Question about the movie "Business of Being Born"

KelliLynee · October 2010

Ive wanted to watch it, but I dont want to be convinced that I need a home birth. I mean, in theory I think its awesome to give birth at home and would like to do it for future children, but then I think of the reality of it, and the pain of it, and the mess of it, and honestly I loved my hospital birth with my daughter- they respected all of my wishes, etc. DH feels the same as me.

Anyways, I want to watch this movie because I just love all things childbirth, but I dont want it to convince me that I NEED to do a homebirth. Do you think it will? (Does this even make sense?)

Thanks ladies!

And for all of you home birth mommas- you rock!

CinnamonBun · October 2010

I haven't gotten to watch the whole thing yet, but my mom has been a CNM for 20 years (in a hospital setting).

She does agree that people have have found a way to make a lot of money in the "birthing business" and trying to convince moms that the only way to give birth is in a hospital with drugs and what not. It all comes back to insurance companies, Drs, and pharmeceutical companies being in charge of our health care. However, we both feel more comfortable having (me) and catching (her) babies in a hospital and try very hard to make the experience as natural as possible.

LouiseB2001 · October 2010

I watched it while pregnant and it was very educating for me, especially as a foreigner living in the US where giving birth really is a business. It didn't convince me of a home birth (even though my mom did this) but it confirmed my choice of having a midwife and going to a birth center. I was very lucky that the birth center was located inside a hospital which gave me extra piece of mind. It was a great movie if you are interested in childbirth and everything around it. I would say watch it :-)

KelliLynee · October 2010

Thanks ladies. I should also add that I love the practice I go to, although I'm sure there are midwives around here that I would love too. By BFF is a labor & delivery nurse at the hospital I delivered at and she delivered my daughter, along with my awesome doctor who made it very personal & natural.

EcoBaby · October 2010

It didn't convince me to have a homebirth, but it did confirm that I wanted a midwife instead of a doctor.

Tiger1984 · October 2010

Even though I didn't want a home birth I loved the film and found it very empowering and educational!

anabell0920 · October 2010

I watched it and still had a hospital birth. If anything for me it open my eyes to the fact that I did not need any interventions just because and that yes hospitals want you to give birth their way. I ended up with a doula and an unmedicated hospital birth. Next one we are having at home for sure though.

sweetkakes419 · October 2010

It is definitely home birth centric, but I watched it from the POV of a first timer who knew she was going to have a waterbirth at a hospital, and I still got a lot out of it. It really showed me the strength, beauty, and possibilities of birth.

That sounds dumb, but I watched it while about 7m pregnant, and it inspired me to go for it. Before getting pg, I assumed you just went to the hospital, got your epi, OB delivered the baby, and that was it. I went on to have a waterbirth with a MW and doula!

teamsweet · October 2010

It's just nice to see alternative ways of giving birth. It convinced me that I wanted to have a midwife or reaffirmed my decision - I can't remember when I watched it. My MW made 2 house visits during the first 18 hrs of my labor and then was with me at the hospital for the second 15 hrs. I don't know of any OBs who stay with their patients that long - it was wonderful.

two-pink-shoes · October 2010

It was definitely interesting, but I was a little put off by some of it. For instance, one of the doctors said that medicated births remove love from the birthing process. That's just ridiculous. Due to an umbilical varix I was induced at 38w with raging amounts of pitocin for 2 days, had an epi (along with some nubain early on to help me sleep), and had a doctor attend the birth and it was still the most amazing, empowering, and love-filled time of my entire life.

Brooke81 · October 2010

KelliLynee:
Ive wanted to watch it, but I dont want to be convinced that I need a home birth. I mean, in theory I think its awesome to give birth at home and would like to do it for future children, but then I think of the reality of it, and the pain of it, and the mess of it, and honestly I loved my hospital birth with my daughter- they respected all of my wishes, etc. DH feels the same as me.

I think you should watch it. It is very interesting. I just have to laugh a little at your mess comment. I had a home birth (common here) With a midwife and a sort of home care nurse to help. I think it is really a misconception that it will be this huge icky mess. It really is not! I saw virtually no mess. We had the proper supplies and yes there were bloody sheets I think but We just washed them right away and they were fine.

I think women should give birth where they feel comfortable but I think this is really a misconception.

KelliLynee · October 2010

Brooke81:
KelliLynee:

Ive wanted to watch it, but I dont want to be convinced that I need a home birth. I mean, in theory I think its awesome to give birth at home and would like to do it for future children, but then I think of the reality of it, and the pain of it, and the mess of it, and honestly I loved my hospital birth with my daughter- they respected all of my wishes, etc. DH feels the same as me.

I think you should watch it. It is very interesting. I just have to laugh a little at your mess comment. I had a home birth (common here) With a midwife and a sort of home care nurse to help. I think it is really a misconception that it will be this huge icky mess. It really is not! I saw virtually no mess. We had the proper supplies and yes there were bloody sheets I think but We just washed them right away and they were fine.

I think women should give birth where they feel comfortable but I think this is really a misconception.

Actually I dont even mean the mess of child birth, so much as the preparation, etc. Getting the house ready and all of that stuff.

jal49052 · October 2010

I had never wanted a homebirth, and I'm glad because it was not an option for me anyway ( or at least not a safe one, I had severe pre-e). I don't think any one piece of information can convince you one way or the other. It was informative, especially if you are considering a homebirth anyway. But no matter where or how you give birth, someone is making a living off of it. Unless you are having an unattended birth in your home, someone is making a profit off of your birth. Whether it's the midwife, the manufacturer of your tub, or the birth ball you sit on someone made money off of it. No matter what you do it's someones business you are supporting. It's all about making informed decisions that give you the best outcome for you and your baby.

CinnamonBun · October 2010

two-pink-shoes:
It was definitely interesting, but I was a little put off by some of it. For instance, one of the doctors said that medicated births remove love from the birthing process. That's just ridiculous. Due to an umbilical varix I was induced at 38w with raging amounts of pitocin for 2 days, had an epi (along with some nubain early on to help me sleep), and had a doctor attend the birth and it was still the most amazing, empowering, and love-filled time of my entire life.

I think it's all about having the right Doc. Depending on what area you are from is what you will encounter from your Drs. Where I am from, my mom has encountered some pretty a-hole Drs. that is all about them and thier time. My mom ended up leaving the practice she was at and started her own due to the azzbackwards approch of so many she encountered. She was an outcast for a long time, and even recently ended up in a showdown with a group of Drs over how they treat thier patients.

The practice I go to now has awesome CNMs and Drs. Even though my birth ended up in a C, the Dr that performed it with the help of my CNM tried to make me feel good about it, and came to see me the next day.

anabell0920 · October 2010

two-pink-shoes:
It was definitely interesting, but I was a little put off by some of it. For instance, one of the doctors said that medicated births remove love from the birthing process. That's just ridiculous. Due to an umbilical varix I was induced at 38w with raging amounts of pitocin for 2 days, had an epi (along with some nubain early on to help me sleep), and had a doctor attend the birth and it was still the most amazing, empowering, and love-filled time of my entire life.

Are you talking about the french (I think he was french) doctor in the film? I personally didn't take it as medicated births REMOVE love but that when you have an unmedicated birth there are hormones released that are meant to be released that help that love connection and help you bond with your baby and vice versa.

StarlitRN · October 2010

I watched it....wasn't impressed!

For the record I had a natural birth at the "baby-factory" hospital here in Chicago with an OB I had never met (who had only attended a handful of natural births!). My birth experience was perfect in every way (besides the hemorrahage that started later!) and I attribute that to knowing and researching everything...as well as keeping an open mind. The OB wanted to start pitocin after my contractions stopped (water had been broken for 8hrs), but I calmly told her no that I wanted to try other methods to restart labor. She wasn't happy but had no other option (people act like the Drs are going to hold them down and do things!)....2 hrs later my contractions started and DD was born several hrs after that!

I found the "BOBB" movie to be very one-sided (typical documentary) and used a lot of scare tactics about hospital births

bandwife · October 2010

KelliLynee:
Brooke81:
KelliLynee:

Ive wanted to watch it, but I dont want to be convinced that I need a home birth. I mean, in theory I think its awesome to give birth at home and would like to do it for future children, but then I think of the reality of it, and the pain of it, and the mess of it, and honestly I loved my hospital birth with my daughter- they respected all of my wishes, etc. DH feels the same as me.

I think you should watch it. It is very interesting. I just have to laugh a little at your mess comment. I had a home birth (common here) With a midwife and a sort of home care nurse to help. I think it is really a misconception that it will be this huge icky mess. It really is not! I saw virtually no mess. We had the proper supplies and yes there were bloody sheets I think but We just washed them right away and they were fine.

I think women should give birth where they feel comfortable but I think this is really a misconception.
Actually I dont even mean the mess of child birth, so much as the preparation, etc. Getting the house ready and all of that stuff.

My water broke around 6am, we picked up the birthing kit around noon (contractions hadn't started yet) and there really wasn't much to get ready. There are several misconceptions out there about home birth: that you need a lot of stuff or to move furniture and that it is messy. I found neither of those things to be true.

As for the film, I watched it, was inspired to go natural but it did not sway me to have a home birth. That decision came much later after a lot of research and then reflection on where I would feel best laboring.

Another Jennifer · October 2010

two-pink-shoes:
It was definitely interesting, but I was a little put off by some of it. For instance, one of the doctors said that medicated births remove love from the birthing process. That's just ridiculous.

This. After seeing it I was very disappointed to realize that the so-called experts quoted for the film really aren't the experts they claim to be. Like, I was pretty irritated when I learned that the WHO has removed the 15% optimum c-section rate recommendation. Turns out it was based on nothing and the doctor who came up with it (he's in BOBB) admitted that he didn't base it on anything. But it's quoted in BOBB like it's real.

lpstl · October 2010

I have mixed feeling on it. There is some good info and it's undoubtedly an inspiring documentary, but it's extremely one sided. It focuses really heavily on the impact of birth on the mother, as opposed to the baby. The stats they throw out there, such as our maternal and newborn death rate and c/s rate, are positioned as a consequence of hospital births which is a giant load of crap. Look at medicaid stats on prenatal care compliance and birth outcomes if you want to see one of the real reasons our stats are so horrible.

I think the movie takes advantage of the fear and anxiety many women have about childbirth, and it positions homebirth as the solution. What needs to happen is more education, whether you give birth at home, a birth center, or a hospital, you need to be educated about all the possible choices, outcomes, and your rights. Women need to surround themselves with a team and facility they are comfortable with and then just do the damn thing.

SeaSoul · October 2010

I had an unmedicated hospital birth that was a very positive experience for me. I watched the Business of being Born over a year later and it didn't cause me to feel negatively about my hospital birth experience. It did cause me to feel even more curious about home births, but I still think a hospital birth is more suited to us. I am fully supportive of home births, and a huge proponent of unmedicated births. The movie only helped me to feel good about the choices I've made.