Birth videos can be very informative, educational and uplifting to watch. There are also some birth videos which are very disempowering and scary – I have heard of some really scary birth videos being played at birth education classes. However if you’re looking for some great videos and clips of birth, here’s a few suggestions and some favourite birth videos online.
Firstly here are some great birth videos you can watch at home, then if you scroll down further you can view my favourite online birth videos which are free to watch. Enjoy!
Birth Videos To Watch At Home
If you’re looking for some great, educational birth videos to watch at home, we recommend:
The Business of Being Born
You can see the trailer here. The DVD shows many births, both at hospital and at home, as well as being a very powerful educational DVD. I highly recommend this birth DVD – if you are going to watch one, watch this one.
Dusty’s Big Day Out
A beautiful Australian water birth video from 2007. Moments of challenge and triumph are candidly shared in a wonderfully uplifting way. See the beautiful water birth at home of Dusty, in attendance of a midwife, doula, father and big sister. Posterior labour. 20 minutes duration.
Birthing Sense Pre-Natal DVD Series
A comprehensive educational DVD compiled by an Australian midwife, mother and childbirth educator. She assembled a team of 26 professionals from around Australia to make this highly informative 3-DVD series of pre-natal/birth education classes for use in the comfort of your own home. DVDs include, ‘Making Sense of Pregnancy’, ‘Making Sense of Birth’ and ‘Making Sense of Baby’.
Birth Videos to Watch Online
Here are some great birth videos online which are inspiring, educational and powerful.
Most of these clips contain nudity and some show everything – so please use your judgement when and where you watch the videos. Some of the stills of the videos contain nudity also, so if you are unable to watch at this moment, please don’t scroll down any further until you are able to.
After watching them, you may wonder why most of these birth videos are home and/or water births. Filming isn’t often allowed in hospitals, but also seeing birth unhindered and allowed to naturally progress is a great educational tool, as well of showing how pain relief doesn’t just come as part of the package – it can be amazing without it! You’ll see all these videos have mothers who are active (which you can’t be with an epidural) and working with their bodies, as well as loads of big smiles and tears at the end.
An Accidental Unassisted Home Birth Video
This is one of my all time faves – the labour happened so fast that the baby was born before the midwife arrived, so the mother was left alone in her bath tub. Love this birth video!
Embedding of this birth video is disabled so you’ll need to watch the video here.
A Water Birth in a Birth Facility
Amazing view of water birth and the baby emerging. Fantastic!
A Breech Water Birth in a Birth Facility
Same location / tub as the above clip, but this time a mother is giving birth to a breech baby. Amazing pictures watching the baby emerge. You’ll go ‘WOW!’ at this birth video!
A Water Birth With A Dolphin
Yes, you read right! Dolphins have a curiosity and natural affinity with pregnant women. Birthing with dolphins came about when an idea to combine the benefits of water birth and the demonstrated therapeutic value of dolphins. You can read more about dolphins at human births here. A snippet from that page: “In commercial ‘swim with dolphin’ programs, pregnant ladies are often excluded from the swims because the dolphins often concentrate their attention exclusively on her to the exclusion of the other guests.” Watch the dolphin at the end, coming in close to see whats happening!
Home Water Birth
A combination of gorgeous stills and video. Beautifully done.
Twin Birth Video – Home Water Birth
This is more a montage of images but I had to share this one which has well over 3 million views! Its a beautiful clip and a beautiful birth.
Laughing and Smiling Through Birth
This is the happiest woman I have seen giving birth, ever! Certainly a different birth video to many that you see! Shows a close up of crowing.
A High Quality Water Birth Video in a Birth Facility
Theo’s Birth video from hailey bartholomew on Vimeo.
A Natural, Unmedicated Birth Video
This birth video shows crowing to the birth and leaves nothing out. I think the beauty of seeing a natural, unmedicated birth shows you what is absolutely possible and doable – and the massive sense of achievement right afterwards.
Watch this clip here
