A mother shared a candid video of the birth of her fifth baby to show other women what birth is really like.
Chrissy Horton, from San Diego, California, stars at the beginning of a three-minute TikTok clip modeling a large baby bump, before then walking viewers through each stage of her experience, from developing labor to being transported to the hospital and the final push .
The mother can be seen at one point shaking violently in the hospital bed, but she assures viewers it’s “super normal” and “it’s all part of the process.”
Elsewhere, she warns that “it’s about to get serious,” so “you may turn down the volume on your phone.” She then proceeds to let out a “primal scream” as her baby begins to come.
San Diego’s Chrissy Horton stars at the beginning of a TikTok clip as she sculpts a large baby bump before walking viewers through each stage of her experience
The mother-to-be said she did laundry so she wouldn’t end up with a “pile of dirty clothes” after being hospitalized
At 3:30 a.m., the mother-to-be said the pain got “so bad” when she was about three inches dilated, and she was given an epidural and a catheter inserted
Other insights she offers in the video, which has been viewed more than eight million times and garnered much praise from other women, are how she had to have a catheter put in after her epidural and how you still look pregnant after giving birth because Your ‘uterus hasn’t shrunk yet’.
The clip begins by showing Chrissy at home as her labor develops last afternoon.
She explains that she was home alone at the time as her husband had taken their other three children to a martial arts class.
However, when they got home, she hopped on an exercise ball and bounced up and down to “get things moving.”
At 10 p.m., she showered, got ready for bed, and started doing laundry because she didn’t want to “come home with a pile of dirty clothes.”
The next piece of footage shows Chrissy waking up around 2am because she “couldn’t take it anymore” with the contractions getting closer together.
She explains: ‘[The] The contractions were about five minutes apart at this point, so I had to call my mom to watch the kids so we could go to the hospital.
@hortonlane
What it’s like to give birth! Come with me when I give birth to my 5th baby. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I had no idea what to expect at birth. I wish I had someone to explain how long labor could possibly last, what interventions are used, and what my options are. So I decided to document and share my entire birthing experience from start to finish. I start recording when I went into my first serious labour. I had had Braxton Hicks for several weeks at this point, but the contractions were different that day. They were stronger and I could feel my entire uterus contracting, not just a localized area. They got stronger and I started breathing harder. That’s when I knew the contractions had to be timed. They say you know it’s time to go to the hospital when your contractions are at least every 5 minutes, last a minute, and have been consistent for the last 1 hour. It’s called the 5-1-1 rule. I give birth to large babies, I’m talking over 10 pounds, and never has a cesarean been mentioned just because of their size for me. I’ve had epidurals for all of my deliveries, so I was keen to attempt a drug-free delivery for baby number 5. Unfortunately I didn’t make it. I was close, but I knew that if I continued to suffer and fight the pain, I would lack the strength to continue. I really enjoyed my epidural births! They allowed me to relax and be more present to the experience. Relaxation is also important. Every time I’ve tried to give birth without medication, the labor won’t progress. Please note that this is just my personal experience. Everyone will have a different birth story 🤗❤️ #givingbirthbelike #birthstory #birthstorytime #pregnantmama #pregnancyvlog #momtobe2023 #hospitalbag #givingbirthisnojoke #postpartumrecovery #10lbsbaby #hospitalbirth #hospitalbagessentials #pregnantmama #41weekspregnant #epiduralbirth #naturalbirth #unmedicated
♬ Original sound – Chrissy Horton
Once the baby arrives, the mood of the video intensifies. When Chrissy delivers, the medics tell her she made it without tearing
In the next part of the video, Chrissy informs viewers about the next steps. She also reveals that the belly is still swollen after giving birth because the “uterus hasn’t shrunk back yet.”
‘It was near here [at 3am] that I really regret not having been to the hospital earlier to get an epidural. My waters hadn’t broken yet and I know that creates a cushion during labor so it was only going to get worse.”
When they arrive at the hospital, the video shows that part of the parking lot was under construction, so they had to park on the 4th floor and take the stairs, not wanting to risk getting stuck in the elevator.
Once at the hospital, Chrissy describes how they had to check in with triage while the medical team set her up in a room and began preparing her for the birth.
The contractions were about five minutes apart at this point, so I had to call my mom to babysit the kids
At 3:30 a.m., the mother-to-be said the pain got “so bad” when she was about three inches dilated, and she was given an epidural and a catheter inserted.
She recalled, “I couldn’t take it anymore, the epidural helped me relax and then it got better.”
Once the baby arrives, the mood of the video intensifies. Chrissy can be heard saying, “I’m always scared. Even if this is my fifth.”
As her husband rubs her shoulder, a paramedic tells her to “push down like you’re going to poop.”
Chrissy grimaces as she pushes, obviously in a lot of pain.
“Can he come out on his own or do I have to keep pushing?” the mom-to-be quips as everyone crowds around her.
The Hortons found out they were expecting another child in the spring of 2022. At that time they had three girls and one girl aged 10 months to six years
The medical team tells Chrissy the baby is coming and she’s only been pregnant for a few minutes. Eventually her baby comes out and her fears are calmed when the medics tell her the birth took place without her tearing.
In the next part of the video, Chrissy informs viewers about the next steps.
She says, “Right after [the] The baby is born, he’s placed on my chest, and there his vitals are checked, and then we do delayed cord clamping…until about 10 minutes after birth.
“Then, after about an hour of skin contact, they weigh him and measure him.”
One frame shows Chrissy after giving birth with her belly still swollen.
She explains, “You’ll still look pregnant because your uterus hasn’t shrunk yet.”
The Hortons found out they were expecting another child in the spring of 2022. At this point they had three girls and one girl ranging in age from 10 months to six years.
Chrissy, who blogs and posts regularly about life as a mom, said she made her latest clip about childbirth to help other women.
She explains in the caption: “When I was pregnant with my first baby I had no idea what to expect at birth. I wish I had someone to explain how long labor could possibly last, what interventions are used, and what my options are.
“So I decided to document and share my entire birthing experience from start to finish. Please note that this is just my personal experience. Everyone will have a different birth story.’