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Home / Lifestyle

Mum, Sarah-Jayne Ljungstrom, gives birth on Facebook live

By Stephanie Linning
Daily Mail·
2 Jan, 2017 12:38 AM3 mins to read

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Sarah-Jayne Ljungstrom, posted a series of Facebook Live videos documenting the 24-hour labour, starting with her first hospital trip after her water broke. Photo / Channel Mum Facebook

Sarah-Jayne Ljungstrom, posted a series of Facebook Live videos documenting the 24-hour labour, starting with her first hospital trip after her water broke. Photo / Channel Mum Facebook

A woman broadcast the birth of her daughter to more than 200,000 strangers on Facebook.

Sarah-Jayne Ljungstrom, 35, from Richmond, south west London, posted a series of Facebook Live videos documenting the 24-hour labour, starting with her first hospital trip after her waters broke. She updated viewers as her contractions grew closer together and offered tips and advice to other mothers-to-be, Daily Mail reports.

SJ Live Birth - Update ONE

I'm SJ and I'm in labour! I'm LIVE vlogging my baby's birth on Channel Mum. My waters have broken and I'm in hospital getting checked. Would love you to join me, so follow Channel Mum now to keep posted. Live Birth Update ONE

Posted by ChannelMum.com on Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Ms Ljungstrom, a video blogger, stopped short of taking the camera into the hospital for the birth but did post a video with baby Evelina hours after returning home.

The mother-of-three also said she would look back on the footage if she ever thought about having another child, adding: "Don't let me get pregnant again!"

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Ms Ljungstrom said it was "natural" for her to share her labour because she had video blogged her pregnancy. The videos were posted on Facebook page Channel Mum.

She said: "I was always looking for help and advice especially about the big things like labour and feeding that I was anxious about.

SJ Live Birth - Update TWO

It's SJ again, I'm LIVE vlogging my labour and looks like this baby will be here very soon! Waters are broken and I'm back from hospital now and going to try to get some sleep. Make sure you're following Channel Mum to get the next update. Live Birth Update TWO

Posted by ChannelMum.com on Wednesday, 21 December 2016

"Stories from other real mums I could relate to helped me so much.

"So I decided to share my own to show a real everyday labour that other mums and pregnant woman could follow and see how it went. Birth isn't really like the movies so showing a normal everyday labour story was nice."

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The first Facebook Live video, which allows viewers to react to the poster in real-time, was posted from hospital at 10pm on December 21.

Ms Ljungstrom, a director at an advertising agency, told the 86,000 viewers her waters had broke and she was 2cm dialated.

SJ Live Birth - Update three

Morning! SJ here live vlogging my labour and birth story. No baby in the night but contractions are still going strong so we'll be heading off to hospital later on I expect! Don't forget to follow Channel Mum so you don't miss my updates. Live Birth Update THREE

Posted by ChannelMum.com on Thursday, 22 December 2016

Two hours later she posted a second video, explaining she had been sent home until her contractions grew closer together.

The following morning Ms Ljungstrom had contractions live on camera as she sipped tea at home.

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01 Jan 10:35 PM

She said: "Sorry I'm having a contraction now. It's not fun this bit, is it? Thank you so much for your support. It's really nice having you all around me."

It's SJ again, live vlogging the birth of my Christmas baby. The contractions are too intense to stay at home now so I've made my way to the hospital. They're coming every 5 minutes! Cross your fingers for me, I'm outside the hospital and heading right in. Back soon hopefully with my baby in my arms for a live gender reveal! Live Birth Update FOUR

Posted by ChannelMum.com on Thursday, 22 December 2016

She added: "Don't let me get pregnant again. If I ever say I want another baby I can watch this back. I can't stop talking I'm so nervous. I'm not going to do through the hard bits because I wouldn't be able to be so calm."

A few hours later the tearful mother-to-be posted a fourth video as she walked back into hospital with husband Henrik, saying she was upset to leave her sons, Freddie, six, and Finn Barnaby Bo, three, at home.

Less than 12 hours later she posted a final video showing baby Evelina in her arms, which was viewed more than 200,000 times.

It's SJ and I've had my baby! Thanks for sharing my live labour story here on Channel Mum! Watch my live gender reveal and name reveal. 😍👶🏼

Posted by ChannelMum.com on Thursday, 22 December 2016

Speaking after the post she said: "I think our social networks are amazing support networks - especially in the online motherhood world.

"So I just felt I was chatting to a bunch of mums who all had my back and were giving me words of encouragement.

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"Emotionally it made me feel braver and more hopeful as I had the encouragement of women I knew had been there and done it. I got some great advice and read all of it.

"It felt like I had a whole village of women with me in spirit."

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