Social media first: hospital live tweets C-section birth

A hospital in Houston is gave the public an unprecedented view into childbirth today as it live tweeted a C-Section birth and broadcasted the surgery using a camera on a doctor's head.

The Memorial Hermann Hospital has already live-Tweeted an open-heart surgery and a brain surgery.

On Wednesday morning it had staff posting every detail of the preparation and surgery for a woman's C-section birth on its account @houstonhospital. The Storify page, Twitter feed and YouTube videos gathered each element of the remarkable documentation, from pictures of the mother getting a pre-surgery checkup to baby leaving the hospital room, about to greet Dad.

[ More Buzz: Pizza joint offers discount to gun-toting customers ]

The hospital posted images of the pregnant mother and a video of her being wheeled down the hallway on her way to surgery but it did not show her face or release her name.

Dr. Sherri Levin did the live Tweeting while her colleagues did the surgery, providing a rare opportunity to ask medical questions and engage with a doctor live online.

The Twitter feed contained all the tension and immediacy of a medical drama, but it wasn't for the faint of heart.

The hospital started posting images and video clips of the C-section at 7 a.m. It posted a picture of Dr. Amelie Chu wearing a GoPro camera on her head to show the surgery from her perspective.

[ More Buzz: Will the Harlem Shake fade away? ]

Memorial Hermann gave the public an insider's look at the medical world, perhaps even letting women see a surgery they could undergo some day.

Only on social media can you learn what friends are eating for lunch and watch a baby being born at the same time.