The Business of Being Born

This movie is terrific. I had my doubts when I learned it was produced by and starring Ricki Lake, I admit. But it is sensitive, interesting, intellectual, captivating, and incredibly moving. It was not manipulative, but by the end, the entire audience was in tears.

The most important thing about this film is that it shows the public what birth can be, for both the mother and baby. You see several homebirths, nothing too intimate (unless you consider the incredible post-birth high that somehow permeates the screen and affects the viewer, to be too close for comfort). No dilating vaginas or body fluids, sorry to disappoint. But what it does show is something that almost no one, especially not doctors (I am one), get to see. A natural birth with no intervention where things go right. Shocking! In my medical training, I attended hundreds of births. I probably saw one or two with no medical intervention in the hospital. My hospital birth was normal, with no problems, but I had interventions despite having told my OB (and mentor) that I didn't want any.

It does not idealize birth per se, except by showing how simple birth can be without medicalization. But the volunteers of this midwife to be filmed were not excluded if there is a problem; one of the births requires transfer so you see how that is handled as well.

The film educates people about the history of birth in this country, how things are done in other countries including Europe, and shows statistics about birth (there are more than they include in the medical literature) that will probably surprise a lot of people.

I wouldn't say that the film is about Ricki Lake. She shows up here and there, and yes, she gives birth, but there are so many women followed here, and so many experts in birth interviewed.

Dr. Michel Odent is one of them. He is a French OB/Gyn who attends homebirths. He has done considerable research on birthing, and has written multiple very intelligent books about it. He brings up the idea that when a rat or a monkey has an epidural or C/S, they will not bond with their babies. They will not breastfeed, they will not mother them, they do not care for them. There will be no natural hypothalamic oxytocin release, which causes a release of norepinephrine, dopamine, prolactin, serotonin, that prepares a woman not only to breastfeed but to bond. The oxytocin release in this situation will never be replicated, even if the women breastfeeds or does infant massage (which both do cause oxytocin release but not in the same amounts as if you start off with this kick-off). As breastfeeding lowers breast cancer rates in women in a dose related fashion, oxytocin release over time is associated with a certain calm, lower levels of stress, but actually is dose-related to lower levels of stroke and heart attack in the mothers. So it is a long-term benefit of natural birth. This is touched upon in the film, among many other interesting facts.

It is not surprising to discover that doing things the way women are created to do them benefits both the mother and baby in so many different ways. Part of why this movie is so important is that it challenges the notion that man-made is better than the intricate design of man from God or evolution or however you want to approach it. Many people may not subscribe to it when it is stated like that, but in the food we eat, the we feed our babies, the way we grow our food, the chemicals we use in the environment, and the way we birth our babies, we are saying that every single day.

Common sense says that man-made leaves a lot to be desired. Science is proving this every day, in research about omega-3 requirements in neurological and other conditions, in breastfeeding and oxytocin literature preventing cancer/heart attack and stroke, to the benefits of breastmilk for babies. This movie is a peek into how doing things as nature intended is BETTER.

I don't feel I am exaggerating when I say that this is one of the most important films of these times for both men and women. Everyone should see it. You may not decide to have a homebirth afterwards, but you will walk out better educated about birth and what is happening in the hospital when you give birth.

I see a lot of reviews on here saying this was awful because they felt it attacked them for wanting a medical birth, the saddest part is the film is about freedom of choice, something very limited in the hospital, not a smear campaign on mothers. In fact, to any women who felt this was an attack on their choice to birth in a hospital, remember how you feel right now, this is how natural birthers are treated constantly. If you are hurt over this, please be supportive next time you hear a mother/father wanting a home birth, instead of trying to prove to her your birth is the only way, be supportive. Your fear is her fear of medical birth, its not a contest, its about feeling safe wherever you birth. Its the same as attacking women for conceiving through sex rather than insemination. Its safer to be inseminated, quicker and your risks for pain and stds are lower, but some of us prefer to conceive naturally, and guess what? Both are just fine.Your reviews are based on how it made you feel wronged and not about empowered choices for your daughters and grand- daughters, you are allowing your defensiveness to make you part of the problem. No one is a bad mother from birthing in a way they feel is needed to protect their child. You chose right, now help others to make their choices without persecution.

The Business of Being Born is about birth procedure in the United States today, specifically regarding home births in contrast to hospital births. According to the documentary, these days 99% of births in the United States happen in hospitals. Most women don't even know about their options to have home births or even what a midwife is. Interviews with several birth specialists concluded that this is in fact a travesty, that the rushed, drug-infused deliveries that doctors are pushing on women these days is actually contributing to the United States having one of the highest infant and women mortality rates in any developed country in the world. Host, Ricki Lake and just about every person interviewed in the documentary really pushed women to consider natural home births with midwives. Obviously, this documentary was very biased towards one point of view. Regardless, it really got me thinking about birth and about the questions I should ask if and when I have a baby.

The documentary showed four or five home births on camera. Sure, they were gross but what was nice about them was that they didn't look so frightening. Any time you see a birth scene in a movie, the woman is typically screaming her head off and many times complications arise and interventions are made. The home births made having a baby look like this super happy, empowering thing (and painful of course but I guess that goes without saying). The women were able to have their babies in their own homes on their own terms without having anyone make suggestions that they take drugs or induce.

Of course there are times when those things are needed. I'm not trying to downplay the value of hospitals when it comes to having a baby. Hospitals can provide services that midwives cannot. I just think that it's good to at least think about. Assuming your pregnancy is low-risk, why not try it? I don't know about anyone else, but personally I don't really feel comfortable in hospitals.

I'm a long way off from having to make these kinds of decisions. Who knows if and when I'll even have children. I'm glad I saw The Business of Being Born though. It gave me a lot to think about and really reminded me of the importance of doing research and developing your own birthing plan.

This movie gives very one-sided view of everything. Actually watching it persuaded me even more - I'll give birth only at a hospital with an epidural. No other way. They wanted to show that natural birth is "good and peaceful", and at the same time were showing women screaming from pain and telling in the interviews that it was so painful, that they thought to give up and go to the hospital. So, why on earth would you go through it? Just to prove to yourself that you can do that? To "punish" the U.S. medical system? I didn't see the deep reason behind it in the movie.

Now about all the talks how bad medical system in the U.S. is for women and babies, and that in all other countries midwives are actively participating in birth, but not in the U.S. I would say to those ladies - go to former USSR countries and give birth there - with a midwife at a regular birth center, and see how "peaceful" it is, before saying that delivering in U.S. hospitals is hell.

My mom went through 5 natural deliveries, she didn't have any other alternatives. When I told her about an epidural, and that there still are women who would prefer natural delivery, she was shocked, that having that option, women still would opt to go through that pain and hell. Of course, it's a choice of every woman to deliver the way she wants, but this movie was not trying to give an option, it was trying to persuade that natural delivery is the only way to go.

This film is full of life: humor, elation, disappointment, and the full range of emotions that the birthing experience provides. It is inspirational to women and partners and allows them to view different births including the preparation. These hip, smart and endearing city women and partners allow the viewers to share an important time of their life. Giving women more choice in their ideal birthing experience spares them from being surprised by the reality of hospital births. The lack of support in the United States for birthing families is surprising. This film is supportive, courageous and dares to challenge ignorance in the delivery room.