A mother gave birth to her fifth child while swimming in the sea at 2am without medical assistance.
Josy Cornelius welcomed her son – named Maui – in the Caribbean Sea of Nicaragua after moving to the island specifically for two months just to give birth to her son.
The 38-year-old has gone into labor in the ocean twice and believes different oceans can offer different birth experiences.
Josy believes in “free birth” – welcoming a child without the help of medical professionals.
And she cares so much about the conditions in which she raises her children that, while she was waiting for her youngest, she even moved her family hundreds of miles away to experience the quintessential ocean birth.
Josy Cornelius welcomed her baby Maui after giving birth to him in the Caribbean Sea at 2 a.m.
The mother of five said: “Women should plan their pregnancy and birth the same way they plan their dream wedding: no distance too far, no budget too tight, no idea too specific.”
“This is the best prerequisite for the birth of the dream.”
Baby Maui was born in the Caribbean Ocean around 2 a.m. local time on September 11, 2023.
The family, including her 11-year-old daughter and three older children aged seven, three and two, had moved to a Caribbean island in Nicaragua specifically to prepare for her birth.
Josy then filmed a “very special” video of the birth in the ocean, which she said was a “perfect experience.”
In the clip posted to Instagram, which has racked up nearly 19,000 views and more than 900 likes, the mother is seen cradling her newborn while still in the ocean.
In another, she smiled with her husband Benni, 43, and paddled in the water.
Josy previously shared photos of her and Benni at their local beach in Nicaragua, Playa Majagual, to commemorate Bodhi’s birth in 2022.
Josy (pictured with Maui) believes in “free birth” – welcoming a child without the help of medical professionals
The 38-year-old has gone into labor in the ocean twice and believes different oceans can offer different birth experiences.
Josy filmed a ‘very special’ ocean birth video, cradling her newborn while still in the ocean (pictured)
Josy said: ‘I planned the last birth meticulously. The preparation lasted more than 70 weeks.
“Our first baby in the ocean was only five days old when I imagined our next baby would be born in the Caribbean Sea.”
After deciding to welcome her youngest son in the Caribbean Sea, Josy and her clan moved to an island two months before their due date.
She said: ‘There is a lot of organization behind this. Someone took over our farm and then we went on vacation for eight weeks.
‘As I worked online, this was not a problem. I have also served my clients from the Caribbean.
‘No investment was too great to make this unforgettable moment that marked our lives a reality.
‘We spent the two months there during childbirth and postpartum and also in preparation.
‘The Caribbean Ocean speaks a different language. The waves are gentle. The colors are brighter and there are many pristine beaches with privacy.
Josy says Maui’s arrival has completed the family, meaning there will be no more births in the ocean.
“Everything we planned was perfect. What we couldn’t plan for was our baby wanting to go out in the middle of the night!”
Users flocked to the comments to share their reactions, with many people offering their support and congratulations.
They said, ‘I’m totally in awe of you! Look how you made this happen, you are living proof that women can claim the births they want (…) And congratulations friend to you and your family’;
“All the love and good luck in the birth of your little miracle and your wonderful family.”
But the reaction has not been entirely positive and not everyone is convinced that seawater births are safe.
After Josy shared the first video of her 2022 free birth, she received hate online from people criticizing her decision to have a natural water birth.
One concerned commenter asked: ‘Is this sanitary? There are many bacteria in the sea.
Another wrote: “What a shock for that bubba – from a warm womb to the cold ocean.”
There are no statistics available on how many free births occur worldwide each year; however, the number is believed to be small but growing.
The process is plagued with controversy, after a California woman’s baby was stillborn in 2018 after a six-day labor without medical intervention.
Liesel Teen, labor and delivery nurse and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse, previously said news week: ‘Unassisted birth, also known as ‘free birth’ or unsupervised birth, is not something I would ever recommend.
“Giving birth in the ocean carries its own risks, such as water temperature, the unpredictability of tides and waves, and the risk of infection due to harmful bacteria or pathogens in the water.”
Josy took an eight-week vacation, allowing her to prepare for her “dream” ocean birth. In the photo she is with her five children.
Josy hopes to help eliminate the “collective fear of childbirth” by promoting free childbirth
Josy said: “I didn’t really respond to the hate because I knew it just showed how ignorant and uninformed society is.”
‘I understand the confusion after my first birth at sea. The world is not ready for a new way of thinking about birth. People are ignorant. It just showed me that I had to move on.
‘Many people don’t realize that midwives also add salt to the water during births at home or in birthing centres.
‘Salt water offers numerous benefits. Contractions in water are very different from those on land.
‘The body does not need so many contractions in such short intervals. Most obstetricians know this today.
‘For too long, childbirth has been seen as a threat and treated medically as if it were a fatal disease. Like many other freebirthers, I prove the opposite.
“We have to get rid of the collective fear of childbirth.”
Josy has some medical work experience after working in medical technology for several years, focusing on cardiology.
She then volunteered at a children’s clinic focused on preterm and high-risk births, completing additional training in intensive care.
Josy previously went viral after sharing a video of her giving birth to her son Bodhi in the Pacific Ocean in 2022.
Jossi and her husband Benni, 43, (pictured) emigrated to Nicaragua from Germany where they met.
Now Josy is helping other women as a doula under the name @OceanBirthMom on Instagram. She worked with 119 parents in 2023.
She is convinced that a natural birth offers the greatest safety for mother and child and says Maui’s arrival has “completed” the family.
Josy and Benni emigrated to Nicaragua from Germany where they met and had their first daughter together, Marley Mune.
And he added: ‘I have five children, born in five regions of the world. I couldn’t be more blessed.
“My last three babies were born in the last three years.”