Should I Microblog My Birth?

Documenting a birth online in real time via the internet seems to be the new trend, but I think I'll write my birth story after the fact.

By Meagan Francis

A few weeks ago, gossip sites were abuzz with the news that singer Erykah Badu and her partner Jay Electronica had documented the birth of their baby Mars in real-time via Twitter, the microblogging site that lets you post status updates of 140 characters or less.


I've heard of people blogging their births before, but if you ask me, using Twitter makes a lot more sense. After all, labor isn't exactly an opportune time to sit down and craft a lengthy essay on the excitement of your baby's arrival, or your thoughts about constant versus intermittent fetal monitoring. Unless, of course, you're having one of those slow early labors and need something to keep you occupied. (Personally, in that position I'd choose a game of cards or a massage.)

Twitter, on the other hand, seems like a viable choice for birthblogging. 140 characters or less is the perfect length to type "OW OW OW OW" or "there goes my amniotic fluid!" Of course, the fact that I'm planning a water birth creates a bit of an obstacle. It would be just my luck to drop my phone in the tub just as I was typing "OMG, totally crowning!"

When it comes right down to it, though, I doubt I'll be doing much birth broadcasting at all.  For one thing, my last three labors have been 4, 3, and 2 hours long, respectively. That makes me think I may not even have enough time to change my clothes, let alone live-cast the process. Second, I think describing labor and birth via Twitter may just be too limiting. After all, 140-word status updates don't give you enough space to detail the excitement and exhaustion you can feel at the same time, how you can be groaning in pain one minute, and laughing the next.

And third, do I really want to bring a bunch of virtual strangers (no offense, readers!) along during a very private time? I'm not particularly modest or squeamish about birth, and I love to read other people's birth stories. But when you're writing about it after the fact, you can choose which details to gloss over and which to leave in. And you have more time to be reflective--something that isn't all that easy in between contractions.

So I hope my readers don't mind, but I think I'll be keeping the details of this baby's birth to myself until sometime after the fact. Though I can't guarantee I won't post a status update or two just to let people know the big day has come. After all, although I won't necessarily be in the mood to share the details of every contraction, I'd love to know that people were out there thinking of me and wishing the baby and I a speedy and safe birth.

So watch my Twitter account for updates. Who knows, maybe you'll see one that reads OW OW OW OW after all.