Still of a Beluga Calf being born in the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago
August 21, 2020

This month, Visualizing Birth looks at a video of a marine mammal being born this past week at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Similar to last month’s post on the birth of  an elephant calf, the animal, in this case a baby beluga, emerges from its mother without issue. 

For pregnant women who are approaching labor and birth, perhaps especially for first-time moms or for those seeking a natural alternative to medical intervention during a second or third pregnancy, viewing an animal’s birth can be calming and help in the visualization of the birthing process.

In the case of the beluga, the water birth is also soothing to watch and may further remind women that birth is a process shared by all animals in the natural world, including humans. As they approach labor and birth, pregnant women can even imagine themselves as animals or connect to an “inner animal” of their choice.

During my own pregnancies, videos of marine mammals giving birth were deeply calming and empowering. Here is another birth of a beluga that I posted on the Visualizing Birth site back in 2010. There are several other helpful videos of animals giving birth that are archived on the website. In addition to the birth of the elephant calf, these include a Simulation of a Blue Whale Giving Birth; Baby Seal Pup Birth; Dolphin Giving Birth; Birth and Tapping Into Your Inner Mammal.