Warning: If you had an excruciating birth experience, watching this might make you feel sudden, intense pangs of jealousy.
A Californian midwife’s video is going viral for a very envious reason.
You see, Lisa Marie Sanchez – also known as the barefoot midwife – has uploaded footage of her client Audra’s “beautiful second home birth”.
Immersed in water, the 60-second footage shows a calm, almost perfectly silent Audra and her husband welcome their newborn son. It’s not only a tear-jerker, it’s one of the most incredible birth videos we’ve ever seen.
With one calm, deep breath, Audra can be seen pushing out her little boy in a swift motion, before pulling him up onto her chest to be cradled.
Lisa, Audra and her partner all look on in disbelief at how the water birth transpired in a single minute.
"A midwife's role is fluid, providing whatever is necessary for each individual birthing experience," midwife Lisa wrote alongside the footage to her followers.
"Although almost always that role is simply to offer the gift of quiet presence."
It wasn't long before views and comments flooded in.
'My husband and I are watching with tears in our eyes,' one viewer wrote, another: "This makes me feel warm inside."
"I think this is the most amazing thing I've ever seen and I will never forget this. What a moment."
Would you have a home water birth? Why/why not?
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Top Comments
I absolutely loved birthing and have had 3 beautiful natural births. The first 2 were in hospital and wonderful experiences.
My third birth takes the cake though as it was an unplanned water birth at home without assistance. Hubby was present but on the phone to emergency workers trying to get help.
Bub had other plans though! So I had to remember what the midwives did with my other births ("support the head" was about my only thought) and delivered my own little boy.
Such an awesome experience!
I've given birth in water twice now (at home). Once was jolly hard work and I was not quiet at all. The next was calm and silent and totally lucid and I got to catch (couldn't have the first time).
Giving birth in water is very very relaxing and I prefer it to birthing 'on land' (which I have also done twice, once at home and once in hospital.) In my last birth I got into the water just as I hit transition and that feeling of panic that I associate with transition just melted away in relief at the weightlessness.
All births are different, and I've needed intervention before (in hospital and at home), but I sure did love water birthing when I could.