Documentary: The Business of Being Born

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

Finally watched the documentary The Business of Being Born. It was so fascinating! Anyone else seen this, and what are your feelings as a nurse? I had a high-risk pregnancy (was also on complete bed rest for 8 weeks) and an emergency c-section d/t pre-eclampsia. There was no choice for me as to what type of birth I had, but for a low-risk pregnancy, would any of you do a home birth? I would have loved to have an experience like those shown in the documentary. I actually have very little memory of my daughter's birth, as I was on high doses of mag sulfate, and that stuff totally messed up my brain. These births that were shown were so moving...got teary-eyed for each one. :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, MR/DD, Clinic.

I've watched it and have had a home birth myself. The documentary is great and it brings up some key points I think some people do not consider. I did not do it to be brave or because I am crazy (which I hear a lot). I did it because I believe it to be a very safe option for an uncomplicated pregnancy and when you have a skilled midwife in attendance. I know not everyone agrees with this train of thought, but that is ok with me.

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Specializes in Women's Health.

I have watched it multiple time, I enjoy it each time. I am an L&D nurse so I think it is positive to see films that promote positive bith experiences. I think that in our society due to the fear of litigation, there are far too many interventions that are done. Yet, I do think the existing interventions are based on evidence based practice and they can absolutely be beneficial, as in your case with your high risk pregnancy. I don't think I would choose to do a home birth myself, but I totally support anyone that makes that choice. :)

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Specializes in LTC.

I thought this is fascinating. As much as I'm interested in natural childbirth, when the time comes for me to start having babies I'm paranoid enough I probably wouldn't have a home birth.

For those interested in this it is on netflix as watch instantly.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I never watched the documentary but I did have four homebirths. I had my first in the hospital, and while the outcome was good (healthy lady partsl birth) there were many things that happened that interfered with my comfort and ability to relax during labor, such as continuous fetal monitoring, too many strangers zipping in and out of my room, pushing for too long because of over-reliance on the nurse/mw's instructions rather than listening to my body's own cues, etc. In hindsight I don't BLAME anybody for my birth experience, I actually think I had a wonderful nurse/midwife team with me in the hospital, but there were so many things going on that just did.not.have.to.happen. It took me until my 4th child to work up the courage to homebirth. I interviewed like 4 midwives until I found one I clicked with.

What I like most about homebirth is letting things happen when they happen. There's no fretting about "is it time yet?" No clock-watching. My labors tend to be a bit longer than average (12-24 hours) so I get irritable when things drag out, but at least there's no OB breathing down my back ordering pit. I love recuperating in my own bed, showering in my own shower. I find that my own pain relief strategies are better and more effective than anything the hospital can offer me, with no stress or risk to the baby. Those natural pain relief mechanisms are just not available in the hospital when you're in a strange environment and have to follow their rules. Even in the most birth-friendly hospital, face it, you're still in a hospital. You're not on your own turf. The psychological difference is incredible. I'm also a very private person and I like being able to control who can be in the room with me while I'm delivering. It's very disconcerting to push out a baby with an audience of 15 people (and I am NOT exaggerating. I wish I were).

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Specializes in student; help!.

I've had two homebirths and I love this movie. I do wish the one mw had worn gloves, as it doesn't look too good for the profession, but still.

Even for women who want a hospital birth, I think it's worth watching the documentary just to see that it's possible. More important than pregnant women, though: I think docs and nurses should see it. More medical professionals need to understand that women can and do have babies without meds or interventions, and we shouldn't have to stay at home to achieve that. The doc on call when I had DD1 was too busy doing sections to bother me much, but he wasn't too happy about my plans until the end when he said, "I wish my students were on right now; they've never seen an unmedicated baby." :eek: Just, wow.

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Specializes in MedSurg, Clinic, ER.

I loved this movie... it is what sealed my interest in being a nurse-midwife from just a passing fancy into a career goal...

All of my kids were born in hospitals... my oldest was back in the OR delivery days (before birthing suites were common). I was never allowed to progress into natural labor because the doctors I had (3 kids/2 different doctors) were always worried about the fact that my pregnancies went an average of 3 weeks overdue. With my oldest, an epidural was pushed on me as a must because it was scary otherwise... the other two were without pain meds, but still with the pit to induce labor... I believe hospital setting births are valid, but I agree that there is a lot of unnecessary intervention out of fear of litigation...

After seeing this film, I kind of wished I could have experienced the truly natural setting of a home birth... I didn't even get to hold any of my kids until after several hours and multiple tests, etc had passed...

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I've not seen this particular show but no, I would not do a homebirth. I have 5 children and I agree that there are a lot of unnecessary interventions and Drs wanting to hurry things along in a hospital but I wouldn't take the chance of not having those interventions at the ready.

All of my pregnancies have been completely uncomplicated. With my first, I had every intention of refusing certain interventions, specifically the one where they screw that fetal monitor into the top of the baby's head. Well, my Dr inserted said monitor THEN told me he'd just done it. I was livid!!! But then that monitor saved her life. Not until she started moving down the birth canal, close to crowning, where no other less invasive monitors could have picked up anything did something start to go wrong. With each contraction, her heartrate slowed dangerously low. The Dr watched it closely a couple of times before deciding to do an emergency forceps delivery. Turns out the cord was around her neck (3 times) and she was being suffocated as she squeezed through the birth canal. Had that monitor not been there and things been allowed to progress naturally, she would have died. In fact her heart did stop momentarily as the Dr pulled her through. Had the delivery been any slower, she wouldn't have made it.

And as it turned out, I had some post partum complications too. My uterus wouldn't contract and I nearly bled to death. I had to be given pitocin immediately AFTER delivering each of my children as this was something I dealt with every time.

So while each of my pregnancies were completely normal and there were no indications, based on the pregnacies themselves, of any additional risk of a homebirth, you just never know when things will turn. And when they do, it can happen so quickly. Life and death situations that can't wait for an ambulance.

So while none of my other babies had such dramatic entrances into the world, and aside from my whole hemorraging issue (which would have precluded me as a candidate for homebirth anyway) I learned right there with my first that any comforts of home were not worth the risk of losing a baby that could be saved by one of those "unnecessary" hospital interventions.

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our teacher brought in this movie for our class to watch. go Ricki!

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Specializes in ICU.

I watched it, took it with a grain of salt, used what worked for my situation and discarded the rest. But it did really teach me to be my own advocate in the birthing room. Good stuff.

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Specializes in NICU.
our teacher brought in this movie for our class to watch. go Ricki!

Yea, we had to watch it as part of our Maternity class as well. It's interesting to say the least. Having a home birth isn't for me though.

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Specializes in L&D, QI, Public Health.
I never watched the documentary but I did have four homebirths. I had my first in the hospital, and while the outcome was good (healthy lady partsl birth) there were many things that happened that interfered with my comfort and ability to relax during labor, such as continuous fetal monitoring, too many strangers zipping in and out of my room, pushing for too long because of over-reliance on the nurse/mw's instructions rather than listening to my body's own cues, etc. In hindsight I don't BLAME anybody for my birth experience, I actually think I had a wonderful nurse/midwife team with me in the hospital, but there were so many things going on that just did.not.have.to.happen. It took me until my 4th child to work up the courage to homebirth. I interviewed like 4 midwives until I found one I clicked with.

What I like most about homebirth is letting things happen when they happen. There's no fretting about "is it time yet?" No clock-watching. My labors tend to be a bit longer than average (12-24 hours) so I get irritable when things drag out, but at least there's no OB breathing down my back ordering pit. I love recuperating in my own bed, showering in my own shower. I find that my own pain relief strategies are better and more effective than anything the hospital can offer me, with no stress or risk to the baby. Those natural pain relief mechanisms are just not available in the hospital when you're in a strange environment and have to follow their rules. Even in the most birth-friendly hospital, face it, you're still in a hospital. You're not on your own turf. The psychological difference is incredible. I'm also a very private person and I like being able to control who can be in the room with me while I'm delivering. It's very disconcerting to push out a baby with an audience of 15 people (and I am NOT exaggerating. I wish I were).

Can you talk more about your natural pain relief measures? I have a Latino population that tends to avoid epidurals and I would love to implement some pain relief measures besides deep breathing.

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