A mom who chose to deliver her baby in the Pacific Ocean without medical help has gone viral after sharing her birthing video and story online.
Josy Peukert, 37, had no idea of her fourth baby's due date, nor had she gone to the doctor for appointments or scans before deciding to have the waterbirth. She told The Sun that she and her partner, Benni Cornelius, 42, simply trusted her body when she started having contractions.
When the right time came, Josy and Benni drove to the beach in Playa Majagual in Nicaragua with some bath towels, gauze, paper towels, and a sieve for the father to catch the placenta. Once she had the baby cleaned up and wrapped in towels, the family packed up and went back home to sleep.
Later that day, Josy weighed her son using luggage scales and found out that he was 7lb 6oz.
Why Choose Freebirthing in the Pacific Ocean?
Josy had the idea to opt for freebirthing in the ocean after her unpleasant experiences with delivering her three other children. She had a traumatic birth at the hospital for her first child, so she opted for home births with a midwife for her second and third babies. However, she said that even those options were "too much" for her and still not "worry-free."
This time, she wanted "no fears or worries" for her fourth baby because she relied on nature to take its course. Josy said that she constantly monitored the tide to ensure the beach would be safe for her and her child.
The waves were crashing on her back as she was having contractions, but the mom said this was the perfect rhythm for her.
"The soft volcanic sand under me reminded me there is nothing else between heaven and earth just life," Josy said. She had Bodhi in February 2022 and uploaded the video and photos on Instagram days later.
Some of her followers asked if giving birth in the ocean was safe and sanitary for the baby. Josy said that she had her labor and delivery midday when the weather was 35 degrees. She and Benni were also not worried about the cold or the waterborne infections.
Josy and Benni moved to Nicaragua from Germany. They have a blended family with seven kids, including their newest baby.
Experts Warn Against Freebirthing
Though Josy's experience was positive, experts have warned against freebirthing or having a baby without medical intervention. Kellie Wilton of the Australian College of Midwives and Prof. Sue Kildea of the Charles Darwin University said that while freebirthing is a woman's choice, the mother will still need someone who has had a significant education and training to help her deliver the baby safely.
Speaking with News.com.au, Wilton also said that water birth is safe if there is an accredited professional who will continually monitor the water conditions. The expert noted that there had been no studies detailing support for ocean births as this environment has a high level of salinity and bacteria. She does not recommend it.
A few years back, California mom Lisa chose to give birth without medical help in a remote house with just her husband and 6,000 members of an online community called Free Birth Society. Lisa listened and gained advice or support from this group throughout her pregnancy.
She posted her labor and contractions updates while the members encouraged her to trust the process. Six days later, she posted on the group page that she had a stillborn baby.
Lisa's story has shed light on the misguided expectations of freebirthing, prompting the online community to shut down. Critics said that freebirthers romanticize the process at the expense of the health and safety of their baby, per The Daily Beast.
