Oct Mommies - do you have pics/video of your labor/birth?

[Amber Lion]

If you do... are you sharing them with anyone? Just keeping them for yourself to remember? Would you share them with the public?

I've got both actually, I didn't know my doula was using the video setting on my digital camera till afterwards. I personally love looking at the photos and the video of Adelh being born is amazing to me to watch. However, I'm buck naked in all of it and Addie's birth is full on my front with me in all my glory. So far I've shown the video to my neighbor (who we're close with), my sister, and Dh showed it to my MIL b/c he "thought I said he could". Yeah, didn't, but whatever. I did a little montage of the labor/birth, but couldn't bring myself to add in the one pic of Addie crowning b/c of my full on nudity. I remember LOVING and needing to watch so many home water birth videos on youtube during the last bit of my pg, and especially the ones that showed the actual birth (I was actually annoyed when they didn't show the most important part!! )... I'd love to give the gift back to other women... but somehow the thought of my naked self *out there* give me the willies.

[mamanurse]

I don't have any really raw pics and I had banned the video camera from the whole process. Personally, I wouldn't share my video with others because I'm too shy about my noises and animalness of it all. However, I totally enjoy watching others and feel an immense grattitued to the women who feel comfortable enough to do so.

[dis]

My doula took a ton of pictures, and there's a lot of nipple showing. No really full on shots, though, since I gave birth in the tub and at that point she was taking pictures over my shoulder, so the photos of the actual birth are pretty tame.

I have an edited 'family friendly' set that I've shared with people; the ones with my breasts showing I'm keeping private except for one shot of the baby latched on for the first time, where you just see the edge of the nipple.

I absolutely LOVE having them, I have to say. My doula talked me into letting her photograph the whole thing with the argument that if I hated the photos we could always delete them, but you can never go back and take pictures if you realize later you wish you had them. Now that I have all these amazing photos of DD2's birth, I wish I had photos of DD1s!

[Changed]

I may post something on our private ddc board but not anywhere else.

[Faerieshadow]

I don't have any shots that ended up revealing. I had planned on more pictures than we actually got but it went so fast I just have two shots during labor, and a few right after she was born. I had a sports bra on the whole time and tub plus the towel draped on me for Elina covered everything else. I would have loved some "natural shots" but it just didn't happen that way. I don't think I would have been comfortable sharing any in public - had a hard enough time sharing the ones I have since I'm wearing glasses and not contacts in them. (I never, ever, wear my glasses in public. Too many years as a kid being made fun of until I was able to get contacts.) I do really appreciate those who are willing to share publicly. I couldn't get enough of birth videos as I was preparing.

[audsma]

I wish we'd taken more, but DH did end up sending out pics of me with breasts fully exposed to our "announcement ambassadors" and they forwarded them on (or not) at their discretion. I was a bit shocked when my friend from work said she didn't forward any pictures because the only ones she wanted to show my coworkers weren't appropriate. I was thinking "WTH did he send out?"

Still, we never think of taking pictures until it's too late, and we didn't video anything except his newborn exam and didn't even capture the act of DD cutting the cord on film. I often think that memory is more powerful, however, but perhaps this is just an excuse because I always intend to but never get around to journaling and photographing the big moments.

And, since this is my last baby, I'm a bit sad about it!

[Bayleesan]

mine were taken by a professional photographer, so I can share them, I can't put them *out* there like that, it might be my body, but it her work. I LOVE them though, they are intense and beautiful.

if you go to http://www.memoriesbystacie.com/
in client proofs, under Noelani's birth you can see the pictures. You have to register and the password is rose.

[crosscat]

We took a video camera and still camera, but I had explained to DH beforehand that I might need him to be focused on ME instead of being the camera man. And that's how it went. We never took any photos until after Calla was born.

If I did have pics or vids I would share them. I'm not an exhibitionist, but I'm not shy about my body, either. My only concern would be making someone else feel uncomfortable upon seeing me nude. Sharing childbirth videos with others who are curious to learn more wouldn't bother me at all.

[PassionateWriter]

the whole birth is videotaped (all 4 hours) but i havent watched it yet. i dont know why...i am sad taht i dont have pix and i want some stills from teh video but i dont know how to do that yet and dont feel comfortable asking my friends dh (a photographer) to do it. lol!

something about how fast and furious Zen's birth went that prevents me from watching the video right now. i just wish it had been a bit calmer.

[birthdancedoula]

I had a prof birth photographer at Iris' birth. She brought me a CD of over 300 pics that I've only looked at once. It is still too fresh in my mind to really ponder them or even share (my dh hasn't even seen them). I have my birth on video, too.

It'll probably be awhile before I'm ready to share but I will eventually. I know how much I love looking at birth photos.

[NDFanatik]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

If you do... are you sharing them with anyone? Just keeping them for yourself to remember? Would you share them with the public?

I don't have video and I only have 3 pictures. We wanted to record it, but once we got to the hospital things happened so fast and I ended up pushing her out after being there only an hour. My husband got so caught up in everything happening that he forgot to grab the camera and forgot to ask our doula to take pictures. I'm a little sad about that, but nothing we can do about it now... She did snap 3 as the baby was coming out though. Not full on vagina shots, just from the side where a little pubic hair is visible and one shot right as she slid out.

I have them uploaded to my photobucket and since there is no full nudity and they are very unlikely to offend many people I don't mind sharing with others. All they have to do is ask. I shared with several women from my the parenting group I run.

[myrmom]

I have a video of Keir's birth and I will share it once My dh gets it off the camera and onto the computer. It is from behind since i was on my knees when he was born...so you don't see a ton just my big butt in the air and my breasts when i flip over.

[thefragile7393]

Looking back I wish I had videos of both births, if there had been a way that it could have been done without my noticing. My mom brought the camera to my son's birth but it brought back memories of her having to film every single blasted moment in my life that it wasn't allowed on.

I only have pictures taken after both kiddos were born.

[TaraRae82]

I have pics of the birth but they're pretty blurry since it was pretty dark in the room. I delivered on my hands and knees so they're definitely a site to see. My Mom and a few other super close people have seen them.

[honeybeemac]

I had my birth professionally photographed. So far I've only seen the DVD slideshow my photographer created that is set to music! I absolutely love it and wished I had the same for my first DD's birth. I do feel funny sharing it even though the slideshow has all modest pics. I think because its so personal and emotional.