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Childbirth is no less than a miracle. The moment you see your baby being born, you are filled with emotions of extreme elation and awe. While every childbirth is a special one, some are more special or let’s say rarer than the others.
One such type of birth is so rare that it happens only once in 80,000 times! We are talking about En Caul Birth or ECB- a unique phenomenon in which the baby is born within the amniotic sac (a thin membrane that covers the child’s face and head when they are in the womb).
Image: Jham Frank Lugo
And no, don’t worry, this birth is completely natural, and quite common in premature deliveries. Experts say that premature babies decide to extend their stay in the amniotic sac to prevent feeling the pressure from high-intensity contractions as well as to decrease the chances of suffocation or asphyxiation during birth.
In fact, preemies may be born safely wrapped in their sacs even if you opt for a C-section!
We bet you are curious now to know what an en caul baby looks like and how they are unwrapped like a sweet birthday surprise! Well, we won’t be keeping you waiting any longer, as in the short 17-second video below you can see an en caul baby emerging out of its cocoon and into this world!
This short video starts with the baby (still in its sac) safely nestled in the doctor’s hand.
At about two seconds into the video, you can see the tiny tot’s miniature hands moving under that sac, wriggling just to get out and be with mommy!
The doctor then flips the baby over onto its back and carefully looks for an opening in the sac near the umbilical cord.
The unwrapping of the gift then starts at ten seconds, and the new born surprise slowly emerges like a butterfly out of its cocoon, spreading its little hands like wings. The tiny one probably needed to stretch after being cooped up for so long!
And before you know it, the baby is out, bringing immeasurable joy to its proud parents!
Source: Instagram/femalewellness
Why is little guy’s birth so special?
Apart from the fact that this type is rare, what makes it so special is that the baby of the hour is breathing in and out through his mommy’s placenta, explained Mona V. Elsness, a woman’s health expert who commented on the video concerned.
Giving a brief explanation of the entire process of an en caul birth, she further went on to say, “There have been cases where infants born in a complete caul have survived up to 25 minutes of extra uterine life inside this intact sac!”
So why was he born in the sac?
Though we have touched upon this above, we want to clear the doubts mothers-to-be may have. The amniotic sac is basically a cushion that your baby is enveloped in while still in the womb. It also protects your child from harmful bacteria, viruses, and other infections. This sac encases the child’s umbilical cord and placenta. While, usually, the sac ruptures when a mother goes into labor, sometimes it may not and that is when an en caul birth takes place. This may happen when the mother does not know that she’s going labour, i.e. when her water does not break.
As we mentioned before, there’s nothing to be worried about if that happens to you and your baby. However, if you are still concerned, you may want to consult your OBGYN. Till then, marvel at this rare video of a very rare kind of birth.
