'I wanted to show a good birth experience': blogger live streams labour on Facebook

Sarah Cantwell's labour was far from private.
Sarah Cantwell's labour was far from private. Photo: Facebook

Most mums-to-be have only a few people see them in active labour, but not Sarah Cantwell.

The UK blogger live-streamed her contractions on Facebook and more than 102,000 people tuned in to watch.

The 28-year-old was on all fours when she started streaming her contractions live on the Channel Mum Facebook page.

Sarah with baby Maeve
Sarah with baby Maeve Photo: Facebook

Less than an hour later, she gave birth to her 3.45kg baby, Maeve Elizabeth, while her toddler Rosalie slept soundly in her bedroom.

Helped by midwives, Sarah gave birth naturally and explained to viewers along the way that her contractions were coming "thick and fast". While joking she was "dying inside", but once her baby was born she described it as "perfect".

Sarah, who runs a family-life blog and YouTube channel called Rosey Home, filmed four videos documenting the birth, inviting viewers along for the experience.

Her waters broke early Monday and she began streaming live at 5.10am.

"I'm just letting you know that I'm currently in labour. My waters broke at about 3.30am," she told viewers.

"Contractions are coming thick and fast now, and when they do they are intense."

Twenty minutes later she posted a second video, showing her in the middle of more contractions and when the midwives check the baby's heartbeat, viewers are also treated to the glorious sound.

"It's half past five in the morning, and contractions are definitely quite intense now. It feels like the baby is crowning," she said in the video.

She is seen smiling and laughing with midwives, despites being only minutes away from giving birth.

In the final videos, she's shown sitting on her bed with her husband, Nick, where they reveal the baby's name and show off their gorgeous baby to the world.

Sarah said that she wanted to show viewers that it was possible to have a positive birthing experience.

"I wanted to record it for myself anyway, and obviously I didn't realise beforehand how quick it was going to be, but I was hoping it would show people that you can have a good labour experience," she said.

"It ended up going absolutely perfectly – it was everything I could have wished for.

"We're thrilled with our new arrival, and grateful to everyone who tuned in to watch our birth."

She explained that she had no idea the birth would be so fast.

"I was desperate for gas and air but because it all happened so fast, by the time the second midwife got there, there was no time for that," she said.

"It was a completely natural birth, which was horrible at the time, but now I'm really proud of myself for it.

"It was a bit hairy there for a while. We didn't wrap her up immediately because we wanted to do skin-to-skin contact, but because of that she got a bit cold.

"Her temperature dropped to about 35 degrees, so she spent the first hour or so of her life wrapped in two tea towels with a hot water bottle."

She thanked the midwives for being "brilliant" and said the family was embracing life with a newborn, even big sister Rosalie.

"Rosalie is loving it – she wants to help with everything," she said.