Most women head to the hospital to give birth to their babies.
Some opt to remain in the comfort of their homes where they can submerge themselves in a baby pool or attempt to relax on their bed, breathing their way through labor pains in a familiar environment.
Giving birth tests a woman.
It tests them in ways no one can fathom unless they’ve experienced it themselves.
From body-wracking labor pains to the exhilaration and overwhelming joy when the baby finally arrives, the birth and delivery process is truly miraculous.
Free birth concept
Mom of three, Josy Peukert decided when pregnant with her fourth child that a hospital just wasn’t the ideal situation for the birth of this baby with partner Benni Cornelius, 42.
In fact, she didn’t even attend any doctor’s appointments or had any tests done.
“I wanted to be worry-free for once. My first birth was traumatic in a clinic and my second birth was a home birth but by the third, even a midwife in my home was too much.”
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There was no due date for the baby either.
She simply trusted her body.
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Peukert, 37, who grew up in Germany but lives in Nicaragua now, concluded that delivering her baby outdoors in the most peaceful place she could envision that would be perfect for her.
She chose the gently rolling waters of the Pacific Ocean.
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Peaceful delivery
So in February, Peukert waded into the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean, knelt down, and delivered her baby boy, Bodhi Amor Ocean Cornelius.
She and Cornelius had on hand a birthing kit that included towels, gauze, paper towels, and a bowl with a sieve for catching the placenta.
“I got this idea in my head I wanted to give birth in the ocean and because the conditions were right on the day that’s what I did. The waves had the same rhythm as the contractions, that smooth flow made me feel really good.”
Euphoria of the highest order
As soon as the baby boy arrived in what’s called a “free birth,” Peukert felt euphoric.
“After Bodhi was born and wrapped up in towels I went back into the ocean to freshen up. Then I got dressed and we packed everything up and drove home where the three of us got straight into bed.”
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Easy delivery
The moment immediately following Baby Bodhi’s birth was captured by Cornelius and shared on social media where Peukert’s experience has gone viral.
We can see Josy battling contractions, but she said the rhythm of the relaxing waves helped.
With her three other children at a friend’s house, the couple drove home afterward with the baby and checked him over.
“I had no fears or worries to welcome a new little soul into our lives, just me, my partner and the waves. It was beautiful. The soft volcanic sand under me reminded me there is nothing else between heaven and earth just life.”
Is it safe?
Despite the relaxing experience, Peukert quickly found herself under assault on social media by people who couldn’t believe what she did.
The biggest concern was that it wasn’t sanitary and too much of a shock for the baby being born in cold water.
“Is this sanitary? There’s a lot of bacteria in the sea.”
“What a shock for that bubba – from a warm womb to the cold ocean.”
Peukert defended her choice, however, and explained that Baby Bodhi was born during the midday when it was 35℃, meaning it was 95℉.
“We weren’t worried at all that he’d be cold and I had no concerns about waterborne infections. He is perfectly healthy. I did all the research I needed to to make sure it was safe. Water is a barrier that is medically proven. For me and this baby, I wanted to feel completely connected by my own self directed care. This pregnancy was the greatest gift we could have imagined and wished for.”
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Doctors disagree
Despite the higher risk of non-hospital births as described by medical professionals, they actually skyrocketed by 77 percent from 2004 to 2017, according to Parents.com.
Kim Thomas, CEO of the Birth Trauma Association, said the organization supports women having free births without medical intervention.
“Nonetheless, birth is a risky business and giving birth without a midwife or doctor present endangers the life of both the mother and baby.”
Pat O’Brien, consultant obstetrician and vice president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), told the BBC that giving birth without support may,
“put mother or baby at risk as immediate care from a qualified midwife or obstetrician may be critical if complications occur.”
He said complications could include the mother heavily bleeding or the baby needing assistance to breathe after birth.
What was shared on social media as one woman’s personal birthing experience has garnered a whole host of responses.
What do you think about this mom’s delivery decision?
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