By: NewNaturalista
I just love when I learn something new. Especially when it’s unexpected. That’s what happened the other night while watching the documentary The Business of Being Born.
Like most women, I spent my entire pregnancy writing and rewriting my “birth plan” which included everything from the music I wanted played to the exact time it was ok to give me an epidural. And of course my plan included giving birth in a hospital.
The Business of Being Born explores how and why American women are conditioned to prefer delivering babies in a hospital, why there’s a growing trend of c-section births and why hospitals may not always be the best and safest places to have a baby. Basically “if you expect an emergency, you will have an emergency.” Of course those emergencies come with a price tag.
Here’s a excerpt from the movie:
What are your thoughts about the business of being born?
Would you be comfortable with having your baby at home (or have you done it?) Share your stories with us!
2 comments
sarah says:
Nov 24, 2010
It’s so interesting that you posted this! I watched this a few weeks ago as well and was literally moved by the home birth stories…to tears and almost decided to have a home birth! Ultimately, I decided that I would like to have my child in a birthing center environment, what I felt was the best of both worlds. Since I live in New York I wanted to deliver in St. Luke’s Roosevelt – the hospital prominently featured in the movie. A natural birth plan and an environment supportive of that was my priority, so it was a perfect fit…or so I thought.
I actually became a patient of Dr. Moritz, the pro-natural delivery Dr. featured in the movie. Let me say this, my paradigm shifted with my first visit. The priority no longer was where I delivered but who provided my prenatal care and who delivered my child. So as not to besmirch Dr. Moritz, let me just say that for me, he left quite a bit to be desired in the area of prenatal care.
Since initially I was into the home birth idea I also further investigated some of the prominently featured midwives in the movie. My research also revealed that, as usual, there is always another side to the story. This NY mag article (http://nymag.com/news/features/55500/) shed a little more light on the factors involved in a healthy home birth and some of the risks a certain midwife took to stay true to her course.
Needless to say, I found another doctor who provides the type of prenatal care that I need and also supports natural child birth. Honestly after dealing with an experience with questionable prenatal care, I will be so happy to have been provided the care necessary to give birth to a healthy baby that it won’t matter to me that my child will be delivered in a hospital. While I absolutely and wholeheartedly believe in the ideas presented in the documentary regarding the importance of midwifery – I am also sure that my health and that of my child should not be sacrificed in the process of searching out the ultimate delivery. I believe a balance can and should be found.
admin says:
Nov 24, 2010
@Sarah, thanks for this perspective!