As a guy, I don't know what it's like to give birth. In high school, my sex ed teacher described the pain as being similar to a watermelon coming out of your - you know what? I don't want to think about it. Childbirth looks long and painful. If scientists ever develop the technology to impregnate a man, like Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in the movie Junior, I will not be signing up.
Some women choose to have a 'free birth,' a birth with no medical assistance. That means no scans, no doctors and no drugs for pain relief. It seems irresponsible, because complications could arise, putting the health of the mother and baby in danger. However, advocates believe childbirth is a natural act, so there's no need to go the hospital. They're critical of contemporary medical care and argue that a free birth produces a stronger maternal bond.
Sarah Schmid trained to become a doctor, and now she's a full-time mom. Originally from Germany, she currently lives in France. After giving birth to her first child with a midwife, Sarah became interested in free-birthing. The following five kids were all free-births. For her sixth child, the 36-year-old gave birth in her back garden, and uploaded the video of the event on YouTube. It has 1.4 million views.
Many mothers wouldn't feel comfortable broadcasting their birth to 1.4 million people. But Sarah doesn't mind. She's a proponent of free births and wants more people to appreciate the method. In an interview with The Sun, the mother-of-sixIn explained why she likes giving birth outside, and why she livescreamed - I mean, livestreamed - this magical moment.
"I can relax best outside. I can look up to the sky, feel grass under my feet and focus. I found it stressful in hospital. I found the forest very relaxing, so I thought it was the best place for me to have my baby.
"A woman looks like a woman. It is the most natural and normal thing in the world. I don't think it's strange. In old cultures the girls would watch their mothers give birth, so they would know what it was like. Now the chance to do this is very small. This gives people the chance to see birth, and especially birth without intervention. It's a rare thing to see."
"Some people are excited, and some think it's the most stupid thing I could do. I don't mind. I love my happy and healthy family."
In the 27-minute-video, Sarah gives birth in the backyard playground, totally unassisted. Even her husband Tim was not present. But again, she doesn't mind. "I didn't mind Tim not being there," Sarah told The Sun. "I knew he had fears about the birth - especially because it was unassisted. But I felt I had to deal with my own fears first. I did not want to be overwhelmed with fear. He came afterwards. I called him when the baby was born."
Congratulations to Sarah on a healthy birth - and a viral video on YouTube.
