Viral giraffe woman gives birth - actual giraffe still pregnant

Erin Dietrich has given birth, and brought the giraffe mask out again.
Erin Dietrich has given birth, and brought the giraffe mask out again. Photo: Facebook

More than 30 million people watched Erin Dietrich pretending to be a giraffe during the last days of her pregnancy, so why wouldn't she don the famous mask again while giving birth?

The South Carolina mum has given birth to son Porter Lane and announced the arrival with a Facebook post showing the baby boy breastfeeding while his mum wears the giraffe mask.

"He is here! He is perfect, healthy and just beautiful," she wrote on her Facebook page.

"Our hearts are overflowing! Thank you so much for all the love and prayers!"

Earlier she'd posted another video, while in labour, from her hospital bed, also wearing the giraffe mask.

Porter Lane is Dietrich's fourth child and arrived one week earlier than his expected due date of 14 March. Everyone is happy and healthy. He weighed 3.68kgs.

The birth announcement has already been shared more than 29,000 times in less than 24 hours after it was posted.

Erin first got the idea to make the funny video parody after watching a live stream of a pregnant giraffe from its pen at a New York zoo. All of her friends had been making fun of her obsession with April the giraffe so she purchased a giraffe mask online and got her husband to video her as she paced around her bedroom.

Erin's video, which shows her walking around her bedroom, doing squats, dancing and waving to the camera, has been watched more than 30 million times.

Meanwhile, April the Giraffe, at the centre of the story, still has not given birth, nearly two weeks after the original live feed began. Many people worldwide are eagerly awaiting a birth announcement.

You can watch the live stream of April here: