Looking for some great birth videos? Simply curious what childbirth is like? Or doing research for giving birth to your own baby? In this article, I’ll show you a wide variety of childbirth videos—natural and epidural births in a hospital, c-section births, home births in water, home unassisted or free births, home births standing up, home births on a toilet, hypnobirths at home and in the hospital, a birth with the baby still in the amniotic sac, and a stillbirth.
Let me mentally prepare you in case you’ve never seen a birth video: birthing a child is beautiful, painful, and at times gory. If you have a difficult time with blood, guts, and screaming, these videos may not be for you, but don’t worry, I’ll warn you before any especially hard to watch videos.
Looking For a Specific Birth Video? Or Other Information?
- Hospital Vaginal Birth Videos: Natural and Epidural
- Hospital Multiple Baby Birth Videos
- Hospital C-Section Birth Videos
- Home Birth Videos
- Hypnobirth Videos
- Birth in Amniotic Sac Video
- Still Birth Video
- How to Use Birth Videos to Make a Birth Plan
Hospital Vaginal Birth Videos: Natural and Epidural
1. Natural Hospital Vaginal Birth Video
This is essentially the most “normal” delivery video of the bunch in the sense that it’s what most people traditionally think of when they think of giving birth. If you picture a traditional childbirth video in your head, you probably picture a woman on a hospital table with her legs spread pushing and screaming—the typical Hollywood portrayal of childbirth. That’s what this birth video shows in very explicit detail—you’ll see the baby’s head coming out of the vagina.
In this delivery video, the mother is giving birth vaginally without the use of an epidural—a pain reducing anesthetic. For this reason, you’ll hear a lot of screaming. Also, at about 3 minutes and 9 seconds in, you’ll see the doctor take scissors and cut something near the vagina. She’s not cutting the vagina; she’s cutting the umbilical cord because it’s wrapped around the infant’s neck.
This video may be hard to watch—there’s a lot of blood and screaming. You’ve been warned.
2. Epidural Hospital Vaginal Delivery Video
This is very similar to the previous normal delivery video, but there’s a lot less screaming because the mother in this video did have an epidural. According to the NIH, during an epidural, a doctor will inject pain medication into the sac of fluid around your spinal cord; this medication numbs or blocks feeling to certain parts of your body. Many women opt for an epidural to reduce the pain associated with childbirth. Even with an epidural, birthing a baby is no cake walk: you’ll see the mother in this video crying because she’s in pain.
This normal delivery video is a bit easier to watch than the last. It doesn’t show the mother’s vagina, so you don’t see as much blood.
Hospital Multiple Baby Birth Videos
After watching those last two birth videos, you might be struggling to imagine giving birth to one child let alone more. In the following two baby delivery videos, you’ll see two brave women give birth to multiple children.
3. Twin Delivery Video
This baby birth video is very reminiscent of the last video because the mother gives birth vaginally using an epidural. However, she gives birth to two babies instead of one! This one is not too difficult to watch: there’s no screaming and limited blood.
4. Triplet Birth Video
In this baby delivery video, you’ll be able to see in vivid detail the vaginal birth of triplets. It’s similar to the first video in that it shows all the explicit details, so you may want to skip this video if you can’t stomach blood and/or nudity. While this video doesn’t say whether the mother had an epidural or not, based on her calm breathing and the lack of screaming, I’m pretty sure she had an epidural.
This birth video provides unique insight into what it’s like to give birth vaginally in a high-risk pregnancy. According to the doctors at Mayo Clinic, there are several risk factors which can cause doctors to classify a pregnancy as high-risk such as multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets, etc.) or giving birth at an older age (at age 35 or above).
High-risk pregnancies typically need more monitoring, and in this delivery video, you’ll see the babies being monitored throughout the birthing process. You’ll see various medical devices being used to monitor the mother and the babies while they’re in utero and out. You’ll see that the second baby is in distress, and the team scrambles to stabilize the baby.
Hospital C-Section Birth Videos
Some women end up giving birth by Cesarean—otherwise known as a c-section. According to the doctors at Mayo Clinic, a c-section is a surgery in which the baby is removed from the mother through incisions in her abdomen and uterus. C-sections are usually only used when they’re medically necessary—i.e. giving birth vaginally would cause or risk causing harm to the mother, baby, or both.
5. C-Section Childbirth Video: Delivery Only
If you struggle watching blood, you might want to skip both C-section childbirth videos. Because C-sections require opening up the mother’s stomach, C-section delivery videos are pretty graphic.
This first video is a bit easier to watch because it’s the tail end of the procedure. However, you will see the baby being pulled out of the mother’s abdomen.
6. C-Section Childbirth Video: First Incision to Delivery
If you’re wondering what a full C-section procedure looks like, you have to watch this video. This baby delivery video shows the full Cesarean procedure from start to finish from the very first incision to baby delivery.
Home Birth Videos
Some women choose to give birth at home rather than at a hospital. Their reasons are varied: religion, lower cost, desire to deliver in a familiar environment, desire to deliver without drugs. For home births, people typically hire a midwife or doula to guide them through the birthing process and ensure a safe delivery.
I won’t give a full explanation of the pros and cons of home birth in this article, but if you’re interested in learning more about home birth, I highly recommend reading this home birth article from Mayo Clinic.
7. Home Water Childbirth Video in a Bathtub
Home water births have become very popular recently. During water births, mothers spend the final stages of labor in a birthing pool—typically a bathtub or blow up pool. The physical delivery can take place in or out of the water, though many choose to deliver in the water. Some women say that water births make the delivery less painful.
In this childbirth video, the mother delivers in a bathtub with the assistance of a midwife and a doula. The midwife tends to the baby, and the doula tends to the mother, coaching her through delivery.
8. Home Water Birth Video in an Inflatable Pool
In this baby birth video, the mother gives birth in an inflatable pool. While she does have midwives observing, she delivers the child herself. The midwives are very hands off.
This baby delivery video is a bit more explicit than the last—you’ll see the baby’s head exiting the vagina.
9. Home Birth Video on Back
This home birth looks the most similar to the hospital births—the mother delivers while lying flat on her back with the midwife delivering the baby.
It’s a bit bloody, and there’s a bit of screaming, so those with weak stomachs may want to skip this one.
10. Unassisted Home Birth Video on Hands and Knees
Some women opt for unassisted delivery (also known as freebirth), which means they deliver their baby by themselves (or with the help of a partner) without the help of a medical professional. Delivering unassisted is very risky, and I’d advise against it.
In this free birth delivery video, you’ll see the mother on her hands and knees delivering her child with the help of her spouse. Some women think delivering on hands and knees or in other non-traditional positions (not lying on your back) helps the mother deliver the baby faster and less painfully.
While there’s not a lot of blood in this delivery video, you’ll have a direct view of the baby’s head crowning, and you’ll hear the mother screaming.
11. Unassisted Home Birth Video Crouch Position
This baby birth video is similar to the last, but it shows an alternate delivery position. This mother crouches with her hands providing some support. She delivers by herself with some support from her spouse.
You’ll be able to see the baby crowning, but there’s no blood or screaming.
12. Unassisted Home Birth Video Standing Up
In this freebirth delivery video, this incredible mother delivers her own baby while standing up. Doing an unassisted delivery while standing up is risky since you could drop the baby, but this mother catches her baby no problem.
You’ll have a full view of the baby crowning, but there’s no blood, so it’s not too difficult to watch.
13. Unassisted Home Birth on a Toilet
This is a very atypical home birth video. Most women who choose to deliver unassisted do so in another position. I’d recommend against giving birth on a toilet; there is a risk of hitting the baby against the toilet. This mother seems to struggle to yank her baby out through the small space between her body and the toilet seat.
You’ll see some blood as the mother tries to pull the baby out, and you’ll also see her untangle the umbilical cord which was wrapped around the baby’s neck.
Hypnobirth Videos
Along with water births, hypnobirthing has risen in popularity recently. It’s a birthing technique where the mother tries to hypnotize herself into a calming state during labor. Some studies seem to suggest it may help ease labor pains and result in less C-sections and shorter labor.
Mothers who decide to do hypnobirth typically take classes and/or read books to teach themselves how to self-hypnotize before giving birth. Not all mothers who undergo hypnobirth attempt hypnosis, some simply use relaxation, meditation, and visualization techniques.
The following videos will provide you with an array of different birth scenarios where hypnobirthing was used—in the hospital, at home, in a water birth.
14. Hypnobirth in a Hospital
While many hypnobirthing mothers decide to do home births, it’s possible to use hypnobirth in a hospital delivery. In the following baby birth video, you’ll see a mother and her partner use the hypnobirth relaxation techniques throughout labor in a hospital.
It’s a very easy video to watch; you won’t be able to see the vagina or crowning, instead, you’ll see the mother’s face.
15. Hypnobirth at Home
For the delivery of this baby, the mother uses hypnobirth techniques in her home birth assisted by a midwife. The mother gives birth in a crouched position with her partner supporting her. The midwife helps maneuver the baby out of the birth canal since the baby’s shoulder gets stuck.
This baby birth video is very calm: no screaming, no blood.
16. Hypnobirth Video in Water at Home
In this baby delivery video, you’ll see a mother use hypnobirthing in a water birth. She uses controlled breathing and delivers the baby herself under the watchful eye of her midwife.
It’s very short and very easy to watch.
17. Birth in Amniotic Sac Video
In less than one in 80,000 births, the baby is born en caul or inside the still intact amniotic sac. Supposedly, being born that way is a sign of good luck. Being born en caul doesn’t affect the health of the baby or mother. Once the baby is delivered, the doctor simply pops the amniotic sac to get the baby out—as you’ll see in this video.
This baby delivery video does show some blood and other bodily fluids, so those with weak stomachs may want to skip this one.
18. Still Birth Delivery Video
Miscarrying at any point during pregnancy can be heartbreaking. Losing the baby so close to the end can be especially challenging. This brave woman shared the delivery video of her stillborn in the hospital.
It’s hard to watch as she cries through this sad moment.
How to Use These Birth Videos to Make a Birth Plan
Hopefully, watching the baby delivery videos above gave you some insight into the different possibilities for your delivery. When creating your birth plan, you need to ask yourself some questions:
- Where do I want to deliver my baby? At home? In the hospital?
- Who do I want to invite to the birth of my child? Who do I want to be in the room with me when I deliver? Just my partner and medical professionals? My parents? In-laws? Siblings? Friends? Consider that at a hospital you might only be allowed one or two people in the room with you when you deliver.
- Will I take an epidural? There are risks associated with epidurals, and you should discuss them with your doctor and take them into account when planning.
- Is my pregnancy high risk? If yes, should I have a C-section? You should discuss this with your doctor.
- If I decide on a homebirth, will I hire a midwife or a doula or both? Where is the nearest hospital in case of emergency? It should be within 15 minutes of where you plan to give birth.
- Do I think I need help staying calm during delivery? Should I hire a doula or consider hypnobirth or both?
Make sure to thoroughly discuss your birth plan with a medical professional.