Almost everything is recorded, photographed, or posted on a social networking site these days. Why would birthing be any different?

In previous times, men weren’t even allowed to be in the room when women were giving birth, then when they were finally let in, it was still a sacred moment captured by just the father and mother. In today’s era, we are all about sharing! Taking a picture of the mommy-to-be is almost a must; but we don’t stop there, now it is all about a recorded birth.

Recording birth has been done in past years, but it has never been as popular as it is now. If a woman wants to promote a certain type of birth they record it being done, and post it on the website YouTube for others to watch and consider when they are bearing their child. Some women want to remember this moment exactly how it happened, because little parts may have been forgotten (sometimes on purpose) through a hormonal haze. According to the Los Angeles Times, Andrea Filardi, a certified childbirth educator and a labor coach who works in Los Angeles says, “a lot of people want to show that child birth is a natural process.”

Filardi says, “In TV, they show birth with women all hysterical and screaming, and the baby is falling out. It can be quiet and peaceful and a totally different thing.” With the new era of birthing being posted on YouTube people could get a feel for all different types of births, and see that not all births are as dramatic as they might have thought.

Why is this phenomenon so popular? Probably because it is so easy! People used to have to set up a tripod and have their video recorder ready with a fresh tape for the big moment, or have someone be in the room taping it. Now, we press a button on our smart phone, and we have an HD video, and the mother can watch her birth just minutes after she has finished giving it. People want to be able to remember the beginning moments of their child’s life and now they can watch it via their cell phone or Facebook anytime.