Ricki Lake's The Business of Being Born

George: How dare you tell people where they should give birth! It is THEIR choice, no one else's! I had both my children inthe hospital, and I could've done without those experiences. No one has the right to judge other people on where they decide to have their kids. Don't you think that if something happened to their baby that they would be blaming themselves enough? There are so many good and bad stories for both home births AND hospital births. Having a baby isn't a garaunteed thing. Things happen. It's like choosing the take the bus or drive in your car, something could happen no matter which you choose.

No one is selfish or ignorant for the choices they make about THEIR LIVES!!!!!! For everyone that thinks they have the right to judge anyone else, mind your own business!!!!!

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I think having a baby "naturally" is the best way. I had both of my girls natually and everything went smoothly however I had them in a hospital just in case something went wrong medically we would all be covered. I could have never forgiven myself had I had my girls at home and something went wrong and I lost them.

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I think having a baby "naturally" is the best way. I had both of my girls natually and everything went smoothly however I had them in a hospital just in case something went wrong medically we would all be covered. I could have never forgiven myself had I had my girls at home and something went wrong and I lost them.

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I have never given birth, but based on what I've read and observed over the years, I would most likely try to do a "natural" birth but in or very near a hospital in case anything went crazy wrong.

My mom had six kids, and two were "natural." It worked like this. The first three were with whatever painkiller / duller was standard in the 1960's. The fourth was born in the hospital hallway with no intervention because labor went too fast - hence basically a natural birth. My mom felt this was a lot less uncomfortable overall than the first three, so for #5 (1975) she planned on a "natural" birth in the hospital. But, once in the delivery room, they started hanging her legs in stirrups with her butt up above the table, which is obviously not natural. She asked why, and they said because this makes it easier for the doctor. She decided hanging upside down couldn't be a good position to birth a baby, and took her only other option, which was the standard painkiller / duller. She was sick for quite a while after this birth. With #6 she went with new providers and planned a "natural" birth that would be basically like #4 except for the hallway part. Once again, she felt so much better having the birth with no drugs, etc., etc. And the baby was way more alert, too. Unfortunately the option a "natural" birth was not even discussed by her doctors unless and until she brought it up. I am not sure how often this is still true, but judging from comments I see on threads like this one, I suspect it is still quite common.

So the long and short of it is, I agree with a poster who said fear is often the biggest problem and most limiting factor in childbirth. And often (or usually?) the source of that fear is doctors who want us to make choices based on what's convenient for them. While I would probably not be adventurous enough to have a home birth (maybe when I was younger I would), I like the way midwives provide education and choices. I see no reason why doctors and hospitals can't do the same, unless they are motivated by greed.

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I am a young female physician, who just gave birth 2 weeks ago...and I absolutely have to respond to the home VBAC comments that I've read. Risk and odds are two totally separate things. What many refer to as 'risk' really speak of the odds that something will or will not happen.... RISK is WHAT may happen...thus the risk you take. That being said, the risks of having a VBAC, whether in hospital or at home are great. The greatest risk being the chance of uterine rupture and potentially baby and mom dying. Now, complications may arise more from RLTCS (repeat long transverse c section), but those complications are usually relatively minor...minor meaning not life threatening. i.e. infection, scarring, adhesions, etc. And being someone who actually performs csxns, I'm sorry, but I've yet to see a repeat go bad.

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Having babies at home is the norm in Europe and they along with some (almost) third world countries have a better. infant mortality rate than us with all our drugs and fancy procedures (and staff infections)...to each their own, information is always welcome....

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Oh PLEASE!!! What an insult. I have a close family member who has been an OBGYN nurse for decades and she is a DAMN FINE nurse who has saved thousands of lives over the years. She has always worked with dedicated professionals and this film is so one sided-and biased. The film is "EMOTIONAL" and that is the most pathetic part about it - women deliver babies every day - it is a bodily function people. If your delivery goes wrong and your kid gorks out at home and you don't have a facility there to back you up... don't come a crying... Those OBGYN nurses are some of the hardest working professionals I know. Go ahead and cheat your kids out of delivering with fewer risks so that you can selfishly have your Hallmark moment.

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I had all 8 (in 15 years) of my children at home, with the same midwife in attendance. Beah Haber, my midwife made the experience wonderful. There was no fear, no drugs and no problems. I wouldn't do it any other way by choice. I also know if there was a problem, I had a "backup" DR on the ready at a nearby hospital. Thankfully, I had no complications. Home birth isn't for everyone, but I can tell you that I never had a fear of taking home the wrong baby(yes, it used to happen) or worring that my newborn perfect baby was going to go home with a staph infection from the hospital. I also had complete say in how I wanted my birth to go, I walked, ate, visited with friends and family and ALL my children were there for the births of their sibilings, consequently, they are very close and NONE of them have had SURPRISE babies, they have first hand knowledge of what childbirth is like as well as having a newborn in the house. My oldest is now 25 and my youngest 10. My son (25) called me a few months ago and wanted me to explain home birth to his fiance. He is ALL for it, It was a very proud moment to know I have passed this legacy on to my children. I am looking foreword to being a Grandma someday and hope I am priviledged to attend their births...at home

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That is old news. She has been talking about releasing it for months now. People don't have to watch it uness they want to, Incidently Ricki Lake looks better with a massive weight loss.

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as a registered nurse; for 21 years in a large urban hospital (adult icu and picu history), i can tell you to blame; INSURANCE COMPANIES before you begin to blame the hospital, doctor or nurse, for lack of "service". in my experience, i can very honestly tell you; that hospitals (including the doctors and nurses who work in them); are generally; quite good.
in my opinion, i think america needs to invest alot more of its time and money; on treatment and early diagnosis of mental illness instead.
if i was president,
i would end the war, triple the number of nurses~aides in hospitals and nursing homes, and invest heavily, monitarily-wise at minimum; in mental health.

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My wife gave birth to both of our children naturally and to this day, I hold her in such high regard for having done so. I remember telling the nurses how proud I was of her for having done so as she was being wheeled from the birthing room to her hospital room and they stopped pushing the gurney and said, "why would anybody do that in this day in age." It was as it should be.

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Tiffini~ No worries about job security. Even if everyone in the US decided to use midwives and have a home birth, I could get a job in one of hundreds of other areas. That is one of the many advantages of being a nurse. Sure, I may not be able to work in the area I truly love, but I will enjoy it none the less.
As a side note, I work with BOTH physicians and midwives on staff. We all work together as a team. Most of the deliveries are done by midwives. We also have had many private midwives bring patients to us for the home births that needed some type of intervention.
Like I've said...Be educated and do what is best for YOU.

Peace.

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actually 10.5 is not bad lol. and really its not that the mom gained all the weight and ate alot. it just runs in some peoples families. i was 3 weeks early and almost 8 lbs. so was my sis. had we of stayed inside for the alloted time im sure we would have been bigger as it runs in the family. my uncle and great uncles and aunts were all over 9 lb babies. and my great grandma was a tiny lady lol. she was ALL baby. barely gained anything with all 6 kids that she had. its just genetics

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I'm 33 & just gave birth to my 1st child. I ended up delivering at a military hospital which was also a teaching facility. W/in the 1st 6 hrs. of being in labor I saw a grand total of 6 different "doctors"(probably residents), not one of which I'd seen during my reg.appts. I was nearly given every intervention known to the obstetrical practice & when it was all said & done I felt like I should've pitched a tent & charged admssion. Short of having an epidural I could've done w/o half the procedures I was put through. Had I not had g. diabetes (which I managed perfectly) I would've gone to a midwife. I don't know that I'd be brave enough for a home birth, but after my experience I can see why someone would opt for one.

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Sterling, I don't understand the pride? I am the mom of three boys all delivered vaginally, all delivered without pain meds, and UNNATURALLY in the sense that when my body failed to work the way the books said it should the doctors of the last two children decided to make a square peg fit in a round hole. DA^^ that hurt...much more then the first one...took longer too. However that said, I don't think it is anything to be "proud" of...or NOT proud of in reverse. It has nothing to do with "as it should be"....Birthing Naturally has nothing to do with pain meds or not pain meds it has to do with a mind body connection that is the TRUE definition of birthing naturally...if you ask a midwife...she will tell you that...painmeds or not...birthinging naturally is about what goes on in the mind...going through more pain...longer pain...doesn't make that connection it can in the large scheme of things actually inhit that connection actually. Hold your wife in high regard for performing the miracle of life, no matter how that life comes into this world..she should have had that regardless.

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