the mirror, too. In fact, I kept my eyes closed the whole time. I didn't want people looking at my vagina to cause my labor to stall. ;)

W/ my DD we didn't even own a camera...we have a few fuzzy pictures from hours after her birth.

My son, I had in the water. I got to have my hand on his head while I pushed and helped pull him out of the water.
That was pretty awesome. But I had no desire to see it. Lol.
We have video of him immediately after birth, getting wiped off and measured and sucky bulb thing-ied. I cherish it! :)

My cousin recently showed me her video...I don't know how she sat so calmly as we watched her on the big screen.
I have no problem w/ watching the childbirth of 'strangers'. I also find it completely fascinating and have considered becoming a doula as well.
But watching my cousin...was weird. ;)

NO, I had an emergency c-section, and for whatever reason, we didn't think at that moment to take the camera in...

I'm going to be having a c-section with this one too, but maybe this time, we'll remember to grab the camera!

It's hospital policy in our hospital that video cameras are not allowed during delivery. During labor, it's fine, but during delivery it's not allowed. You have to sign paperwork acknowledging that, and what the repercussions will be if you try to videotape the delivery anyway.

Barring that, no way in hell would I want any of that recorded. My memories are much more romantic and happy and tender. And sorry, but a mirror? I was concentrating too much on pushing and the physical feelings and emotions and didn't need the visual distraction of a fricking mirror. WTH would I have done if the nurse or whoever had angled it wrong and gotten a shot of feces coming out instead o the baby's head? Sorry, not a memory I would want. I'd much rather have my self-edited, glowing flashbacks like you see in the movies.

UM NO! We had a camera but it stayed behind my knees the entire time. They asked if I wanted a mirror and i said "hell no!" well, right as she crowned the doc turned to her side to look back at something and I saw the reflection in the TV, holy wow, no thanks. My mom looked down and said "ohhhh... that's the head.." I think she regrets looking as well LOL. I think pictures of what happened is better and there's nothing that can't be shown to everybody (plus it's bad enough a team of 6-8 had to see my vagina, I don't need my entire family in on it too LOL).

My first was a waterbirth. My sister recorded it. I do think they had a mirror for me to see. I remember little glimpses of seeing her come out, but when she was FINALLY actually coming out (only took three hours of pushing), I had no mirror. The video was recording of the baby being born in water, so it's not as graphic as some of the other videos I've seen.

When I was deciding whether to record it or not, I was told that if you record it, you can always delete it later if you don't want it. If you don't record it, you can never get that back.

I have discovered that for me, I don't need to record it. I actually don't at all enjoy seeing myself in that much pain delivering the baby! I don't enjoy watching myself in labor and really being reminded of what it was like.

What I DO like is watching us all meet the baby for the first time. Since I have the birth recorded with my first, I won't delete it. But with my other three, I didn't record it. We have very few pictures during them, but they are mostly after the baby is born. I like it that way better. I don't think I ever had a mirror with my other babies births. If I did, I have no memory of it! And, I was good not seeing it:-)

Anyway, so that's how I feel! I don't want personally want a video tape of the hours upon hours upon hours of labor...or the hours of pushing...the moment the baby was coming out is exciting to see, but even then, I'd be just fine to have it recorded just after the baby pops out. And, it's not because I think it's gross or weird to record it...it's because I find it's too stressful to watch all of that. There is a reason there is a bit of amnesia when it comes to birth! I have a hard time watching all of those parts, but I can easily watch when we hold her for the first time and everything that came after that. I really think those parts are neat, and I'd like those things to be recorded.

That's cool you want to be a doula! My friend is in training and is going to be our doula. We had a doula with another one of our births too. Awesome job:-)

ADDED: I just read what R. said below me, and I wanted to add that I feel similarly. It took us to our third child to realize what type of birth environment we wanted. We chose to only have my hubby and I, the midwife and her assistant. No one else. I did want my daughter there (she was almost 6 and had been there at our other child's birth, which was awesome). But I had the baby so fast that she didn't come. Anyway, for me, having it all be private and personal and not being recorded made it perfect for me. We have no pics of the birth, but we have pics of when the other two kids came a couple hours later and met their sister for the first time. It was very sweet. And, I love how intimate and bonding that private of a birth was. I felt very close to my hubby and it was neat-o.

I think they traumatized me in high school. I remember we had to watch a video of child birth and that's the ONLY time I've ever seen a baby born. I get it's a miracle, but I don't want to see it. I had a C section and so I guess videoing wouldn't have happened anyway, but I remember being SO paranoid they weren't going to put up the sheet and I was going to see everything. I never watched Baby Story or any of those shows when I was expecting. So I guess a career as a midwife isn't in my future :-)

I let my husband video tape the actual birth (as the baby was being born) from the perspective that I could see (in other words, he was standing next to my head). NO WAY was he recording from the other end, thank-you-very-much!! It was nice to have the actual birth on camera and you couldn't see ANY part of me, so I was fine with it. The pictures were of the babies right after they were born (not as they were emerging). I personally had no interest whatsoever in using a mirror to see the baby coming out. I was otherwise occupied :)

I had a c section and I did look up and watch in the big light above the table and it was crazy! Seeing a dr cut you open but now feel it. But i would never tape it, especially if it was a vaginial Ewwww!

My husband was only present for the birth of one of our three children (He was in the Navy....) My mom was with me for the first two, but she never remembered to bring the camera to the delivery room. I never wanted blow-by-blow photos, just brand new baby photos.
When I was pregnant with my third (timed so that my husband would absolutely, definitely, positively be there) I told my (*cough* OCD *cough*) husband he was in charge of remembering the camera and I told him I didn't feel the need to have *those* photos and he agreed completely. It was settled. Just brand new baby pictures.
Fast forward to the delivery. My (*cough* OCD *cough*) husband did, in fact remember the camera. He was over by my side holding me up helping me push when my doctor notices the camera slung over his shoulder. Doctor: "OH! If you want to take pictures, you need to be over here!!!" BLAM!!!! My husband drops me and runs over to the doctor's side. Click, click, click... My daughter's head is out now. The doctor tells me "L., don't push." and MOVES OUT OF THE WAY SO MY HUSBAND CAN GET A BETTER PICTURE!!!!!!! (I'm not making this up!) Click, click, click, click.... Me: "If the two of you are finished, I would like to move along with this project..."
So my daughter was born - "It's a girl!!! Hooray! See how beautiful she is Mom" (baby is held up for mom to see) Baby now handed to Dad.
Dad tosses camera on my bed/gurney/whatever to take baby.
With nothing better to do I take a couple photos of my husband and his new daughter.
Everyone... I do mean everyone.... leaves the room. I am left there by myself. With an epidural. Legs still in stirrups. Hello? Anybody? Approximately 90 minutes later (after being moved to my room) I finally see my daughter again and hold her for the first time.

After we had been home from the hospital for a couple weeks I decided I should get that film developed (Yep, it was the old days) and I had started to think that it might be kind of nice to have the photos of her actually being born. I got the photos back ---- OMG!!! NO! Not my best side!! Yeah... we did not keep those photos.
And we have a very blurry photo of a beaming dad and his brand new daughter. :D

ETA - when I was in the room, by myself, paralyzed, with nothing to do, I noticed the mirror. HOLY MOLEY!!! THAT's what you look like after giving birth??? It was really, really freaky! Very, very swollen (and I didn't have an episiotomy or any tearing... no stitches.) I wanted to see that about as much as I wanted to see the placenta that the doctor was so excited about showing me!