Giving birth is generally considered a private affair, but one dad was so ecstatic about the birth of his son that he broadcasted the event on Facebook Live.
During a 45-minute live stream on Monday, California dad Fakamalo Kihe Eiki recorded his partner giving birth to their baby boy. In the video, the couple is seen in the delivery room at Mercy San Juan Medical Center.
About 37 minutes in, the couple’s baby finally arrives. Behind the camera, Eiki can be heard spouting words of encouragement to his partner. And as his baby is finally born, the dad excitedly says, “Oh, he’s got a full set of hair! Oh my goodness… Hi baby!”
(Warning: The video itself only shows Eiki’s partner from the waist up as she gives birth. However, there is some nudity at the end.)
Eiki told CBC that he had always planned to film his son being born. “I wanted our baby to remember it… it's something for him to remember when he grows up,” he said.
Clearly, this dad didn’t want to miss a thing! Eiki not only filmed his partner in labour, but also live streamed the events leading up to his son’s birth, including sitting in the waiting room and his partner’s contractions.
The couple’s son was born healthy and they named him Ngangatulelei HeKelesi, a Tongan moniker which means “sweet aroma by grace.”
“I wanted our baby to remember it… it's something for him to remember when he grows up.”
Since being posted on Monday, Eiki’s live stream has been viewed by over 65,000 people and has been shared over 160 times.
Following his son’s birth, Eiki wrote on his Facebook Live stream, “Thanks guys for enjoying the gift of life with me... lol come celebrate next weekend bbq if in area.”
It’s unknown whether or not this was the first birth to be broadcast on Facebook Live. Nonetheless, many people shared their mixed reactions online.
While some were less than thrilled about the idea of live-streaming a birth...
Others argued that it was just a sign of the times.
Despite this, commenters on Eiki’s Facebook page called the broadcast “absolutely beautiful.”
This isn’t the first time parents-to-be used social media to give live updates on the birth of their child. In the past, many have live tweeted while in labour. Additionally, last year, Samsung used virtual reality to live stream a birth for an Australian dad who was out of town.
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