YouTube Helps Man Deliver Baby

1. DeLuxe
   May 3rd, 2009 at 10:03 pm

   Life Hacking in Full Effect!
   (Wheter it's how to make a bomb or how to deliver a baby, the Interwebs are there for you!)
   Brilliant!

2. DeLuxe
   May 3rd, 2009 at 10:05 pm

   Oh, and sorry about all the exclamatin marks. I got a bit carried away....

3. Noelegy
   May 3rd, 2009 at 10:09 pm

   Gabriel is totally looking at his dad in that photo, saying, "You did WHAT?!?"

4. Johnny Cat
   May 3rd, 2009 at 11:32 pm

   Thank the gods for the internet.

5. ivymae
   May 4th, 2009 at 1:46 am

   I had both of my kids at home, and joked all the time that my husband better beef up, since you never know... He didn't think it was as funny as I did.

   It's worth noting that in England, where this story took place, midwives actually work for the hospitals, and do homebirths as hospital employees, unlike here in the states. If you want a homebirth here, you have to navigate all the different state laws about midwifery, licensing, insurance, etc. It makes continuity of care so much easier for the family if there is a teamwork between hospitals and homebirth midwives, should anything (such as this) arise.

6. Robolasse
   May 4th, 2009 at 5:23 am

   This reminds me of the Matrix: "I know Kung Fu".

7. Woogie
   May 4th, 2009 at 3:00 pm

   My wife has had two unassisted homebirths. In the first one I caught the baby. In the second it was a waterbirth and I basically just stood there.

   So bloody ridiculous to see a big deal made of this. It shows the indoctrination society has gone through that birth is a medical process. "Man learns how to poo by watching YouTube video" would be of equal astonishment for what this guy did.

8. DOJ
   May 4th, 2009 at 9:23 pm

   Just have the emergency services operator walk you through it

9. violet
   May 4th, 2009 at 10:03 pm

   @Woogie: I'm actually on your side about this issue, but to be fair, are you saying you didn't prepare or study or gather any information to get ready for the birth of your children? The analogy to an automatic bodily function like the one you mentioned isn't apt.

   The big deal here is not, I don't think, about how craaaazy it is that a husband could effectively assist his wife in a delivery, but that he followed a youtube HowTo for it. It's funny and kind of great that he made it work.

   And while helping to birth your children without any outside assistance may have worked for you, it's not the right thing for everybody, and people can certainly be forgiven for desiring guidance in any form they see fit.

10. wow-o
    May 6th, 2009 at 12:43 pm

    Hmmm.. Last time I checked, people couldn't die from going "poo" as you so eloquently put it. True, most births go off without a hitch, but not always. I'm sure you understood what this story was about,simply by reading the headline, and I have to question why you bothered reading it at all Woogie. Obviously you had no intention of being happy for the couple, who I'm sure were nervous at the lack of expected medical assistance.

11. Melisa
    May 6th, 2009 at 3:54 pm

    My father delivered six of my 9 brothers and sisters at home in my parents bathroom. There wasnt youtube then.
    Good for you...that is great!

12. jenn
    May 6th, 2009 at 5:08 pm

    I have 3 children so far and I know that every pregnancy is different. I have to say I NEEDED medical assistance with each and it was always something different. My cousin delivered at home unexpectedly and it cost her more in medical bills than I paid. So I say it is more beneficial to have the experts if it is going to cost the same.

13. betina md
    May 6th, 2009 at 9:14 pm

    home delivery is not for everybody. devastating and life-threatening complications may happen. Seek advice from medical experts and have health facilities accessible before attempting to deliver at home. Difficult deliveries may lead to hemorrhage, infection, cerebral palsy and even death.

14. ted
    May 6th, 2009 at 11:45 pm

    Maybe they need one of those trivia challenges: Miracle of Birth or Poo?

    Woogie makes a good point, but birth can be a dangerous thing if just one thing goes wrong. And comparing it to man pooing - really.

15. MyRealName
    May 7th, 2009 at 9:11 am

    I have had two children, without epidurals and crap. I'm sorry, but I agree with Woogie too. Less than 100 years ago women had babies at home, by themselves, then got up the next morning and worked. Now people need 6+weeks off and all that? Birth is a miracle yes, but our bodies are meant to do it. I had my tonsils removes when I was 21, and was expected to back at work 1 week later, a person has a baby ( something a lot more natural than having tissue cut out of your throat) and gets 6 weeks?
    Pooing can be dangerous too, especially if you're constipated. What he's saying is, our bodies are made to to do it.

16. lalalalalala
    May 7th, 2009 at 9:23 am

    @ MyRealName :

    people usually take 6 weeks off to be with their new addition to the family. you would think that when someone has a child they want to spend time with it. plus, someone should take care of the kid if both parents work, so sometimes its even longer than that.

    (or they put the kid in daycare...but its probably better if some family member is watching the kid.) my mom didnt work when i was born, and when my parents wanted to go out my grandparents watched me. probably if i had a kid, i'd have family or friends watch it when i worked.

17. Miss Cellania
    May 7th, 2009 at 9:24 am

    How much time a woman takes off work for childbirth has everything to do with money and not much to do with health. If she gets paid maternity leave, she takes it. If not, she either goes back to work or takes as much time off as she can afford to not be paid.

18. Mandy In Texas
    May 7th, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    The baby is adorable and the father has every right to be proud that he was the one delivering.

19. lizmomof3boys
    May 7th, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Umm, Myrealname, 100+ years ago childbirth was also the leading cause of death among women. I had my first baby naturally w/o a hitch (in a hospital). An emergancy C-section delivered my 2nd child. The way he was positioned, we both would have died. I had a friend who died in childbirth. My mother has a friend who's grandson died in a homebirth. Homebirth is great when there is a happy ending, but if it is not the plan you had to bring a baby into the world, what a scary experience. Good for the dad. I much prefer seeing feel good stories on a newspaper than reports of our current economy and war.

20. Tawnya
    May 7th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    Very neat story. My husband's best friend delivered both of his children in home births with the help of a good friend who is a midwife. That's the way I'd prefer it. But I agree with most of the comments. The couple must be prepared for such by making sure that there is no known reason that would preclude an attempt at such and be prepared for the unexpected. Congrats Dad in the delivery of your son. I am sure it will bond you even closer as it has with my husband's best friend to his wife and his son and daughter. They are so much closer having experienced the birth of their children together in such an intimate way.

21. Jessica W.
    May 7th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

    I think that what Woogie meant is that it is ridiculous to say that ANYONE other than the mother 'delivered' the baby. She went through labor and delivery, she dealt with the pain, she pushed. The most anyone else can do is stand there and maybe catch. Other than interventions such as forceps and vacuum. The mom had natural birth at home and the dad is the one being congratulated? But I'm sure that the actual dad is not going around saying he delivered his son. Since they were planning a homebirth I'll bet he knows better!

22. ^^
    May 7th, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    i pretty much agree with jessica W

23. Carmen
    May 7th, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    I am really glad he coped with the bird of his son, and delivered intact. congrats!
    I have my son 31 years ago at home in a country that used lots of midwifes. I was scared to go to the hospital, because many woman were dying there having the babies. so, I hire a midwife, and she was a great woman, she has received all the babies in town. she knew exactly when and how I was going to give birth. the funny part, When I was giving birth I was so exhausted trying to expelled the baby that I did not have anymore strenght, the midwife immediately brought me an 8 ounces of tequila with two eggs in (do not ask why?) gave me the drink. I swallowed it and got so drunk that I don't remember when my baby was born. Great epidural! I had.

24. Christy
    May 8th, 2009 at 2:02 am

    oh the controversy of woogie's joke

25. Joy
    May 8th, 2009 at 8:09 am

    Woogie you need a vacation I hope. You can't seriously be that ugly. Congrats on the delivery Dad!!!!!!!

26. > _ >?!
    May 8th, 2009 at 8:28 am

    WOW home birth i dont think i could do that. And i dont think i could handle seeing it either. I agree with alot of thanks a few people said here. Home birth is dangerous its cool the couple's child made it. But at the same time why is the net makin a big headline out of this? Women have been given birth before youtube, tv, hell eletricity for the matter.
    But congrats to the couple, because i wouldve freaked out

27. Gerry
    May 9th, 2009 at 9:04 pm

    Hay #19
    My maternal grandmother died in home childbirth in the 1920's, as did the baby she was delivering. My mother, who was 6 at the time, was crushed.
    Home birth isn't for everyone and sometimes the worst outcomes do indeed happen.
    To have top level medical care on hand may not always be required, but it's certainly prudent.

28. Gerry
    May 9th, 2009 at 9:05 pm

    sorry i meant hey no. 15 !!

29. carey
    May 9th, 2009 at 9:14 pm

    myrealname
    you appear to be uninformed and just plain stupid. Maybe YOUR body was made for having babies, but not all women have that opportunity

30. Shy
    May 9th, 2009 at 10:10 pm

    My grandmother had 10 of her 13 children at home and several of those without the aid of any medical intervention. She was tiny at only 4'8". As for me I would have died without C-section for my first son. Due to medical complications I am unable to have a normal delivery. With my second child I had a scheduled c-section because we knew that I would never be able to have a vaginal birth. I would have loved to have had my children without medical intervention, however there are times that there is no other choice.

    I say congrads to this new father and thank God he was calm and knew what to do. My husband would have fainted!

31. Laura Shanley
    May 18th, 2009 at 9:26 pm

    I am happy for this family but I agree with Woogie. Women's bodies were designed to give birth. And the poo analogy is valid. Our bodies are extremely responsive to our thoughts as well as our environment. When any natural bodily function is observed by strangers, it changes. Try bringing a crowd into the bathroom with you and watch what happens. Many of the problems in birth are caused by fear (which triggers the fight/flight response and shuts down labor), shame and guilt. Just as our emotions greatly effect sex, they greatly effect birth.

    As far as women and babies routinely dying prior to the advent of the modern day hospital, this is a myth. Yes, sometimes they died but this was nearly always due to poverty - lack of food, dirty water and inadequate housing. Unsafe tribal practices such as rubbing dung into the umbilical cord also caused numerous problems. As Judith Goldsmith states in her book Childbirth Wisdom from the World's Oldest Societies, throughout history healthy tribal women have successfully given birth with little or no assistance.

    Regarding the "need" for c-sections today, most of this is due to the continual interventions routinely performed in hospitals. Each stage of birth is monitored, timed and controlled, and if a woman doesn't give birth within a certain time frame, numerous unsafe interventions are performed. A baby is stillborn in an American hospital every 15 to 20 minutes, which is double what it was ten years ago. Much of this is due to induction of labor, c-sections and other interventions.

    The bottom line is this: women have been told their bodies are inadequate and they need doctors, drugs and machinery in order to give birth. Unfortunately, most women believe this and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. For more information I encourage those who are interested to explore the many web sites devoted to unassisted childbirth.

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