A viral video of nude Simone Thurber giving birth in a stream by herself without a midwife has birthed over 54 million views on Youtube. The river home birth has also spawned hot debate over public birthing. Is it natural and beautiful, brave and pioneering, foolish and risky, disgusting and exhibitionist? Maybe the polarizing 2012 video is all of the above, depending on perspective.
Simone Thurber water birth natural and beautiful?
Simone Thurber had seen women in Russia birthing babies in the Black Sea and thought she'd like to do a water birth with her 4th child. She and her husband chose the stream and she listened to her body and birthed the child using her own motherly instincts. The viral video shows all of mom's private parts because they're all used in the birth process. To post a video of yourself in your most vulnerable moments could be called brave. Using it to show others the miracle of birth might be helpful. Showing other mothers how a water birthing or home birth works is very helpful.
It's certainly educational for the family who wants to avoid a hospital birth. As a how to video, this could be instrumental for a midwife and other DIYers.
Birth in stream risky and foolish?
The family did have a midwife and helicopter standing by, when Thurber birthed her own baby alone, just in case things went wrong. So risks to the birth in a stream were minimized. But that doesn't negate the infection and contamination risks. The viral video show flies on her genitalia and on the baby as the child is coming out. With the Zika virus rampant now, people need to be aware of health risks from mosquitoes. And exposure to insects at birth is never safe. Then there are water contaminants.
In a water birth, the baby is born in a clean pool.
Simone Thurber birth disgusting and exhibitionist?
If you think the birth of a baby is disgusting then never have children because all births have blood, fluid, tissue, mucus, etc. The birth of this baby was no more or less gross than any other. It was probably cleaner as all fluids were washed away. Was the birth in a stream exhibitionist? No it was more private than any hospital birth, even with the videotaping. Where it may be said to be exhibitionist is when they posted the birth video online. It begs the question how much was done for attention seeking. Displaying genitalia in public is considered obscenity and against the law. Having 54 million people see all your orifices, inside and out, is pretty close to pornography. But then the viral video wouldn't be so helpful to expectant parents. So it's a toss-up.