Documentary: The Business of Being Born

[SlightlyMental_RN]

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. :)

[zahryia, LPN]

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.

I respect your opinion to have hospitalized births. Hell, I'm an L and D nurse. I'd be unemployed without them. Just a couple of things. It's pretty much standard practice to run pitocin after a delivery, so I'm not sure it was done due to your history, but rather a standard of practice.

It's scary to hear that your baby's heart momentarily stopped. I do know with using internal scalp monitor that sometimes it momentarily stops and this does not necessarily mean your baby's heart rate stopped. But I wasn't there, so it's very possible it happened.

I'm glad that you had a healthy outcome. You sound like you were very educated about the process and that's what I want for every woman, whether they decide on a homebirth or hospitalized birth.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

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.

With pleasure!

First off I'll say that natural pain relief measures are very individualized--what works for me might not work for someone else. Through trial and error I've learned what I need during birth to feel comfortable and make things run smoothly.

First rule is hands off. I don't like people hovering over me while I'm in labor. My midwife knows this, and while she's in the house I basically do my own thing until it's time to deliver the baby.

Music is big for me. I like low, soft music during labor. Herbal teas are great--hot or cold, depending on weather or my mood. Different scents--again, this is very individualized. There are some comfort foods (chocolate!) that I like during labor also--I go shopping beforehand and stock up on nosh that I like. I'm not always in the mood of eating during labor but it's good to have snacks on hand, and being able to eat what I want when I want it is a perk of homebirth. Sometimes I get cravings for weird stuff during labor.

The tub/shower is a lifesaver. Before my last birth I got one of those massaging hand-held shower heads--one you can hold in your hand and direct to different pressure points on your body. Or just sit and direct the jet of water straight down your back.... Instant pain relief.

Hot/cold packs. I got one from the drugstore that you either keep in the freezer or put in the microwave for a few seconds to warm up. Just press it at the base of your abdomen during a rough contraction. I also move around a lot and just naturally find the position of comfort--which in most cases tends to be the ideal position for the baby to move down. Our bodies really do work in sync with the labor process as long as we don't interfere with the natural process--I firmly believe that making my comfort during labor a priority IS ensuring the best possible outcome for my baby. I just don't buy it that I need to endure the discomfort of hospitalization, martyr-like, in order to ensure my baby's safety.

Towards the very end, during transition, when nothing else is working is when I turn to my mw for support. And sometimes that part just has to be endured until pushing time--but fortunately that doesn't last for long.

[meadowsong, ASN, RN]

Here are some things that helped me out. I found counter pressure very effective while laboring, my midwife would apply pressure on my lower back/hip area during contractions. It was hard work for her, but very effective. Along with water and just plain and simply being left alone. I really didn't want anyone touching me (except for the counter pressure), at all, but I wanted them close by.

Unlike ChayaN, smells were very upsetting for me during labor. Made me very nauseous, but I was able to laugh and joke about it right up until I started pushing. My husband was cooking sausage and eggs for our boys in the kitchen and I'll never forget how awful it smelled!

I also used Hypnobirthing during my labor, which I think was very effective for myself. I thought of labor not as painful, but as progress for my final goal and tried to accept each contraction and work with my body instead of against it. I spent most of my time sitting on my floor perfectly still and quiet and I think this was because of the Hypnobirthing and my train of thought of the whole birthing process.

[redessa]

I respect your opinion to have hospitalized births. Hell, I'm an L and D nurse. I'd be unemployed without them. Just a couple of things. It's pretty much standard practice to run pitocin after a delivery, so I'm not sure it was done due to your history, but rather a standard of practice.

It's scary to hear that your baby's heart momentarily stopped. I do know with using internal scalp monitor that sometimes it momentarily stops and this does not necessarily mean your baby's heart rate stopped. But I wasn't there, so it's very possible it happened.

I'm glad that you had a healthy outcome. You sound like you were very educated about the process and that's what I want for every woman, whether they decide on a homebirth or hospitalized birth.

That's interesting about Pitocin being standard. I don't know if that differs per hospital or is more recent, but in my case it was not standard proceedure (and my youngest is only 5). My health care provider specifically made it clear to the nurses that it be there in the delivery room waiting for me because of my history. With my first, I did not have it right away - all IV's were removed pretty much right after she was born and they had to start a new line for the pit as well as having me take some little pink pill to try and get my uterus to contract or stop the bleeding or something (I wasn't very with it from lack of sleep and blood loss. I was also bed-bound by a cath for the first 24 hours because I was so swollen from the forceps.)

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure why the heart monitor stopped. I thought maybe it was just that they'd taken it off, but the look of relief on my Dr's face when my baby finally let out her first cry was what finally clued me into the fact that he was afraid we'd lost her. So I do believe it was more than just the monitor not working.

And for the record, I'm very happy for those who do have successful home births. I have nothing against it. That's how babies were brought into the world for thousands of years. But my own experience is such that I am greatful for modern advances and would never take the chance of delivering at home (on purpose anyway).

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Babies choose their own birth path-any woman with a strict birth plan or a romanticized idea of what the ideal birth is IMHO is setting herself up for a lifetime of feeling like a failure if things have not gone the way she planned them. And that is a shame. For those whom have seen the documentary and mourn that their children were not born like this and feel like they missed out on something wonderful is so wrong. This doc does not reveal the other side of the story. Giving birth in any way to a healthy baby is such a miracle, we women need to acceot the gift we have been given instead of trying to "one up" each other with the "next best thing" in birthing and mothering.

[HappydayRn]

For me I felt that a lot of things were rushed in L&D, it was too impersonal and invasive. A home birth surrounded by the people I love with my familiar surroundings and my little dog. At my own pace without someone forcing something upon me just seems more comfortable. Everyone's idea of a good birth is different and this is just mine.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I never had any desire to have a home birth. After having my first 2 kids without pain meds (not by choice) I greatly welcomed the epidural with the 3rd, I did with the 4th as well but it only worked on half of me :| All of my children were back labors, 3 of the pregnancies were higher risk.

[zahryia, LPN]

I never had any desire to have a home birth. After having my first 2 kids without pain meds (not by choice) I greatly welcomed the epidural with the 3rd, I did with the 4th as well but it only worked on half of me :| All of my children were back labors, 3 of the pregnancies were higher risk.

:eek:I'd faint from the pain if I had a back labor. My pain tolerance is VERY low.

[chiclet81]

I had a home birth, and attended my sister's home birth as her coach. I think that most pregnancies are normal and healthy and that in many cases a home birth is a good option. I also think that natural births are good to shoot for even in the hospital, and that medical interventions often to start a waterfall effect, resulting in many more, originally unnecessary interventions. It's a shame. But more education is needed before most women trust their bodies enough to be able to relax and let nature take it's course. Fear and misinformation can make birth a very frightening experience, and that fear and resistance can lead to more discomfort, more drugs, etc.

That being said, I don't think could work in L&D because I'd feel to strongly about the subject and it would make it hard to shut up and follow orders. lol It's good to know your sore spots.

I thought it was a good documentary, through a little sensationalistic.

[chiclet81]

I also used Hypnobirthing during my labor, which I think was very effective for myself. I thought of labor not as painful, but as progress for my final goal and tried to accept each contraction and work with my body instead of against it. I spent most of my time sitting on my floor perfectly still and quiet and I think this was because of the Hypnobirthing and my train of thought of the whole birthing process.

I used Hyponobirthing, too, and had a pretty calm, relaxed, and good delivery at home. 9 hours of labor, but it breezed by while I labored in the bath and did my visualizations and breathing. I delivered on a birthing stool, using gravity. Then I turned around, got in my bed, and nursed my newborn and later had breakfast in bed while my baby slept beside me. Yay for homebirths!

[meadowsong, ASN, RN]

Chiclet, I feel the same way. I feel like L&D may be a nice option for me while I continue in school, but I'm not sure if I would enjoy the politics of it because of my own beliefs.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Loved the movie. Had a homebirth with my second child. I'm a big proponent of low-intervention childbirth for low-risk women (and as an OB nurse, I know that there are certain circumstances in which it would be completely inappropriate).