The Business of Being Born

JessicaDunn2

Ricki Lake produced a documentary about a woman's options for giving birth. I'm watching it right now (thanks Netflix) and I think that all woman, regardless of pregnancy status, should watch it too.

A follow up documentary will be released next month.  

 

For more information: https://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

michaela510

I watched that movie when I was pregnant with #1! IT IS AWESOME. And you made my day, I didn't know there was another one coming out! 

sassafras007

I think it is important to get as much information as possible...I would say watch and read lots. Not just this...

JessicaDunn2

I agree...research, research, research!

sassafras007

I only say that becasue I ended up having a csection and was planning to go natural...

ACC0512

I met her this August.

She said that even though she has never broken even for BOBB  it was the most meaningful project she's ever worked on.  

 

Even as a c-section Momma I loved it. 

RandiDeeAnn

I was a little disappointed in the language at places, but overall, I really enjoyed it. I had a c/s with my first that was without a doubt unnecessary ...thanks lazy nurses. It really justified a lot of my feelings.

Under.the.Rose

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

Gismo123

When DH and I first started TTC I watched this movie.  If you liked this one you should also watch "Pregnant in America" It's also available on Netflix.  It talks in depth about how other countries handle pregnant woman and the actual people documenting it are expecting a baby.

Buttercup284

i am very interested in watching it and pregnant in america -thanks for letting us know it's on netflix!

theboki

This was a really good documentary.  She has a "sequel" coming out soon too.

MATSHLEY619

im very interested in seeing the info on vbac's i have been researching whether or not to go for one. i am not yet pregnant but i would like to have my mind made up sooner than later. 

RandiDeeAnn

I just wanted to add, for those like me who need things ten minutes ago! BOBB is on YouTube and Pg in America is on hulu. Watching the latter now.

venussapphire

JessicaDunn2

Thanks for the suggestion!

Katie829

It is very interesting to watch. Be cautious though, it is very one-sided.

momofabigailanne

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

FrenchLittleLady

GhostMonkey:

Go ahead and watch it. There are good points, but realize it is being put out by two women that are very much trying to shove their own agenda down your throat. They should be ashamed for putting that one sided pile of crap on the market.

 

My thoughts EXACTLY. I couldn't even make it all the way through it. I love information, and the more the better, but I hated this doc.

neferhathor

I watched it soon after my son was born and it confirmed my thoughts about how unnecessary my induction was. I felt like that at the time, but I went along with the Dr. because "he knew best." If you remember the part in the movie about induction causing the heartbeat to slow, that is exactly what happened. They had a lot of trouble getting my son to breathe right away. He was clearly not ready to be born and would have been just fine in my belly for a few more days. I should have listened to my gut and said no to the induction, and watching this film gave me the courage to stand up for myself next time.

livinreality

FrenchLittleLady:

GhostMonkey:

Go ahead and watch it. There are good points, but realize it is being put out by two women that are very much trying to shove their own agenda down your throat. They should be ashamed for putting that one sided pile of crap on the market.

 

My thoughts EXACTLY. I couldn't even make it all the way through it. I love information, and the more the better, but I hated this doc.

I don't agree with the movie, but I do think it is insightful to know other options and ways are out there.   If you only hear about hospital births, that is one sided as well. 

Gismo123

momofabigailanne:

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

It's a good thing you don't live in another country like Sweeden because unless you're a high risk your baby is born at HOME.  There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home as long as you have a qualified midwife and ALL midwifes have doctors they pair up with and they always have a secondary plan if something were to go wrong.

The U.S. is one of the only countries where doctors actually deliver babies at hospitals.  And the funny thing is we have the HIGHEST C-section rate and the HIGHEST mortality rate.  Hmmmmm seems interesting to me that you think home birth is un safe when the statistics prove other wise.

Gismo123

GhostMonkey:

Gismo123:

momofabigailanne:

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

It's a good thing you don't live in another country like Sweeden because unless you're a high risk your baby is born at HOME.  There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home as long as you have a qualified midwife and ALL midwifes have doctors they pair up with and they always have a secondary plan if something were to go wrong.

The U.S. is one of the only countries where doctors actually deliver babies at hospitals.  And the funny thing is we have the HIGHEST C-section rate and the HIGHEST mortality rate.  Hmmmmm seems interesting to me that you think home birth is un safe when the statistics prove other wise.

There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home. However, the movie makes it seem like you are a horrible person for even considering a hospital birth and any kind of medical intervention. And don't get me started on the number of idiots that have taken to freebirthing.

And we are nowhere near the highest mortality rate. Do some fact checking on your own instead of relying on that pile of crap movie. They are not correct. And those numbers are easy to skew depending on how you include pre term labor and late miscarriages. The US is a leader in resusciatation of very early births and attempting to save those children. That is a huge skew point for those numbers. Something they don't even cover as a possibility. Other countries don't count those as live births.

And top reasons for neonatal deaths? Congenital/chromosomal abnormalities and short gestation/low birth weight. Next is SIDS, followed by maternal complications. Low birth weight (remember the point about the US being more aggressive about very early neonates?) and maternal complications are the fastest rising reasons. Those have nothing to do with where a woman delivers or if she has a c-section.

There are 3 kinds of lies- lies, damned lies, and statistics. Seriously- do some research outside of links they suggest. This is shaping up to be just like the whole "vaccines cause autism" debacle.

 

 

You should take your own advice...don't assume things about other people.  I am NOT basing the mortality rate and c section rate based on just watching the movies.  My DH and I spent 7 months TTC and I've been doing research ever since we started this journey.  

And I have personally witnessed not once but twice someone being forced into having a C-section even though they told the doctor NO.  Do a little research of your own before you accuse someone of basing their facts on movies.  Just because I enjoyed the movies doesn't mean I am basing everything I know from them.

momofabigailanne

Gismo123:

momofabigailanne:

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

It's a good thing you don't live in another country like Sweeden because unless you're a high risk your baby is born at HOME.  There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home as long as you have a qualified midwife and ALL midwifes have doctors they pair up with and they always have a secondary plan if something were to go wrong.

The U.S. is one of the only countries where doctors actually deliver babies at hospitals.  And the funny thing is we have the HIGHEST C-section rate and the HIGHEST mortality rate.  Hmmmmm seems interesting to me that you think home birth is un safe when the statistics prove other wise.

 

Then I guess it is a good thing.  You did not give birth yet you only have an opinion based on  the information you read - you have no real concept whatsoever.   Until you labor for 18 hours and deliver a sick baby you really shouldn't judge.  

I had a text book healthy pregnancy.  Zero complications.  Typical labor.  My daughter caught an infection (they think strep B - I was 41 weeks at delivery and tested negative at 37) and had the cord tightly wrapped around her head.  I am VERY THANKFUL that I was in a hospital where she received immediate care.  I could care less what your statistics read about infant mortality in the US.  I would want the OPTION of immediate medical help in a MEDICAL facility.  

There are natural birthing centers that have DOCTORS on hand in case of an emergency.

 Till you live it - dont talk about it. 

easjer05

Pointing out that out of hospital birth is a viable option is great.  Urging women to be more educated and to understand all their options is a good thing.  Reminding people that there are agendas all around that may or may not be the same as your agenda is important.

At the same time - I do not appreciate the way they encourage mistrust of your medical team.  By all means find caregivers you trust, but then trust them.  They are better educated than you can be, no matter how many documentaries you watch or books you read.  Educate yourself so you can ask relevant, intelligent questions and hold actual conversations with them, but if you don't trust your caregivers to be honest with you and give you straight information about all your options and their potential outcomes, then find new caregivers.  Your doctors and the hospital staff are generally not out to get you.

And for all the hospital horror stories - there are equally homebirth and out of hospital birth horror stories.  And don't assume that midwives don't equally have their own agendas, because many do.

Research is a wonderful thing, and you should be educated to be your own advocate, but don't let a little knowledge become a dangerous thing.  

The 'dead baby card' may get played at times, but allow me - the mother of a dead baby - to assure you that you'd rather have an 'unnecessary' c-section or induction than a dead child.  The one is much easier to live with than the other.

Gismo123

GhostMonkey:

Gismo123:

GhostMonkey:

Gismo123:

momofabigailanne:

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

It's a good thing you don't live in another country like Sweeden because unless you're a high risk your baby is born at HOME.  There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home as long as you have a qualified midwife and ALL midwifes have doctors they pair up with and they always have a secondary plan if something were to go wrong.

The U.S. is one of the only countries where doctors actually deliver babies at hospitals.  And the funny thing is we have the HIGHEST C-section rate and the HIGHEST mortality rate.  Hmmmmm seems interesting to me that you think home birth is un safe when the statistics prove other wise.

There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home. However, the movie makes it seem like you are a horrible person for even considering a hospital birth and any kind of medical intervention. And don't get me started on the number of idiots that have taken to freebirthing.

And we are nowhere near the highest mortality rate. Do some fact checking on your own instead of relying on that pile of crap movie. They are not correct. And those numbers are easy to skew depending on how you include pre term labor and late miscarriages. The US is a leader in resusciatation of very early births and attempting to save those children. That is a huge skew point for those numbers. Something they don't even cover as a possibility. Other countries don't count those as live births.

And top reasons for neonatal deaths? Congenital/chromosomal abnormalities and short gestation/low birth weight. Next is SIDS, followed by maternal complications. Low birth weight (remember the point about the US being more aggressive about very early neonates?) and maternal complications are the fastest rising reasons. Those have nothing to do with where a woman delivers or if she has a c-section.

There are 3 kinds of lies- lies, damned lies, and statistics. Seriously- do some research outside of links they suggest. This is shaping up to be just like the whole "vaccines cause autism" debacle.

 

 

You should take your own advice...don't assume things about other people.  I am NOT basing the mortality rate and c section rate based on just watching the movies.  My DH and I spent 7 months TTC and I've been doing research ever since we started this journey.  

And I have personally witnessed not once but twice someone being forced into having a C-section even though they told the doctor NO.  Do a little research of your own before you accuse someone of basing their facts on movies.  Just because I enjoyed the movies doesn't mean I am basing everything I know from them.

Wow, a whole 7 months? That's like forevah yo. And considering you are just regurgitating what they said, it's pretty easy to tell you haven't looked at the whole picture. I've done the research for over 5 years. But please, your ignorance is entertaining. Please continue.

You have to sign a crap load of forms and go through a bunch of hoops before a c-section (unless it is a true emergency, which it doesn't sound like the case in those situations). Unless the doctor signed their name on the consent forms for them, it was not forced on them. When you sign a consent form, you are consent to the procedure. If they weren't comfortable with it, they should have used their backbone and stood up for themselves. Take that from someone who has been there, done that.

 

Well since you weren't present at either situation you can't speak for either of them.  Everyone's situation is different, just like pregnancies not birth story is the same. 

Now you can go on thinking that laying flat on your back letting a doctor deliver your baby is natural.  But Countries like Sweden, who rank #4 in the world, have babies at home and are delivered by midwives so I think I'll follow the advice that people like that have.

MegDC

Gismo- Sweeden provides universal health care, including universal prenatal care.  The US has terrible birth rates and mortality rates because we allow millions of pregnant women and their babies to go without any access to the health care system.  That results in increased preterm births, complications and birth defects.  Its apples and oranges and has almost nothing to do with home births.

Under.the.Rose

Gismo123:

GhostMonkey:

Gismo123:

GhostMonkey:

Gismo123:

momofabigailanne:

Under.the.Rose:

I watched it before DS was born and thought it was awesome... but after having him, I'm now very much opposed to home births so the way this documentary promotes home birth so strongly really rubs me the wrong way. 

You really don't know how your birth will go and things can change for the worst in an instant. I'm thankful every day that I was in a hospital for my planned natural birth that ended in an unplanned c-section.  

 

I can't agree with you more!  I think it is irresponsible to encourage a birth w/out any immediate option of medical intervention!

Although I was able to deliver naturally (epi never took) - my daughter had to be taken to the NICU immediately.  I don't even want to imagine the same scenario if I were in a bathroom at home. 

It's a good thing you don't live in another country like Sweeden because unless you're a high risk your baby is born at HOME.  There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home as long as you have a qualified midwife and ALL midwifes have doctors they pair up with and they always have a secondary plan if something were to go wrong.

The U.S. is one of the only countries where doctors actually deliver babies at hospitals.  And the funny thing is we have the HIGHEST C-section rate and the HIGHEST mortality rate.  Hmmmmm seems interesting to me that you think home birth is un safe when the statistics prove other wise.

There is nothing wrong with giving birth at home. However, the movie makes it seem like you are a horrible person for even considering a hospital birth and any kind of medical intervention. And don't get me started on the number of idiots that have taken to freebirthing.

And we are nowhere near the highest mortality rate. Do some fact checking on your own instead of relying on that pile of crap movie. They are not correct. And those numbers are easy to skew depending on how you include pre term labor and late miscarriages. The US is a leader in resusciatation of very early births and attempting to save those children. That is a huge skew point for those numbers. Something they don't even cover as a possibility. Other countries don't count those as live births.

And top reasons for neonatal deaths? Congenital/chromosomal abnormalities and short gestation/low birth weight. Next is SIDS, followed by maternal complications. Low birth weight (remember the point about the US being more aggressive about very early neonates?) and maternal complications are the fastest rising reasons. Those have nothing to do with where a woman delivers or if she has a c-section.

There are 3 kinds of lies- lies, damned lies, and statistics. Seriously- do some research outside of links they suggest. This is shaping up to be just like the whole "vaccines cause autism" debacle.

 

 

You should take your own advice...don't assume things about other people.  I am NOT basing the mortality rate and c section rate based on just watching the movies.  My DH and I spent 7 months TTC and I've been doing research ever since we started this journey.  

And I have personally witnessed not once but twice someone being forced into having a C-section even though they told the doctor NO.  Do a little research of your own before you accuse someone of basing their facts on movies.  Just because I enjoyed the movies doesn't mean I am basing everything I know from them.

Wow, a whole 7 months? That's like forevah yo. And considering you are just regurgitating what they said, it's pretty easy to tell you haven't looked at the whole picture. I've done the research for over 5 years. But please, your ignorance is entertaining. Please continue.

You have to sign a crap load of forms and go through a bunch of hoops before a c-section (unless it is a true emergency, which it doesn't sound like the case in those situations). Unless the doctor signed their name on the consent forms for them, it was not forced on them. When you sign a consent form, you are consent to the procedure. If they weren't comfortable with it, they should have used their backbone and stood up for themselves. Take that from someone who has been there, done that.

 

Well since you weren't present at either situation you can't speak for either of them.  Everyone's situation is different, just like pregnancies not birth story is the same. 

Now you can go on thinking that laying flat on your back letting a doctor deliver your baby is natural.  But Countries like Sweden, who rank #4 in the world, have babies at home and are delivered by midwives so I think I'll follow the advice that people like that have.

If I had my baby "naturally" I wouldn't have had him at all. Both him and I would have died. My midwives told me that they had seen situations like mine when they did their internships in other countries where there was no access to an OB who could perform a c-section and both mom and baby died.

I was well educated, well informed, well cared for by a team of midwives and I had a text book pregnancy and labour (up until a certain point)... but I am eternally grateful that I was in a hospital with a wonderful OB on call. There is absolutely NO reason why someone shouldn't have a lovely birth experience in a hospital. There is absolutely NO reason why anyone should risk the life of their child just to have a "natural" experience that they are in NO way guaranteed at home.

Of course everyone ideally wants the smooth, complication free birth experience and all of the warm fuzzies and bonding that comes along with it -- but that is absolutely pure LUCK if that becomes your birth story. You have no idea what problems might arise, how you will handle the pain, what type of pain you will have, how intense your labour will be, how long your labour will be, how your body will endure the labour, how your baby will endure the labour, etc. There are countless factors outside of your control.

I don't care about ridiculous stats that people use to promote their ideology and agendas or this ideal natural birth experience that every woman should have... My baby and I would have died had it not been for the wonderful care I received in the hospital.  

Shesaidwat

I'm excited to watch this tonight! I'm in Developmental Psych for my degree right now, and our teacher was talking about it a week after I found out I was pregnant. She now announced that if we watch it and right a response we get extra credit. Bonus for me since i was already gonna watch it! 

efortune

If you don't trust your midwife or doctor, find a new one, no matter what you read, they still know more about the issues than you do.

I really didn't care for how one sided this documentary was. It's kind of like just getting your political information from Michael Moore. Half entertainment, half information.

 That said, this documentary gets the Bump as hot as bringing up Baby Wise. lol