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April 2011 Moms
shaindelr
member
Mac and cheese lover!
Just watched the movie _Babies_
shaindelr
member
It's a French documentary film that follows four babies from the U.S., Tokyo, Namibia, and Mongolia from their first breath to their first steps. You definitely have to like documentaries to like it. There's no dialogue; it's just babies in different environments and how their parents raise them in their different cultures. I actually got it from the Red Box at the grocery store, so it shouldn't be hard to find.
Here's a URL to check it out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1020938/
What I think stood out to me is the U.S. couple is from San Francisco and were very concerned with being "perfect" parents--reading to the baby, reading parenting books, they had all the toys in the world. And the babies in Africa and Mongolia crawling around with goats and cattle and drinking out of puddles were just as safe and happy. So, for me, it was interesting and sort of stress-relieving.
Let me know if you check it out or if you've seen it already.
Mac and cheese lover!
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Re: Just watched the movie _Babies_
That does sound like good stress-relief! I saw an Oprah about it awhile ago, but may have to rent it now! Thanks!
After two losses, third time was a charm.
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BFP 3/28/16 (EDD 12/9/16) * Chemical pregnancy
ME: 40 yrs.old
DH: 41 yrs.old
DD: 5 yrs.
DH and I watched it soon after I found out I was pregnant. I thought it was a beautiful film. I actually connected most with the Mongolian and Namibian babies. They had a sense of adventure and curiousity that was wonderful to see. Plus, you could see them developing their own sense of self. I don't want to parent that out of my child. So, I had a similar experience as you did. It's a good reminder to let go a little.
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I saw it a few months ago and loved it. I thought it was so sweet and interesting to see how different yet how similar each baby's experiences were. I agree that it makes you step back a little and realize that you don't have to be Super Mom for your baby to do just fine.
I was actually just thinking about this movie the other day. I keep meaning to show it to DH, who I think would also enjoy it. Thanks for the reminder!
I agree. This might seem naive to think, but I almost felt like out of all of the babies, I probably grew up most like the baby from Mongolia. Until I was potty trained and moved to town, we lived in a farmhouse with no indoor bathroom--just an outhouse outside. (I realize I wasn't potty-trained yet, so it didn't matter to me, just saying...) My first chore--probably when I was about five or so--was bottle-feeding the calves my grandparents' farm.
It helped me see that things work out--whether or not you have everything you "need"... Though I definitely am reading all the books, going to take classes at the hospital, etc. It was somehow pretty calming for me to watch it.
Mac and cheese lover!
I also rented it from Redbox at the grocery store a few weeks ago, and LOVED it. I wouldn't say you have to like documentaries to like it, because I am not a fan of documentaries by any means. But you can't expect narrative and the shots do jump from one country to the next unexpectedly.
I don't think any of it was particularly sad, although the Japanese and Mongolian babies seemed to have far less personal attention. The American and Japanese families were alike in a lot of ways, such as attending play groups. I was struck by the Namibian baby- she was SO happy and SO smart and she had the least of them all. Literally, a loin cloth, mom, and dirt. When the other babies were starting to walk, she was starting to walk while balancing things on her head!
I looked up the film website and read the parents thoughts, too, which was interesting. Their motives and reactions were different, but it was good to read. I would recommend this to anyone having a first baby, like I am. My husband thought the concept was dumb when he walked in halfway through it, but ended up entranced like I did. Two thumbs up!