This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Why This Mum Is Glad Millions Have Watched Her Dance While In Labour

'Making things fun and making the most of the experience is what I wanted.'
Birthing In Love/Facebook

When Amber Bush was finally ready to welcome her baby a week after her due date, her birth plan “kind of got thrown out the window.” She did manage to check one thing off her list, though, and danced before meeting her new addition.

On Dec. 28, Bush was pregnant at a hospital in Newport News, Virginia, awaiting the arrival of her daughter, Amelia. While six centimeters dilated and wearing mesh underwear because her water had broken, Bush decided to start dancing with her sister-in-law to try to speed up the process.

Bush’s doula, Jessica Weisbrod, captured Bush dancing to the V.I.C. song “Wobble” and posted it on her Facebook page Birthing in Love, where it has been viewed more than 8 million times.

Bush told The Huffington Post she also danced to songs by Pitbull, Nicki Minaj and Daddy Yankee. Dancing had been part of her original birth plan, but many of the other things she wanted to do didn’t go as planned. When her doula asked if she could post the video on Facebook, Bush agreed because she wants other moms to know what really happens before and during birth.

“Honestly what I want to do is just empower women,” she told HuffPost. “This is my first baby, and there’s so much about the birth process and labor that women just don’t know. They don’t tell you you’re going to be wearing a big pad once your water breaks.”

Amelia finally arrived on Dec. 29. Bush said she had so much support on the day of her daughter’s birth from her husband and from Weisbrod, who was “fantastic” as she encouraged Bush to do squats and suggested other ways to speed up her labor.

Two months later, Bush said she’s surprised the video has been viewed by millions of people. She told HuffPost she’s glad it can be a reminder that she made her birthing experience memorable.

“Making things fun and making the most of the experience is what I wanted.”

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