UPDATE: The whole story below is nothing but a Big Media fabrication. Unfortunately, we fell for it being true without doing proper research, and for this we apologize to both Dorina Rosin and you, the readers. In a post on her blog, Dorina clarifies everything in great detail, but long story short, she never intended to have a dolphin-assisted birth, and actually had the baby on dry ground, assisted by a human midwife. The only support provided by the dolphins was a spiritual one. Dorina says she has always been aware of the dangers posed by a dolphin assisted birth, especially in the ocean, and has been upset by all the negative feedback she has gotten as a result of this FALSE story spreading on the internet. It’s truly unfortunate and unfair, as she seems like a decent, down-to-earth person who really didn’t deserve this. Again, you have our sincerest apologies!
A Hawaii couple might be taking their quest for a natural childbirth too far – they’ve decided to deliver the baby in the ocean, surrounded by dolphins! Dorina Rosin and her husband Maika Suneagle claim to be “dolphin people” and believe that their baby will be able to “speak dolphin” after the birth.
It sounds bizarre, but as it turns out, dolphin-assisted births are really a thing. The trend has been around for a few years now, and it appears to be gaining popularity. The idea apparently sprung from immersion or water births that are quite popular the world over. But couples aren’t satisfied with just water any more – they want to be surrounded by friendly dolphins as well.
Apart from the risk of the dolphins turning aggressive, there are plenty of other things that could go wrong while giving birth in the ocean. “There’s the obvious concern that a Great White shark may turn up in the vicinity, attracted by all the discharge and blood – not something anyone should have to deal with while in labor,” Katherine Martinko wrote on Tree Hugger. She explains that should any complication arise during the pregnancy, it would be almost impossible to get the laboring woman out of the water fast enough to assess the situation. “Joyous water births can quickly turn tragic when a baby is left to swim too long,” she added.
But Dorina and Maika seem immune to such practical arguments. They recently posted a video on YouTube of 38-week pregnant Dorina taking part in a dolphin blessing ceremony. In the footage, she is seen swimming alongside dolphins with a snorkel and flippers, while Maika twists and dances with the creatures.
Dorina’s dolphin birth will be featured in a documentary by British filmmaker Katie Piper which profiles women who opt for unorthodox births. Piper confirmed that “dolphin people” like Dorina and Maika believe their child will be able to “speak dolphin” as a result of being born alongside them.
The worrying bit is that, according to CBS Atlanta, the Rosin’ dolphin birth plan only consists of her showing up in the ocean during labor and hoping some friendly dolphins show up to assist her. Let’s hope everything goes according to plan, for all their sakes.