Category: 
September 27, 2009
www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com
Birth: it’s a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to examine and question the way American women have babies. The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal. Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?
Duration : 0:2:33
Horaayy..there are 25 comment(s) for me so far ;)
hmm.. a major …
hmm.. a major abdominal surgery —becomin routine..!
My mom gave birth …
My mom gave birth to 5 babies at home with a mid wife, it feels good to be on the other end of the percentage..:)
i am going to have all my babies naturally at home!!!
No, most are born …
No, most are born vaginally but in a hospital with pitocin and an epidural. Very few purely natural births.
Sadly, yes. Well, I …
Sadly, yes. Well, I wouldnt say “most” but the numbers are very high in some areas. In NYC for example, the numbers can be as high as 45%.
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Do most …
0:58
Do most babies in US get out with caesarean?
0:58
Do most …
0:58
Do most babies in US get out with caesarean?
Cant wait to get my …
Even if its your first child, you can do it! Home Sweet Home Birth <3
Cant wait to get my copy of this DVD. I had my daughter at home, she’s my first and cant wait to do it again
My insurance wont …
My insurance wont cover midwives at in network coverage…
I had a regular OB …
I had a regular OB early in my pregnancy and had been debating switching to a midwife. After I saw this video, I switched immediately and couldn’t have been happier with the results. Though I gave birth in a hospital, there was very little interference and my midwife did not allow anyone to mess with or bother me. I was so happy that I switched to a midwife and would recommend it to anyone. Women of the earth, take back your birth!
the problem is when …
the problem is when it becomes a ‘routine’…
I just watched this film, OMG… so true. I experienced both and will never go back to hospital birth… pregnancy is not a sickness is a natural process…
I’ve always …
I’ve always considered giving birth at home, but this documentary sealed the deal for me as well.
i’m only 19, but i …
i’m only 19, but i watched this documentary on t.v. the one day, and was AMAZED at the healthcare system in the USA. my second sister was born at home and the experience for my whole family was 100% better than when my first sister was born (in the hospital). when i’m older and thinking about having kids, i’m DEFINETLY going to have a home birth. especially after seeing this documentary.
Every whore has a …
Every whore has a john.
We really benefited …
We really benefited from this video & we’d love to hear other suggestions on other reference materials that support our natural childbirth views (or the Bradley Method). It is SO Important that this works out for us-so, no negative feedback, please.
I’m not much up on …
I’m not much up on my economics, so I can’t say I have an opinion ’cause I don’t understand all the implications. My knee jerk reaction would be no. We need healthcare in the same way we need clean water and healthy foods. There’s a difference between free market economics in the car industry v. the medical profession….you can always take a bike to work, but it’s awfully hard to take out your own ruptured appendix, you know?
Would you agree …
Would you agree that instead we should let the free-market decide the fate of the health care system, like Ron Paul advocates? joust wondering.
Healthcare is owned …
Healthcare is owned by pharmaceutical companies that’s how hospitals get there money.
That’s how you stonewall any real “health” or “care” say: If you don’t do as we say and buy into our colleges and our rules and our insurances corporations and our drugs then you will not be a doctor “professionally” I understand exactly what you are saying CordsZ.
Not all of them do, …
Not all of them do, and many are opposed to the sanctions placed on them by insurance companies and corporate hospitals. But if they do not play those games, they aren’t licensed by the state board to practice and they won’t receive liability insurance, which is also a requirement to practice medicine. Same goes for nurses etc. They also won’t be hired to work in a facility, and the stand up costs for a practice are horrendous.
Well that’s just …
Well that’s just dumb. We need healthcare providers and medicines and trauma care etc. We’d all be dead at 30 just like in the Middle Ages without those things. Healthcare needs to be returned to the practitioners though, and taken away from special interest groups and business types.
Just don’t become a …
Just don’t become a doctor and therefore support it? Duh?
I agree 100%
I agree 100%
Unfair to, “roll up …
Unfair to, “roll up doctors in this , , ,?” They roll over like trained dogs for big pharma and insurance companies. Remember “fee-for-service” medicine? It was much less intrusive and a more collaborative effort. Oh yeah, it was cheaper, too.
I think it’s a bit …
I think it’s a bit unfair to roll the doctors and nurses up in this. While doctors (for the most part) favor more medical v. holistic intervention, it’s the corporations behind the hospitals and the insurance companies that force the medical field to churn out babies like licence plates at a factory. Medical personnel hate it as much as the patients and advocates, if not more. We all need to get together to get the businessmen back OUT of healthcare!
This is my …
This is my favourite movie! DH was supportive of me wanting an unassisted childbirth, but after watching the video he was ectastic about it.
Great video!
…
Great video!
Check out the ‘Childbirth Information Network’ and the ‘Vaccination Information Network’ pages on facebook.