(Video) Ecstatic Birth – Amazing [graphic]
Still from Max Ploquin’s birth video archive
[January 2024 Update: I re-found the video. May 2020 Update: The link to the original version of this video that Visualizing Birth had for years is unfortunately no longer available. I am currently researching the matter and hope to find a new copy to post. If you know of a link to the original, please send it to me here! In the meantime, I found this version, which is slightly cropped but still shows the entire birth scene]
In this incredible video, a young French woman gives birth, attended by her partner and several hospital staff members. She is so joyful and ecstatic, playful even, as she opens up, allowing her baby to crown. Breathing deeply and calmly, her entire body is involved as she births her baby. She is youthful and full of life, and it is a beautiful moment when her baby emerges and she lifts it up close to her chest. It is clear that this woman is in a peaceful place and not afraid of the birth process, allowing the natural physiological process to take its course.
I actually saw this video over a year ago, when pregnant with Montserrat. It was very empowering for me at the time, and I watched it over and over. I have not previously posted it, however, because I do not know any of its source information. I do not know who this beautiful woman is, nor how to go about contacting her to let her know that I’ve posted the video [Please see update to this post, as well as Valérie Dupin’s comment below]. However, I think that it is such an important video to see, and so have decided to post it today, copying it over from mybestbirth. I do wish that there was no music added, since the woman’s own voice and breath are so helpful to listen to, and I would encourage others to focus on the sounds she makes.
Other pregnant women can meditate on this video, breathing along with the woman, and using it to visualize the births of their own babies. These images remind us that a woman’s experience of birthing her baby has the capacity to be one of joy, vitality and strength. As I’ve recently discussed in my post on using sports visualization to visualize birth, imagining the birth of our babies in this positive way could help us and actually impact how it is that our babies are ultimately born.
03/20/2012 UPDATE: I am grateful to Valérie Dupin, Co-President of the Association of Doulas in France, for informing me that the person responsible for filming this wonderful video is Dr. Max Ploquin, a French doctor who in the 1970s helped to pioneer the natural birth movement, advocating for women, babies and fathers. As Valérie states in her comment below, Dr. Ploquin used highly sensitive film so that women could give birth in the comfortable zone of dimmed light.
Hello! This beautiful video was shot by one of the few doctor in France in the 70’s who fought (and is still fighting) for respecting women, babies and dads (!) in childbirth: Dr Max Ploquin, you will find more amazing video on his website http://www.maxploquin.info/ It would be wonderful if you could add his name and a link to his website to the video! All the birth were filmed with highly sensitive film (no video recorders in those days) so that women could give birth in dimmed light. With much love Valérie Dupin Co-presidente of the association Doulas de France http://www.doulas.info
Thank you so much for this information, Valérie, and I have added it as an update to my post above. I am thrilled to learn about Dr. Max Ploquin. I researched his website today and was also astonished to come across this video: http://www.wat.tv/video/naissance-jumeaux-1wemk_2gjux_.html, which I had found once before on youtube back in 2009 when pregnant with my first child. At that time, the video greatly helped me prepare for my son’s birth, and I will never forget it. However, I have been unable to relocate it since it’s no longer available on youtube. If possible, I would like to provide my readers with a write-up on the video, including a link to the film. I believe that this very calm video of twin birth (one of whom is breech!) could help many other women in visualizing the births of their own children. Perhaps we could communicate offline visualizingbirth@gmail.comAgain, thank you very much for this information!
I am wondering…is she viewing herself in a mirror? She is very focused and I love the thought of her being able to watch, and that the very act of witness is also what makes her ecstatic. Just wondered. Either way, it is incredible! Thank you. Kimi
That is a very interesting question, Kimi. I’m not sure if she’s using a mirror or not, although it’s definitely possible. I hope to connect with Dr. Max Ploquin about a few of his videos and will ask your question about this one if I do make contact with him. Thanks for the inquiry!
Dear Anna Madelyn in your post you say " As Valérie states in her comment below, Dr. Dupin … " It should be Dr Ploquin! ;-)Bien amicalementValérie
Valérie, les videos de cette page ont tout disparu! Est-ce que tu sais si je peux les retrouver dans un autre endroit de l’internet? J’ai trouvé le même video chez un autre site, mais on ne voit pas tout le corps de la femme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTB1lhcOY3Y). Les videos de Max Ploquin sont très importants, et j’ai peur qu’ils n’existent plus. Anna
Imagine how much even easier her birth would have been if the doctors didn’t have her lying on her back! mother of 3 born at home…
Miriam…I thought exactly the same thing! Obviously she is comfortable, but I kept wanting her to get off her back! Mother of two born at home….one on all fours, one standing up!
That was AMAZING!!!
was this birth; the hospital haven?