Have You Seen "The Business of Being Born?"

I saw it and I loved it.

There are more germs in a hosp. that in a home AND the germs in the home have already been around that mother since the moment she got preg.
Giving birth is something natural but hosp. and the caregivers have made it a sickness and something to be scared about.

I gave birth to my first in a hosp. I didn't know better so I thought I had a good birth. I got there 2 cm dilated and received the usual epidural and the routine episiotomy. I work in a hosp. now and would never set foot in one to birth unless it was a true life & death situation.

I gave birth to my 2nd at home and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I had several of my friends acting as doulas and it was great. My 6 yr. old son at the time was able to witness when his brother entered the world and I think that makes him love him even more and understand more how he came here.

You can read my birth story here.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&am...

You can see the pics here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Y..sosa/MatthewSBirth

Edited to add that a cord around the neck is not a life threating situation.
Like someone said, Midwives are trained to recognize when something is wrong versus doctors who are trained to look at machines.

I encourage you to read The Women's Guide to a better birth by Henci Goer and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. Very educating and inspirational.

Edited again: I can't believe Janet, you think God laughs at your plans, how sad. God wants the best for us and he loves to fullfill our wishes. Sometimes he can't but he tries all the time.
Another thing, what makes you think us crazy women don't want a healthy baby at the end? That's why we do all of this. Epidurals carry risk to baby. Been induced is a risk to the baby. Been born by c/s is a risk to the baby. Been born in a hosp. w/ someone weird diseases, viruses and bacteria around is another risk.
Oh and if you didn't read it in my birth story, God was 100% present at my birth. I praised him, I prayed and he fullfilled my wishes.

I want to see the flim. Is it out on DVD yet? I know they kept pushing the release date back.

I had both my sons in a hospital. But if/when we have a 3rd I already know I will be going to Miami Maternity Center (miamibirth.com).

With my 1st I was induced and was in the hosptial for 3 days before my son was born.

With my 2nd they tried to push an induction on me I told the dr. No. I also wanted to deliever @ one hospital and the Dr. bad mouth said hospital (he belonged to 2) I went 3 days over due. I noticed I did not feel my son after meals so they told me to go to the hospital the dr had been pushing on me for a S/G since I was "over due anyways". I went to the hospital that I wanted since day one turns out I was leaking or my water broke and I did not know (the s/g showed he has no fluid). Which ended up in an induction anyways. When the nurses called the Dr. He told the nurses to tell me to go to the other hospital. When I said NO. He said "Fine but let her know if there is any distress it will be an automatic section"

I was beyond upset. But my son came on his own @ 3:32am. and guess who they had to call out of his bed to come deliver. He was in the room 10 mins the most and walked out and did not say one word to me.

When I went back to for my 6 week check up I ran into another mother who was @ the other hospital and she said there were 5 mothers over there and 4 of them including her had c-sections. The mother who did not have the section had her baby early in the day. The mother that I spoke to said that she got there @ 8 am to be induced and by 3pm she was informed she is in line for a section and by 6 pm she was in the OR.

That right there let me know that I had been lied too since day one ( I told them No inductions and they said they had a very low c-section rate, they let mothers go when they are ready)

Another thing I wanted to mention was when I told him I was breastfeeding he said "that will not last" Then when he asked me what birth control I wanted I said "I have not found anything that will not affect my supply" His smart ass remark was "Well I guess I will see you in 3 months". I did not get my period back till my son was 8 months old and he will be 1 in less than 2 weeks and is still nursing.

Wow sorry that got long. I did not realize I was still upset over my son's birth.

I have not seen it yet. And I want to. I have a unique birth experience. I gave birth at home with my man completely unassisted. The plan was to have a midwifery team from the most awesome birth center on the planet, the Hollywood Birth Center, assisting and on the day, my labor was SHORT and they were in rush hour traffic. My midwife, Debbie, was on the phone with my man the whole time, though, and I credit the Birth Center and our Doula, Lori, from Amazing Births (Also on the phone)for preparing us so well for our home birth that we were not the least bit apprehensive. Everyone arrived about 20 minutes after she was born. She was already on the breast and there I sat out of the hot tub with a spaghetti pot on my lap containing my placenta.

Trevor and I decided that if we do it again, we wouldn't change a thing. We'd have everyone over and let them relax in the living room while we birth privately. Also, "they" say to add an hour to your labor for every unnecessary person in the room. I think that's true. Think of a cat having kittens, if it feels threatened it will stop laboring and move to a safe spot to finish. Humans are just bigger animals.

I am also writing a book about birth experiences. If anyone would like to submit a.) your birth story and b.)what your ideal birth would be I would love to include you in my book. E-mail ____@____.com.

Thanks,
V.

Hi M.,
You have hit a nerve with me. Birthing in this county has been moving away from "natural" for a long time and getting worse. Being born is a business. I resorted to giving birth at home for my last 3 babies with a midwife and it was so stress free. Our bodies do know how to give birth without intervention. The true emergency rates during labor should only be 3-5 % which result in cesarean. It should not be 40%.
There are organizations promoting improvement in childbirth outcomes. Visit www.motherfriendly.org (CIMS Coalition for Improving Maternity Services). Best wishes. A.

I haven't seen it but my experience is this. I had anatural the first time and when my daughter was born her clavicle bone got broke. I wanted to have a natural again but thwey told me the baby could be bigger and that was too risky that that might happen again and be even worse. I had a c-section and then another since they told me the same. i want another child but I hate having c-sections. What do you think? Would it be too dangerous now this late in my years after having to c-sections over the last 2 1/2 years? I guess I still have wishful thinking, right?

I haven't seen the movie but can tell you from my experience that I had all three of my children (ages 6, 2, 1) in a maternity center and birthed them in water. The whole process was very natural and the midwives are awesome and very supportive. You have the freedom to birth however you feel comfortable (laying down, squatting, in water, standing up or whatever), you are never strapped down to a bed and pain medication is not an option. They coach you through the contractions and help you to breathe and get through it. I wouldn't do it any other way! My husband and I are thinking of going for baby #4 and I'd like to try home birth this time around, I would definitely recommend this route to you. If you have any questions please feel free to email me, ____@____.com.

I have not seen the movie although I really want to. I had an unmedicated home birth using hypnobirth techniques. The labor and birth itelf went well. I wouldn't change a thing about it as the birth itself was a very postive experience. I went to the hospital afterward to get stitched because I tore while pushing. I had absolutely no complications and my baby was fine. But the hospital pretty much kidnapped her for 3 days and treated my family horribly. They were not helpful with breastfeeding. When I had to leave her overnight and go home to pump (no one pointed out the pumping room to me or helped me pump there so I could leave my milk), they gave her formula, even though they knew I was returning with pumped milk. For an inexperienced mom who was struggling to get a breastfeeding relationship started, that was very discouraging. Despite the rocky start, I persevered and nursed my daughter a little over 2 years.

I am pregnant again and planning on a delivering at a birth center. I would personally never ever give birth at a hospital if I could help it (if I have complications this time around which make me a poor candidate for the birth center, obviously I would have no choice). That doesn't mean I think it's the wrong choice for women who do deliver at hospitals. I think women should be empowered to give birth in the way that is most comfortable to them. If that means being surrounded by medical staff and getting an epidural, then so be it. Birth experiences are relative and I don't have to birth your baby. I have a friend whose first priority after getting her water broken was to get her epidural. She was also given an episiotomy. The thought of all those things for myself makes me cringe, but for her, she had a good birth experience and that's all that matters. I hate the mentality that if you're not giving birth in a hospital then you're endangering your child's life. That's just so not true.

While not impossible, I do think it is very difficult to have a good natural childbirth experience in a hospital setting. Hospital staff are just not used to seeing it and tend to think in worst possible scenario outcomes. They don't view birth as the natural process it is most of the time. It is hard to avoid things dictated by hospital protocols (like not eating/drinking, not getting an iv, being restricted to the bed, delivering in the position most comfortable for mom, etc) unless you are assertive about what you want. Who can feel comfortable giving birth when you have to be vigilant about hospital staff honoring your requests? When, like a certain poster here, you see all the worst case scenarios or the women having home births who have to be transferred for medical attention and you don't see a lot of natural childbirths or the many women who have uneventful birth center and home births, it's understandable how one's perception would be skewed toward thinking giving birth is a dangerous process.

Henci Goers book, "The Art of the Thinking Woman" is an excellent book. There are statistics that show there are no worse outcomes for home births than there are for hospital births. There are also statistics that show how having certain interventions can lead to more interventions. Usually, the women who opt to birth at home or at birth centers or make "crazy demands" at the hospital are the ones who have put in a lot of time and research to get themselves educated so they can make informed decisions about the birth of their babies. They are not trying to put their babies at risk. And obviously, there is a time and a place for interventions. I think the original poster's intent was to find out if people liked their birth experience, not to start a debate about the right way/place to give birth. Like I said before, that's an individual thing.

I haven't seen it yet, but can't wait to. Ricki Lake is co-sponsoring reopening a birth center in NYC and the article is featured in Mothering Magazine this month.
I don't understand Gloria's response except ignorance. After a little research (it doesn't take much), one would not have a difficult decision in choosing a home birth. If something arises, the hospital is down the road and a moment away. A responsible midwife would never let the birth progress further than necessary and since she is always present, she would know when that is. Giving birth is a natural thing, unlike getting a tooth pulled or surgery. Doctors are necessary for cesarean sections which there is a time and place for in some cases.

I would suggest taking a Natural Childbirth Class like the Bradley Method (one evening a week for ten weeks) and reading the book during your next pregnancy. I used A Loving Start for my home birth, but they also do birth center births with Dr. DiGiacomo (who is listed and reviewed in the business section of this website). I get so excited when I hear that women want to try to do what is best for their child by at least trying to go naturally and then enabling themselves in all manners to achieve it.(Kind of at a disadvantage if you haven't educated yourself, are lying on your back on a table, and not using a private doula. An unsupportive and ignorant husband doesn't help, either). The stats are all the proof you need. At least now a days, you have a choice and lots of good people to help you with your decision. I birthed at home in Seattle and twice here. I wouldn't have done it any other way. I knew that this was what I was supposed to do and am proud of my decisions and results. Sure I had insurmountable pain, but comparable to my period and it always went away after a minute or two. The cord was wrapped around her neck and I was the one who unwrapped it in the water before I knew it even happened. I was told it was a mother's instinct and quite normal. My second and third were very different from the first in the way of totally less pain, but also the fact that they were sooooo fast! Nature will take its course if you let it mentally and physically. If it doesn't, there are hospitals! Best of luck in the future.

hi i have not seen it yet, waiting for it from netflix. i had my son in a hospital even though i knew i was going to go natural because it was my first and didn't know what to expect. it was NOT the place to do it naturally. apparently they are not trained to know how to aid a non-medicated birthing mother except to tell her to take the drugs, but i did achieve a horrendous natural birth despite their efforts to drug me. i will NOT be having another in a hospital unless there is a real reason to. it's home or birth center for me next time. read "how to raise a healthy child in spite of your dr" by Dr. mendelsohn. it was given to me by my doctor.
2 of my close friends gave birth at home this year and 3 at the birth center in the last 8 months. i can pass along their info if you want to speak with them personally. they can't stop talking about their wonderful birth experiences, and i can't bear thinking about mine. we all have the right to choose what is best for our family, nobody has the right to tell you what is the better way or should do. if hospital injuries were as publically documented, hospital births would be the exception, reserved for high risk births, not the norm.

Thank you Gloria.

I was starting to feel like a "freak" because I had my 3 yr old Daughter in a hospital and am not sorry about it. I had demerol and an epidural (that really only prtially worked) & those things made me as comfortable as possible considering I was delivering another human being. I feel like I was protecting my unborn child by having medical staff nearby should ,God forbid, something go wrong.
Everyone should be entitled to do it their way, but, when there's another life possibly at stake it's a little selfish to think only of yourself.

I am old school, so I guess I am of no help.
I would go to a hospital everytime I give birth. I would want total control (i.e. natural, epidural etc.) during the hospital route. But knock on wood something happened during said birth, I would want a team, a helicopter, specialists, whatever on hand or there in a flash.

Dear Moms,

Just wanted to let everyone in S. Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties) know that ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network), a non-profit organization whose mission is: To improve maternal-child health by preventing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) is organizing a S. Florida chapter!!

We will have our first organizing meeting October 5th at the Hollywood Birth Center classroom, at 7pm. If you have had a c-section, are planning a VBAC or just want to be involved, please join us.

Cheers,
C.

Hi M.! I haven't seen Ricki Lake's film, but I saw her talk about it on Larry King. I had my first 2 children in a hospital with a midwife in Atlanta. When I moved down here, I wanted to find a similar type of experience but I couldn't find anyone I liked. I then met Connie Mullen. She's a midwife and she has an office in Boca. She has been a midwife for over 20 years and has delivered 700+ babies (and that was 3 years ago) at home. She delivered my third child at home and it was such a great experience. My husband was completely skeptical, concerned, nervous, etc at first. (And I think even at the birth because he didn't know what to expect) Now he's a total convert too. I don't regret my first birth but it was basically an induction and it took 24 hours in the hospital. So much monitoring, pitocin, epidural, exhaustion, no food or drink. The second birth was quicker but still with pitocin and an epidural. The home birth was whatever I wanted. I ended up staying in the tub and giving birth in the water. Connie takes health and safety as a priority. She's not the type of midwife who would avoid the hospital, if that's what would be safest for mother and baby. She also really backs off and is quiet and lets you do whatever you want, as long as everything is going well and the baby's heart rate looks good.
Anyway, her office is now in the same space as several doulas and massage therapists. I used a doula named Lisa Kelly and now she and Connie works together. It's worth seeing their office - it's an amazing place. They'll travel all around too. CHeck out amazingbirths.com
Connnie's own number is ###-###-####
Hope this helps

Have an epidural! (which I specified the level of wanting the level of pain relief only to where I could still move my legs). I believe you should give birth in a hospital setting so medical staff is there to save the life of the baby or do a cesarean in case of the unlikely event that something does not go according to plan. This time you will be wiser and can make sure everything is done according to your wishes.
It wont be the same this time. Basically I think you should put the safety of the child and yourself above your concerns about the experience, but I also think the experience can be great in a hospital setting if you are in the right place.
If you have an epidural you will be fully awake and aware and it should be a good experience. I had a traumatic first experience too - couldn't talk about it for 6 years without crying. (first time was at a small country hospital with no anesthesiologist. He was 'on call' but didn't answer the page) Second time I went in much wiser and fully prepared (big hospital and planned for epidural), it was a wonderful experience. The epidural makes the entire thing almost pain-free and you are there fully awake and aware.

I havent seen "the business of being born" but felt like sharing the revelation i reflected upon after the 18 hr delivery of my beloved prince. Make sure to drill your midwife with all the questions neccessary in order to get a clear picture of how attentive, nurturing, caring and dedicated she REALLY is to your sacred experience. And be sure to tell your loved ones to get out if their presence is not allowing you to relax nor to be fully present, these two very simple things critically affected my experience. I guess ultimately one should not be too attatched to your plans because it will be the way it is destined to be.

Hi M., it's so wonderful that you brought up this conversation! I've seen the movie and agree with Karla, this movie EVERYBODY should see, for educational purpose.

The part that strike me was in the end of the movie, when man(sorry don't remember his name) was talking about monkey and c-section, and razing the question about umbilical cord and importance of have this connection, hormones and love. I don't want to spoil the moment for someone who haven't seen this movie yet, but just want to say it was an eye opening for me and I felt in my heart how true it is and why we - humans so disconnected from the truth that painfully obvious logic doesn't always make sense to us. Scary!

I applaud Ricki Lake for making this movie and all women who want to educate themselves and their family.

I also would like to share with all of you great link that I found while searching information about umbilical cord www.gentlebirth.org/archives/cordIssues.html
Wishing all of us making wise choices.

I haven't seen the movie, but the best birth center is The Miami Maternity Center. The midwifes there are the best that you can find. Also The head midwife Shari I believe was the first midwife in the country to open a free standing birth center. She also has a show on the discovery health channel called House of babies. I went down the doctor route for my first three pregnancies which all ended in miscarraige. A freind of mine who delivered there said call Shari and you will have a baby. I went to her and my pregnany was great she gave me what I needed so I wouldn't miscarry. I was one of the very few women that had to be transfered to the hospital because of complications but the whole transfer process went very smoothly and I got there in less then 5 mins. A midwife stayed with me until I delivered and to help me after delivery. My next baby I went to her again for the prenatel visits and then since I had to have a c-section with the first and that I was a week over due we decided it would be best for me to have a repeat c- section. My next one though we will try again for a natural delivery. Please call them they will be glad to give you a tour of their center ###-###-####. I still go down there for all my woman check ups. It just feels like the right place to be.

I did not see the movie. However, I opted to have a natural childbirth despite the fact that I was over 35 at the time and delivered in a hospital (firth child). I took a hypnobirthing class, prenatal yoga and a wonderful prenatal class. I fought tooth and nail with the doctor and staff and maintained my position that I did not want any drugs and did not want to be on my back during birth (the most unnatural position). My husband was right by my side and I had a written birthplan (no drugs, nursing only, etc.,.). I am glad I stuck to my guns. The birth was an amazing experience. My husband was very helpful and I was lucky enough to have a nurse in the delivery room that was a licensed midwife in the UK. My daughter nursed immediately after being born and stayed with me in my room. What an amazing bonding experience. Looking back..I would have gone to a birth center or had a home birth to avoid the energy wasted in trying to convince the doctor and staff about my birth plan.

I have not seen the movie but feel like I should respond with my personal experience. Considering all possible outcomes can help you make the right decision for you & your family. Some may call me a natural or even a "crunchy" mom, but I opted for the hospital because I wanted to be in a medical facility in case anything went wrong. I also wanted the epidural :) In short, I'm very glad that I did. My water had been broken for almost 24 hrs and the fetal heartbeat became irregular. We had an emergency c section. It turned out that the cord was wrapped around his neck. He's completely fine. Sure, a part of me feels like I missed out on the "experience" of it. But I'm 100% sure we chose the right route. As a bonus, I never had to experience labor pains that were any more intense than my pms pain. When my friend said she did it with no drugs, painfully pushing for hours , and eventually needed a c section ANYWAY, I was doubly sure we made the right choice. I hope my story helps you make the best choice for yourself. Good luck :)

I'll have to see that movie! My three were born 20-25 years ago in Alexandria, Va., in a birthing room in the hospital for mothers who chose natural childbirth, and it was a beautiful experience. My husband and I went to Lamaze classes, and the hospital personnel were very supportive. I bonded with the baby right away, had no trouble nursing, and was in a blaze of euphoria for days afterward.

I HAVE seen the movie and I completely agree with the stance the film takes. Giving birth HAS without a doubt turned into a business in America. The movie explains that the so-called emergencies (failure to progress, low heart rate, etc) that happen during labor which present the need for a c-section are caused by the drugs given to us that are supposed to help. Most women have accepted what the "industry" says and thinks LABOR PAINS, home births, and "natural births" are examples of BEING SELFISH. No that is not the case at all. We simply don't accept a TREND that has obviously affected the health of women. C-sections are almost an epidemic here.

For America to be such a great superpower our stats have been getting worse each year. From giving birth and infant mortality rates, to obesity, education, economy, crime, death penalty, etc. we place WELL BELOW most of the other "industrial countries." We clearly are not doing something right.

There is a part in the movie where they discuss older trends in laboring. Some practices and drugs used in the early 1900s to mid-1900s were found to be deadly or extremely dangerous to mothers and newborns. Needless to say these trends come and go and may be found to be harmful after the fact.

The birth of my first child was wonderful. My doctor, Dr. Clayton, Merritt Island, FL and hospital staff Cape Canaveral Hospital truely listened to my wishes. I had no pitocin, no epidural, no pain meds and delivered in about 5 hours. I find that lately the hospital staff/doctors only take your wishes as suggestions and do not abide by them.

My second child's birth was similar to another post, I think it was Tina B's. The hospital staff, Winnie Palmer Hospital, seemed to be watching the clock, insisting every hour or so that I give in and opt for a pain-free labor and get the epidural. After they hooked me up to the pitocin drip things went down hill. My contractions slowed and became further apart. Then stopped all together. The baby's heart rate went down. Next thing i know I'm on oxygen getting the emergency c-section talk while the epidural needle is going in. What the... happened?

I'm pregnant again and have been fighting tooth and nail to FIND a dr. who will support my decision to have a VBAC. I FINALLY found one. I found him a 34 weeks. I hope the hospital staff will abide by my wishes. I'm going to look into finding a doula to accompany me during labor.

The ONLY reason I'm birthing at a hospital is because we are living with my mother at the moment. We will move into an apt before the baby is born but it just doesn't seem to be the right time for a home birth. The next one, if there is a next one will be a home birth.
Sorry but this is something that's really important to me at the moment. Plus it's a good movie. Even women who aren't pregnant (men too) should watch and be concerned.

I had my first baby in hospital (Jupiter) and my second at home. I saw the movie after my 2nd was born. I liked the part where someone said "we put more time and thought in what kind of stereo we're going to buy than where (and how) we're going to have our babies" That really hit home for me.
If you're seriously considering homebirth, I'd love to share my experience.
K.

I was very very happy & relieved with my birth experience. You know why? I got a beautiful, healthy baby boy at the end. It doesn't matter how it happens. That is what I learned. I don't understand those crazy mothers who insist, argue & demand that their birthing rules are followed by the medical staff. And to those women who think that they can birth at home?? While it may be optimistic, I call it Foolhardy & naive. We make plans & God laughs. OUr bodies don't do as we wish, and babies don't come out the way we want. It does not matter that we years ago women birthed at home. Do you know what the infant mortality rate was?
At the end of the day, if your baby is healthy & alive, and you are too, then get down on your knees & thank God. at was her experience. It is hardly up to her to encourage women to do the same as her

I was an OB RN and am married to a MD, but really that has nothing to do with my reply. I can't believe people still want to deliver in their own homes, where there are germs, dust and probably animals. Delivering at home is something that you would do in a place without resources and technology. In today's world people want perfect babies and it is very difficult to deal with problems that can arise at home. Why would you want to knock off some of your child's IQ points by trying to deliver at home. Check out anoxia at birth and see what the consequences are.
It is also like saying, let me have surgery at home or let me have my tooth pulled out only with a shot of alcohol at home. What is wrong with people, don't you know the birth of a baby can be a dangerous thing for mother and baby. People also bring the argument, well women used to deliver at home, but I respond to that, yes, they did, but there were also alot more birth injuries back then. I think that you can feel fulfilled as a woman another way. I had a C/S and don't think that delivering naturally or from "below" makes you any less or better than the next woman. GS