Why do people film births?

@Pandora I do so agree with you! I can think of nothing so grim as all that carry-on being filmed.

And, to add to your question, why do they show other people?

GP?

I’ve never thought of it as being something to show others or the children, but something for the couple to share, a way for the mom to see what was going on and when the baby was born. Moms don’t have the best view, you know!

(We did not tape either of our two children. One turned into a c-section when my son wouldn’t turn his head, and my daughter was a scheduled c-section.)

People film births for the same reason they eat the placenta afterwards… they’re fucking weirdos.

I think giving birth is beautiful and the last thing on anyone’s mind was my privates as far as I am aware

We did not film the births, but started filming a little bit shortly afterwards. Still, feelings about privacy of “privates” are purely cultural. You feel that way, and that’s fine. It’s fine for others who don’t feel that way and don’t have any reason to to consider the birth a super private matter. All that matters is what you are comfortable with.

I would love to see a film of my children’s births because I no longer remember what it was like. I remember some parts, but there were things it would be cool to see again. But we didn’t have the camera going, and my wife didn’t want to be filmed in agony. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

I can only speak for myself. I had my then-husband film the birth of our third child because in my previous two deliveries, I became so inwardly focused that my eyes were closed while I was giving birth so I missed seeing them come into the world. I wanted to see my child being born. I cried when I watched it later, and it was a beautiful experience.

We never showed it to anyone else except both of our mothers. They’d each wanted to be present in the birthing room every time, but we didn’t want that. So they asked to see the video, and we let them watch it (alone). They both cried because it was beautiful to them, too.

@augustlan That is so touching! We just gave a shower for my assistant today. I don’t know if she’s videotaping the delivery or not. I have mixed feelings about such things. We are all so enamored of cameras and video these days. But once upon a time there was only your mempry of the event as lived. There was the oral tradition of telling stories. It had a different kind of beauty….not that I want to rain on anyone’s parade…

I brought a video camera into the delivery room, and caught the first seconds of my sons life, but did not show his coming out of my wife’s privates. No reason that needs to be documented.

My husband filmed the birth of our second child because I wanted to watch it. I’m not a “fucking weirdo” or some freak who likes to pull the video out at parties and talk about the massive size of my vagina and all the baby gunk.

I, personally wanted to watch my daughter emerge from my body. And it was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. To know that you have nourished this little baby inside your body for nine months, and then to go through the pain, and see that little bundle of joy be pushed out of your body… it’s just a wonderful, magical experience.

It’s one of the only legal means of extortion still in existence. ~

It’s nothing a child would ever want to see and I can’t imagine anyone in my family wanting to see it either. I have yet to experience the pain of childbirth, but I don’t think it’s something I’d ever want to relive. Seeing myself screaming in agony, sweating profusely, face red from pushing, and potential unintentional emptying of my bowels? I’ll pass.

Childbirth is natural and, I suppose, beautiful and magnificent, but there shall be no cameras pointed at my twat when I’m squeezing babies out of it. I have no interest in such things. I’m not a very mushy ooey-gooey person though, and I’ve never cried because something was beautiful – babies, weddings, etc. I’m fairly emotional, but I don’t cry over happy stuff.

I heard a comedian riff on our obsession with taking pictures of everything these days. Somewhere in his very funny monologue he made the point that we’re so busy taking photos and videos we don’t really appreciate the moment—and often we don’t even enjoy the photos we shoot. I know this is a generalization—lots of us shoot photos and enjoy them and share them, but “capturing” a moment in time digitally isn’t the same as experiencing that moment when it happens.

Well expressed, @livelaughlove21 and @WillWorkForChocolate. Opposite views but for me, both totally valid.

@livelaughlove21 I never thought I’d want to film a birth either (which is why we didn’t do it for the first two deliveries). But because I’d missed the moments they were actually born, I changed my mind for the third. If my child ever wants to see it, she’s welcome to, but I only did it for myself.

@Pandora: “Why do people film births?”

The same reason people film anything. If you can figure out the complex psychology behind filming a birthday party or a visit to Yellowstone, you’ll find the answer to your question. It’s not going to be a different answer.