Mediaphyter – A Communications Cocktail

Admittedly, I’m somewhat green when it comes to leveraging social media, especially when it comes to micro-blogging (e.g. Twitter, Pownce and Jaiku, among others). As a new “tweeter” I’ve certainly done my research, referring to experts such as Dave Fleet of Fleet Street PR for lessons on how to best wield Twitter and other important social media tools. Yet with all of his helpful guidance, there is one experience for which Dave did not prepare me: witnessing the real-time birth of a baby via Twitter.

It’s not quite as messy as it sounds. No publicly posted video was involved (as far as I know). But yesterday, beginning early in the morning, my Twitter bud and self-assessed risk geek Alex Hutton began text tweeting a play-by-play of his wife’s labor. Some of my favorite posts based on both tech geekiness and my being a chick-ness:

alexhutton: they’ve hooked up the sound monitor. Heartbeat is good, baby has the hiccups.
alexhutton: we’re waiting now, going to use the iPhone for music now. Be back when there’s more excitement.
alexhutton: and just as an aside. I don’t think my wife has ever looked more beautiful than she is now. Thank you for all the comments, btw…
alexhutton: Trying to remember the metric scale for contractions and where 70 sits relative to “real pain”
alexhutton: 7pm Jane Elyn Hutton is born! Everyone is great

Now, Alex was not the first person to use micro-blogging as a vehicle for a labor report. Back in August 2007, Paul Saarinen made Mashable headlines when he turned to Twitter for live birth coverage of his new little girl.

However, actually witnessing the real-time coverage of Baby Hutton’s birth was a far cry from reading about it after it happened. Every time a Snitter alert from Alex would pop up onto my desktop I found myself reacting the same way I would have had I been at the hospital waiting for the birth of a friend’s baby. I squealed (I’m a girl, give me a break), I cheered and I yelled out updates to my coworkers (who, for the record, didn’t understand what I was talking about at all). Then I, as well as the other Twitter friends that we share, would cheer and send messages of encouragement. With every tweet, I could almost envision this whole motley Twitter crew standing in a group together with Alex running in and out with updates. Now, that would have been weird, especially since I know that not all of us are in Alex’s intimate circle of friends. But that made it all the more fascinating.

Leveraging micro-blogging, Alex was able to share with us an experience that is usually reserved for only those within the close parameters of the immediate family. And we, several relationships and several hundred miles removed, were able to experience the birth of his daughter in a truly emotional way. It was amazing.

Happy birthday, Baby Hutton. We look forward to hearing more about you as you grow.