In April, Tia Freeman, a 22-year-old first-time mother, made headlines after successfully delivering her own baby in a hotel room using tips on YouTube.
But Ms Freeman isn’t the only person to turn to YouTube in a time of need, with countless of Australians shockingly admitting to educating themselves about all kinds of bizarre things via the platform.
A number of callers rang into Australian radio show Kyle & Jackie O to reveal their experiences, with one woman dobbing in a friend who had taught herself how to do piercings and tattoos.
‘My friend lives in Thailand and she’s from England. She has created her own tattoo and piercing shop and she had never tattooed or pierced anyone in her whole life,’ she said.
In April, Tia Freeman, a 22-year-old first-time mother, made headlines after successfully delivering her own baby in a hotel room using tips on YouTube
She recounted her friend as saying: ‘Today I had a person come in who wanted her lady parts pierced. I told her I had another appointment, she went off and got something to eat and I just YouTubed it.’
I taught myself a whole physiotherapy degree via YouTube.
‘She came back and looked at the video and did a bit of DIY and it all went smoothly,’ she said.
Another woman, Mary, said she taught herself how to professionally groom her toy poodle.
‘I have a toy poodle and to get him a haircut is really expensive and you’ve got to do it once a month. Because I am a single mum and working I couldn’t afford it but I wanted a toy poodle,’ she said.
‘I was a bit of a slacker and didn’t go to uni very much so I taught myself a whole physiotherapy degree via YouTube,’ one woman said
‘I YouTubed it and bought myself some clippers and I give him a proper poodle cut. They give you step by step on how to do ears, the top knot at the top of their tail – everything!’
Jessica taught herself the majority of her degree on YouTube.
‘I was a bit of a slacker and didn’t go to uni very much so I taught myself a whole physiotherapy degree via YouTube,’ she said.
‘Everything from cardio-respiratory to musculoskeletal, taught it all to myself on YouTube. I actually sat my exams for it but all the techniques – all the lectures I just didn’t go so I would see what the topic was then just YouTube and just teach it to myself.
‘I did do my exams and placements but I did teach myself everything on YouTube.
Another woman, Mary, said she taught herself how to professionally groom her toy poodle
‘Even now as a practitioner you can jump onto certain physicians’ YouTube channels and you can learn all these cool techniques.’
Ms Freeman, from Nashville, Tennessee, wowed people the world over when she shared her own YouTube birthing story.
The 22-year-old learned she was expecting late into her pregnancy, and continued to push it from her mind until she went into labor on a flight to Turkey.
Once at her hotel and surrounded by people who spoke a language she didn’t understand, she took to the internet.
‘In true millennial form, I decided to YouTube it. If no one else had my back, the internet would! So here my a** is in my hotel room, all by my lonesome learning, how to deliver my own baby,’ Ms Freeman, now the mother of a healthy seven-week-old boy, said.
Others replaced toilet cisterns and/or taught themselves how to build things
Speaking to Kyle & Jackie O, Ms Freeman, who serves in the US Air Force, said she was Googling whether she was in labour before clicking onto YouTube.
‘I didn’t have any clue how labour worked, nobody spoke English, I didn’t know how my insurance would work and I didn’t know the emergency number so I was just like ‘Okay looks like we are doing this’,’ she said.
‘I figured I would figure it out the same way I figure everything else out in life – pull out the Internet. There were two videos I went back and forth between and I’m looking this up and watching it all while I am actively in labour.’
The videos showed Ms Freeman three potential birthing positions, what towels to use and what to do once the baby arrived.
Ms Freeman, from Nashville, Tennessee, wowed people the world over when she shared her own YouTube birthing story
What should you do if you go into labour by yourself?
* If possible always call the emergency services of that country and give your name, address and phone number
* Your baby will need to be warm when he’s born, so it’s important to make sure the room you give birth in is warm and cosy. Close any open windows and doors to prevent draughts
* If possible, try to gather together the items you’ll need for the birth, such as bin liners, large clean towels, a baby blanket and hat and a large bowl
* If you’re on your own, bring your bottom nearer to the floor and put a folded towel beneath you to give your baby a soft landing
* Try to stay calm
* When your baby’s head is born, check if there’s a loop of cord around his neck. If there is, gently slip your fingers under the cord and ease it over his head. Only do this if the cord is loose enough to do so without snapping. If the cord is too short or tight, leave it alone and don’t pull on it. You can deal with it after your baby is born
* Don’t pull your baby’s head to help him come out. Wait for his body to be born with the next contraction
Shock: Her family, who didn’t know she was pregnant, learned she gave birth a few days after it happened