Eyes open when crowning?

[loraxc]

My midwives have mentioned several times that my DS came out (crowned) with his eyes open, looking around. They said it was really cool and seemed to find it very unusual...is it? I wouldn't have thought so, but what do I know?

FWIW, he was a waterbirth and very vigorous at birth--cried immediately, 10/10 Apgars.

[nashvillemidwife]

Yes, in my experience that's unusual. Actually I don't recall ever seeing it myself.

[pittnurse08]

i don't understand how one would be able to see the baby's eyes at the time of crowning unless it was a very rare face presentation? do you mean right after the head was born? in that case, i've seen a baby who opened his eyes a tiny bit before the birth of his body, but i wouldn't say he was looking around really. congrats on having such a healthy, alert baby!

[Jane]

I've seen it once. That baby was also try to latch onto her mama's thigh. It's an awesome sign of vigorusness and health. Most babies are a little stunned by the birth process and "wake up". A few are seemingly riled up by birth. Only a very small number seem aware and awake at the moment of birth.

[wendy1221]

My first son was born posterior and was looking up at me as his head was born. After his head was out, he looked at my face and looked startled and started to cry. ROFL! It startled ME and I just wanted him OUT the rest of the way so I could hold him. It's part of the reason I tore so badly. He was born w/ his hand at his face and pushed him out before my doc could move his arm to a better position, so I tore w/ his elbow/shoulders together. On the bright side, I "caught" him myself. It was really amazing to be looking down as he emerged to see him looking right back at me.

[PreggieUBA2C]

nak

When ds3's head had emerged with his body still in, he immediately cried loudly, looked around and pushed himself out with the next contraction. I could feel his strain as he kicked off the top of my uterus and went flying out and onto the floor. I turned to see him with his eyes wide open, and a look of surprise. He was babbling within the hour.

I guess he was ready! He was also 44+2, so I was ready too .

The baby who was trying to latch onto mum's leg is awesome! And hilarious!

[MsBlack]

I have seen this twice recently...it is so sweet. As soon as nose cleared the perineum, each of these babies opened their eyes and looked at me. In one case, looked at me and Dad (Mom was standing, we were behind her so she couldn't see this). Kept their eyes open through rest of delivery....yes, pretty unusual and an amazing sight to behold.

[time4another]

My midwife told me that she doesn't particularly like when babies do this...

Although, DD did it to her...with the bag of water over her face. In the water.

I take it as it is/was a more of a spiritual thing than pure creepiness.

[KariM]

Not a BP, but our DD was born with her eyes open. She was (and still is) a very active alert child.

Here's a pic:

http://tinyurl.com/yse9rc

[loraxc]

Cool! My MWs, though amazing, are young and do not have huge #s of births under their belts, so I wondered if it was as unusual as they said.

And yes, eyes open when crowning is not quite an accurate way to describe it. His eyes were open as soon as the face was visible, before the shoulders and body emerged. And yes, his eyes stayed open.

The midwives said he really looked like he was looking around for us!

[treespeak]

Not a birth professional, but...

I wasn't in a position to see for myself, but DH tells me that babe was looking around while I was working to birth the rest of his body. It was a water birth in a dim room, and it took me some time to birth his body after his head emerged. I would imagine that those three factors (being in water, no bright lights, and having a bit of time) would make it more common for baby "to be born with eyes wide open". OP mentioned her baby was also born in water, so I'd be curious to know if my hypothesis holds any weight.

[hanno]

My son was born eyes open and looking around and so was his newborn cousin! They were both able to roll at 2 days old as well. We say it's our vegan diets, but it could possibly be genetics or even coincidence

[mwherbs]

I have seen it a few times when the head is born past the eyes- that they are open--

[nancynance]

I remember reading in a book called Babycatcher that the midwife was at a birth where the father was "catching" the baby. After the baby's head was born and he turned to face mom's thigh, he opened his eyes and looked straight at dad, - really freaked him out! Great book by the way.

[wumanh]

I don't find it all that uncommon for babies to be looking around. Maybe not before their noses are born but pretty soon after.

[mwherbs]

one of our water birth mom's had pictures of the baby as she rotated the eyes were wide open underwater and there is just that very intent look that new babies have it was a great pic

[Rockies5]

I thought it was common. All of mine but one (that was the longest most stressful labor for the baby) has eyes open and was looking around while they turned. I only saw one of them myself, though.

[kailotus]

my son was born with his eyes open. he came out facing down, and as his head turned he locked his eyes on daddy...it was really an amazing thing to see!

[lunaliss]

It happens, as you can see, but it is uncommon.
I love these stories, fabulous. Gotta love these beautiful, alert babies. I think it helps to have a slow gentle crowning and birth, that these babes are coming into life and not afraid to see what they're facing!
I can think of only a few in several hundred births (as a midwife).

[dogmom327]

DS came out with his hand on his head and his eyes wide open. His head came out and he turned and looked right at me. To be honest, it really startled me. I couldn't see, but my sister and best friend said he also wiggled is fingers in a wave of sorts. I really wish the video camera had been capturing everything from the right angle. It would have been so cool to have that on tape.