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Ricki Lake's The Business of Being Born
Categories: Pregnancy & Birth, Celeb Parenting, That's Entertainment
Last April, I wrote about actress Ricki Lake's documentary, The Business of Being Born. At the time, the film had not yet been released and was getting buzz mostly because Lake appears in the movie in all her naked, pregnant glory, giving birth to her son Owen. But now that it has been released, albeit in a limited number of theaters, the movie is getting attention for the reasons Lake intended: its unflinching look at the reality of giving birth in America today.
Produced by Lake and directed by Abby Epstein, the documentary asks a fundamental question: Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?
In the United States, the answer seems to be the latter. The film examines our maternity care system from historical, political and scientific points of view and declares it to be in crisis. With hospitals focused on the fast turnover of beds and the monetary bottom line, the documentary makes a case for natural childbirth.
I've not seen the entire documentary yet, but the trailer is enough to make me want to. It is currently showing only in a few theaters in California and will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Seattle, Washington next month. It might eventually make it to your town, but even it it doesn't, you can get it through Netflix or buy the DVD online.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Heidi 1-23-2008 @ 2:07PM
Actually, there are a lot more screenings listed here:
http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/screenings.htm
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eky 1-24-2008 @ 10:19PM
Dot...stupid & selfish having their babies at home??? Let me tell you a little story about the Dr. who ordered medication be turned off, the nurse who came on shift and turned it back on and my grandson (not yet born) went into cardiac arrest. After an emergency C-section, life flighting to a larger hospital, many weeks in ICU....he now lives with cerebral palsy - thanks to the mistake made by the nurse. The nurse was fired - big deal. The Dr. admitted the baby was perfectly normal before their fiasco and took full responsibility for the fact that he now has CP, so let me tell you that hospitals definitely are not always better, nor do they always know what they are doing!
Karen 1-23-2008 @ 3:07PM
It is definitely worth seeing this movie! I saw it a few weeks ago in NY and loved it.
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Crystal 1-23-2008 @ 5:55PM
I wish this movie was out when I was pregnant with my first. I let my OB make decisions for me, and looking back they were clearly in his best interest.
Just because my son was on the big side that was no reason to induce my 38 weeks with Pitocin. I ended up with a c-section.
My body was not ready. I wish I would have listened to my body and not my OB.
I wish I knew then what I know now!
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M4Mommy 1-23-2008 @ 7:31PM
To each their own. I am happy that I never had to "experience" the "wonder"and "joy" of giving birth and having to deal with contractions and worry about getting to the hospital on time.
I was mine, and my daughters advocate and kept myself educated and informed on everything during my pregnancy and c sect. Responsible parenting begins when you conceive. Not after the baby is born.
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Maureen Dealy 1-24-2008 @ 9:18PM
I had three babies, that are adults now. But I experienced both natural and C section. Each has it's own discomfort. When you have a baby naturally, the worst is over when you give birth. With a C section, you give birth and then have post op discomfort, which at one time had me call the nurse to take my son back before his time, because I was to tired.
I felt like a failure, even though the nurse thanked me for being so considerate of my son. The post op seemed to last just as longer than labor. Days.
grandmamod092
CarolFromMaryland 1-24-2008 @ 8:12PM
Both my deliveries turned into "catastrophic medical emergencies" (with an abruption of the placenta at 7 months with my daughter, and during labor with my son)and required a response within minutes to save both me and my children. I'm quite pleased with the level of care we received, thank you very much!
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Judith 1-24-2008 @ 8:20PM
I think this whole "home birth" phenomena is dangerous. I had 2 on the small side babies, but my third's birth turned into an "emergency Csection." My body "wasn't ready"either, BUT BOTH ME AND MY SON WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN DEAD" HAD I HAD A "home birth". He was 10 and a half pounds!!! My next (and last ) was 9 and a half pounds. THANK GOD FOR HOSPITALS!!!! Down with "home births."
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abra 1-25-2008 @ 9:26AM
10 pound babies do not kill. My last three babies were 10#1, 10#5, and 11#14. All were born at home in the water. And guess what? I did not even tear! In all cases I was back at work feeling great within a week.
By contrast, I also had 2 hospital births. Those babies were smaller (both 8# and change), yet it took weeks to recover. Maybe it was the stitches or the stirrups or just the fact that I was forced to go for hours with no food or drink? Who knows.
Homebirth rocks!
Jacquelyn George 1-30-2008 @ 12:34AM
I think to say down with homebirths is very narrow minded. I had a hospital birth and a natural water birth in an freestanding birth center. All the medical interventions from the hospital birth caused more complications and it took me longer to recover. I have very negative feeling torwards the birth that took place in the hospital and very positive ones towards the birth that took place outside the hospital. That said, I think every woman should be free to choose the birth that is right for them without condemnation.
Incognito 2-04-2008 @ 6:39PM
A midwife would NEVER let any situation become deadly for those of you who think that they are not qualified "professionals". That is what a transport is called.
randy pickard 1-25-2008 @ 12:23AM
I am a male how ever important is to relate this i do not know but in women i think it is important for the woman to experience a natural birth. i think natural birth affects the way a women makes decision latter down the road! i think the natural birth experience is truly a life changing experience for most girls i feel this experience makes them more stable in there day to day lives. i think natural birth creates a meaning to a personal relationship with the child my god just what the hell have i been through to have this new life in my life!
sex it self is a violent action in a lust full loving needy way but birth tops the list in all time experience in the life of a female!
posted by a 45 year male mechanic
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JMC 1-24-2008 @ 10:10PM
You, sir, are an ill informed, self absorbed, imbicle.
Tree 1-24-2008 @ 11:31PM
"i think natural birth affects the way a women makes decision latter down the road!"
"i feel this experience makes them more stable in there day to day lives."
What the hell?!!
PLEASE explain. (Or do I really want to know?)
Sandyone 1-26-2008 @ 6:04AM
Tree, see my reply to Randy above. It should come out around comment #64 or so.
Randy's not ill-informed or an imbecile. He's just a guy who appreciates the marvel of birth and sees some of the benefits of the experience. He's not interested in covering every exception to the rule and has made a couple of general statements.
I think he's a really sensitive guy (even if he is a mechanic!!).
Kendra 1-24-2008 @ 8:43PM
We are planning a homebirth VBAC for our second, in four months. My first was much like Crystal's - induced, suspected "big baby" (8 lb 12 oz, so normal), unne-cesarean because my body wasn't ready and I had too much faith in my OB, who didn't have faith in me. This one will be fully cooked and delivered by a midwife in my home. We are prepared to transfer only if a cesarean is absolutely necessary.
Statistically, homebirth is just as safe (if not safer) than hospital birth (and VBACs are safer than elective repeat cesareans). Yes, sometimes hospital interventions are necessary and emergencies happen, as in the cases cited here, but the results seen in pretty much all other developed nations is that midwife-attended, non-medical births yield better outcomes for the vast majority of women and their babies.
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jane 1-24-2008 @ 8:52PM
what are you doing gaining so much weight that your baby is 10.5#??? THAT is not natural.
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ct 1-24-2008 @ 9:12PM
So mean, and uninformed. My son was 23 inches long and 11 lbs at birth. He has maintained his 100-125th percentile status in both height and weight. He is now 17 and 6'5" and weighs 185 lbs. He's super healthy and bright, and just a big kid.
BTW, homebirth isn't for me, but I think everyone deserves to choose what works for them
Rhawnie 1-24-2008 @ 9:36PM
I think you should not assume that just because a person has a large baby means they gained soooo much weight. I only gained 10 pounds with my son and he was almost 8lbs AND he was born almost 4 weeks early. The saying "Think before you speak" should be taken into account before anyone else posts as nasty a comment as you have.
Miss Monroe 1-24-2008 @ 11:26PM
You are obviously the uneducated one here! You can gain only 5 pounds and have an 8lb baby or gain the recommended and have a 4 pound baby. You can gain 80 and have a 5lb baby. Not everyone is the same nor are they meant to be. Correct me if I am wrong but is that not what makes us INDIVIDUAL??????