What really struck you?
For me, it was the fact that many, many women simply don't CARE what their child's birth is like. It was apparent in the comments by some of the women at the beginning of the film, but when you look at our society as a whole, it becomes clear that change is slow to nonexistant because there are so FEW women demanding a change in the care of expecting, birthing, and new mothers.
I grew up saying I wanted to have a c-section when I had a baby. Just the thought of childbirth terrified me! But, once I found myself pregnant at 22, the thought of abdominal surgery was MUCH scarier! lol So, I began to educate myself about birth. I took two prenatal courses, and read a few books.
I felt pretty prepared. I planned to have a natural birth, because I didn't want to put chemicals into my body, and my baby's body, unnecessarily. I knew about interventions, medications, and natural coping methods. I also hired a labour doula. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a midwife, as they were already booked up! I was 5th on the waiting list.
When it came down to it, I was induced at 41 wks 3 days. My son was born at 41 wks 6 days, after 54 hours of intense, painful contractions, 2 doses of Cervadil, a foley catheter insertion into my cervix, internal fetal monitoring, nitrous oxide, an epidural, and finally, vacuum extraction.
My birth experience was long, painful, extremely hard work, and anything but natural. But, it was AMAZING. I couldn't wait to do it again, although I hoped it would be a lot easier next time.
It wasn't until I read Ina May's book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, that I realized just HOW unnatural my experience had been. I started to realize just what I, and my son, had missed out on. It was while reading Spiritual Midwifery, however, that I had an epiphany. I realized that while I was MENTALLY prepared for birth, I hadn't been emotionally prepared. I hadn't been consciously afraid of the birth, but I came to see that I had been apprehensive about becoming a single mom, hung up on my own birth (I was placed for adoption as an infant), torn between wanting my baby to have his father present for the birth, and feeling uncomfortable with the thought of him being there, and nervous about motherhood in general.
NOW, I understand so much more about birth, and I have a great desire to help women have healthy pregnancies, great births, and smooth postpartum periods. But, along my journey, I have encountered so many women already who truly don't care how their baby gets here, as long as the outcome is a healthy baby. Of course, that is the most important thing, but I think that women are cheating themselves, and their babies, out of SO much by treating birth like, as they say in the movie, "just a so-what".
I bought the DVD, and have watched it at least 4 times, plus once in the theater, and once at a private showing that the childbirth education organization I volunteer with hosted. Can't get enough of it, and I recommend it to absolutely everybody!
I grew up saying I wanted to have a c-section when I had a baby. Just the thought of childbirth terrified me! But, once I found myself pregnant at 22, the thought of abdominal surgery was MUCH scarier! lol So, I began to educate myself about birth. I took two prenatal courses, and read a few books.
I felt pretty prepared. I planned to have a natural birth, because I didn't want to put chemicals into my body, and my baby's body, unnecessarily. I knew about interventions, medications, and natural coping methods. I also hired a labour doula. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a midwife, as they were already booked up! I was 5th on the waiting list.
When it came down to it, I was induced at 41 wks 3 days. My son was born at 41 wks 6 days, after 54 hours of intense, painful contractions, 2 doses of Cervadil, a foley catheter insertion into my cervix, internal fetal monitoring, nitrous oxide, an epidural, and finally, vacuum extraction.
My birth experience was long, painful, extremely hard work, and anything but natural. But, it was AMAZING. I couldn't wait to do it again, although I hoped it would be a lot easier next time.
It wasn't until I read Ina May's book, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, that I realized just HOW unnatural my experience had been. I started to realize just what I, and my son, had missed out on. It was while reading Spiritual Midwifery, however, that I had an epiphany. I realized that while I was MENTALLY prepared for birth, I hadn't been emotionally prepared. I hadn't been consciously afraid of the birth, but I came to see that I had been apprehensive about becoming a single mom, hung up on my own birth (I was placed for adoption as an infant), torn between wanting my baby to have his father present for the birth, and feeling uncomfortable with the thought of him being there, and nervous about motherhood in general.
NOW, I understand so much more about birth, and I have a great desire to help women have healthy pregnancies, great births, and smooth postpartum periods. But, along my journey, I have encountered so many women already who truly don't care how their baby gets here, as long as the outcome is a healthy baby. Of course, that is the most important thing, but I think that women are cheating themselves, and their babies, out of SO much by treating birth like, as they say in the movie, "just a so-what".
I bought the DVD, and have watched it at least 4 times, plus once in the theater, and once at a private showing that the childbirth education organization I volunteer with hosted. Can't get enough of it, and I recommend it to absolutely everybody!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amber Janke on -
What really struck me most about this film was the simplicity and really an unbiased look into our birthing system here in America! It really opened your eyes as to what really can and usually does go on in a typical hopsital birth scenario, and I am so thankful for the education it brought me.
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Permalink Reply by Cassie Ehard on -
What really got to me was when, in the hospital, all you heard was "Pit her, pit her, pit her!" It was Pitocin all around. Also, when the women are going around explaining their chain of interventions. It shouldn't be that hard to have a natural birth in a hospital. This movie really opened my eyes. I wish i would have seen it before I had my first child!
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Permalink Reply by Kayla Dolan on -
I don't think its just that so many women don't care, honestly. Its really that so many of us don't realize that we have the option to care and to be involved in the decision-making. Or better yet that we NEED to take advantage of that option for our health and the healths of our babies.
I really despise the "all that matters is that the baby is healthy" idea. I think that there is something negative about having an opinion about birth. The fact is that the birth and the baby are two separate entities. I hated my birth with my third child, but she is the biggest blessing! I have had someone who was in total shock of my feelings about my birth of Aizy, "Oh my GOD! I just have to ask what you plan to tell your daughter about this? Do you plan to tell her that her birthday was the worst day of your life?" Well, my answer is, when she is of the age to understand and to benefit from the information, I will tell her 100% of the truth. You can despise a botched open heart surgery and still be happy to be alive! Know what I mean? -
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Permalink Reply by Tanya on -
Very well put, Kayla!
Everyone wants a healthy baby, but there is also an incredible physical, emotional, and spiritual experience to be enjoyed (or endured), which so many women miss out on just because they don't realize what it truly is. -
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Permalink Reply by Jessica Pietruszynski on -
I used to be one of those women who would never have thought of giving birth outside of a hospital. I understood why people did it, I just thought it was kind of crazy. Then i gave birth in a hospital and the whole experience was so bad that I swore I would never have any more children. I felt embarrased and humiliated because my daughters birth did not go the way I planned or it seemed the way the medical staff wanted it to go. I was made to feel like I was doing it all wrong, that I was being bothersome and too loud and I think that that disappointing experience contributed a lot to my post partum deporession. I know that I will do things very differently next time.
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