The Business of Being Born

In one of my many preggo-related e-mails with Danielle, she brought up the movie "The Business of Being Born" which one of her friends had recommended. I immediately got on google and was sucked in instantly by this preview: 

As you know, I have decided to try for an all-natural childbirth. I didn't make this choice because I want to try and be a hero or even because of findings that natural is better for you and your baby. I always thought I wanted a medicated birth and I don't for one milli-second judge someone who decides to go that route. After reading a bunch of books and articles online I just decided that natural was better for me {and frankly, most of that decision comes from being more scared of a needle in my back than the pain of childbirth}. After watching this movie it was absolutely confirmed that I want an all natural childbirth and will do whatever I can to make sure that happens {again, I know things don't always go as planned}.

I really found everything about this movie super interesting, but the main thing that stood out was the sort of vicious cycle of using medication. For example....you get Pitocin to speed up labor which causes your contractions to be more intense and more painful pushing you to want an Epidural but because the Epidural numbs you, you don't feel the contractions or have the urge to push so labor slows down leading to an increase in Pitocin...and this cycle continues on and on until soon you are exhausted and have all this medicine in you and aren't making progress so they take you in for a C-section. Obviously, this isn't always the case...but it makes sense. They give you 10 different things to solve 10 different issues, but it seems the combination just makes everything worse.

After watching The Business of Being Born I found that the producers (Ricki Lake) had made a sort of sequel of episodes covering different topics in more detail.

One thing that really stuck with me from the "More" episodes was that your whole pregnancy you're told all the foods and medications and habits that are bad for you...no Advil, no deli meat, no alcohol, etc. etc. etc. but then all of a sudden when it's time to give birth they want to load you up with medication. I thought that was an amazing point! 

I could go on and on for hours about these movies but I won't bore you. I will say that I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is, has been or eventually wants to be pregnant. I found the whole thing so fascinating. Jason watched it with me too and also found it interesting, not to the extent that I did, but I think it's good for the boys to see.