“MATERNITY CARE IN THE UNITED STATES IS IN CRISIS.”
“I saw that nowhere does the tension between technology and nature play out more dramatically than birth.”
This excerpt from director Abby Epstein’s statement on the official movie web site of “The Business of Being Born”, and I think it’s a tremendous understatement. This film doesn’t just tackle the tension between technology and nature; it shines an interrogation lamp on the corporate and political tug of war that takes place in hospital board rooms and plays out on the fertile field of maternity wards.
I wouldn’t have thought twice about having a “traditional” hospital birth when I have my first child, but I found out that choosing a “traditional” hospital birth now means probably a nice volley of Pitosin and epidural that results in a 43% chance of C-Section–which is major surgery! My favorite part–which is also in the trailer–is when Ricki asks some OB nurses how often they see a natural childbirth (i.e., sans drugs), the question is met with an awkward silence and questioning faces rapidly searching their memories. After the…yes…..pregnant pause, the nurses answer with, right–you got it–”Rarely” and “Almost never.”
By the way, this film isn’t styled as perfect-pitch journalistic piece, so don’t expect the most balanced account ever. This is a film, and it’s meant to question, to prod, to provoke and instigate a conversation about birthing that hasn’t been taking place.
This vignette is honest, raw and authentic. It made me cry because more than anything I’ve seen about birth–even in the Natural Family Planning World–showed maternity is such a visually visceral way. It showed life as it IS–painful, wry, witty, wonderful, passion-filled, surprising, sexual, gorgeous and embracing. It portrayed midwives as compassionate trained medical professionals, rather than backwoodsy grannys armed only with hot water, a towel and ignorance. Seeing what midwives go through to get trained (I have a friend studying midwifery right now actually), and seeing their level of preparation and experience, this is something I would be prepared to seriously consider and do when it comes to be my time, God willing.
The only creative smudge on the film was a character flaw of the nurse wife Cara. While I totally respect her profession, her credentials, and her passion, I didn’t dig what seemed to be her primary motivation for being a midwife. She spoke from a fundamentally flawed radical feminist perspective. What I perceived from her is that woman needs to “take back” her uterus and all its associative powers, including childbirth, from men and the Man. There seemed to be a dissonant dialectic between the sexes, rather than an equal and complimentary relationship, as taught in the more authentic feminism of Theology of the Body. Despite the proclivity to proletariat maternity politics, Cara was a very real person, and I liked that about the whole film. It just seemed elegantly real. May I strive to be that–elegantly real–in my daily life, and when it comes to my time for welcoming my first child into the world, may I be as natural and authentic as the women in this film.
10 Responses to The Business of Being Born
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I am working on a post for The Black Cordelias right now dealing with the fact that most of my friends are 30somethings who have contracepted or (sadly) aborted until now when some have settled into marriages… One couple I know of – both 31 – have shared with me that they plan to put off children till 35 while pursuing advanced degrees…
It then occurs to me that after 2 decades of being fertile, and 2 decades of taking artificial hormones that told her she was pregnant when she wasn’t, the wife is running real risks they ignore of being able to get pregnant and have a natural childbirth… If they want two, they are talking about the second kid by about the age of 40…
So two things occur to me: late pregnancy for a first pregnancy seems likely to have more possibilities of complication… and 2 decades of treating the body like an object and “better living through chemistry” sort of predisposes one to seek the least natural remedies.
At least that is what I suspect, at 31, few of my contemporaries have children.
My midwife was AMAZING! She saved me from having a C-section. My daughter was Left Occupit Posterior (in other words, sunny side up) and was causing me HORRIBLE contractions. Her heart rate was dropping at points and I was freaked out. I heard the word, C-section, a few times. I had been through nearly 24 hours of active labor, I DID NOT WANT A C-SECTION. I heard the term “nuchal cord” being tossed around and it freaked me out. I just wanted to have a healthy baby already. Thankfully my midwife was so skilled and amazing that she was amazing to turn my daughter and I was able to deliver her naturally (I did have an epidural though).
I’m anxious to see this movie. It certainly sounds interesting.
I have had two natural births, the first with an OB, and the second with a midwife. The difference b/n the two births was, to say the very least, extraordinary. It would take too long to write of now, but let’s just say that I educated myself enough before the birth of my first child that I knew what I did and did not want, and I had to FIGHT FOR EVERY LAST PREFERENCE with my OB. Totally different with my midwife, and it’s b/c OBs and midwives approach birth in two completely different ways. OBs treat pregnancy and birth as a sickness to be treated, while midwives view pregnancy and birth as a normal physiological process that women’s bodies were designed to do the right way most of the time. In my opinion, only high risk pregnancies shoulds be treated by an OB, and the birth should still be attended by both an OB and a midwife. I’m already getting too windy.
One thing I want to address, (and you mention this), is that I’m overwhelmingly disturbed by the latest controversy b/n the producers of the movie and the AMA and ACOG (who, of course, havce come out against the movie. More natural births = less money for OB-GYNs). In her response, Ricki made a very strong comment advocating her support of “choice”, and making natural birth and abortion two sides of the same coin. I have been as active as possible to try and tell natural birth advocates to not make this fatal error, as to couch natural birth in pro-abortion language is to lose a whole lot of support for the cause. (Me, included. As much as I’m for better legislation to support midwifery, I’m more for allowing babies to live long enough to actually be caught by a midwife in the first place.)
Finally, I just read the article in Family Foundations, and that’s why I’m here now posting this comment. I admire the courage it takes for you to stand up and shout from the internet mountaintop the all-around benefits of NFP in an age that doesn’t want to hear it. Kudos.
Thanks, Lindy! Don’t leave the Kippleys out of the NFP blogging kudos sphere, although they perhaps have a different tone and approach.
As to the hoopla over the AMA/ACOG/BoBB spat: who knows. I can’t keep up with all the emails I’ve gotten from the BoBB, but I’ve had at least one run in with an ACOG activist doctor, so I guess their pride doesn’t surprise me. (Which isn’t to say that every ACOG member is a radical feminist–male or female–weilding their MD with activist rage.)
Let us pray for them, and make requests for more NFP friendly doctors, and make complaints (calmly and professionally worded–not like one of my blog entries) in writing to our health providers when we get beat on the head with an ACOG-activist stick.
hey there! Just read about your blog in the latest issue of Family Foundations- SO glad you are out here blogging. I’m 27, married, with one child and I am trying to spread the NFP message far and wide here in California.
I liked the BoBB movie- hit close to home, as I had a midwife (LOVED the personal care and attention they gave) and give birth at a birth center.
My birth inspired me to teach natural childbirth classes, where you can bet I’ll include info about the beauty of NFP too! (Gotta get these couples when they are at that critical stage in life/marriage)
Well, just wanted to wish you the best- I’ll be checking the blog regularly.
Hi, I also saw about you in the Family Foundations! Awesome!
Could not resist getting in on any birth discussion… another passion of mine besides NFP. My second child was born unassisted because the midwife did not get to my house in time. Living in the country when pregnant with my third we figured we could have a surprise unassisted birth again or we could prepare ourselves (still had prenatals and read up) and have a planned unassisted birth. We have had 4 planned unassisted births. I cannot express enough the intimacy my husband and I shared. The comfort of being around only those I love the most.
I share this because hopefully it will make others think outside the box… “If she could have an unassisted birth, then maybe I could have a homebirth with a midwife… my body is beautiful and works wonderfully and is made in God’s image.”
Hi, Keep up the good work. I read your article in the Family Foundations mag that my hubbie and I subscribe to here in Ireland. I have to admit that I am newly enlightened to the NFP and the more that we have understood and considered HV the more we know the truth of the teachings. To be honest there is a dearth of NFP being propagated here in the catholic church in Ireland. For instance we did a weekend catholic marriage course and there was no mention of anything to do with sex or children. The Billings method is taught here in Ireland by Naomi Billings Ireland and a recent conference has brought home to me the wonder of the female body. The tuning in to the body and reading the signs of fertility has given my husband and I a new understanding of how to live the catholic faith as best we can. I am just finishing up breast feeding my beautiful daughter, who is now a year old. I still have not got a period so am assuming fertility will return in due course. We are now more open to receiving a new soul into our wonderful family. I feel great empathy for young women and girls who are completely saturated by the sexual culture that is upon us in the western world. The pretence of this as being ‘freedom’ is a complete falacy.
I understand very clearly the link between contraception and abortion. The greatest human rights violation of the 21st century is the legalisation of Abortion. The arguments from the prochoice movement here in Ireland and in the UK is inherently flawed. They purport that because a baby (embryo) is not viable outside the womb until 24 weeks abortion is litigitimatised. The ideology postulated is that is, human worth is a measurement of viability. The
reality is, no one is viable without the support structure that surrounds
us. In life there are times more then others that necessitates additional
support and protection, for example a baby, a person with disability and
the aging person. If we apply the rhetoric of the pro-abortion lobby, we
could ask what is the value placed on these peoples lives? The fact is,
that at many stages of human development lend itself to differing levels
of support for their viable health and survival. The baby in the womb is
merely a human developmental stage which is as worthy of the dignity we
bestow on anyone through out the natural life course.
A human being should be afforded right to dignity and life from conception
to old age. The vote in the House of Commons on the 20th of May is very
disappointing for Great Britain. The society that does not support and
afford dignity to human life in the womb is unconsciousable. As a recent
mother to a beautiful baby girl I am all too aware of her precious life
that began in my womb. Following her development through the medical books on pregnancy it is noted that the human heart has begun to beat by the end of the third week after conception. That heart beat has begun to let us know I am a unique individual, I am here, I am alive.
Our societal structures need to continue to support women in embracing the
privilege of birthing a human being into the world. The MTV culture of
sex without consequences cons sexually active women and men into believing
that if they are using contraception pregnancy is not likely to occur and
if it does abortion is a positive option. The unique and intrinsic value
of the child who has been conceived is not to blame for the lifestyle of
our culture and should not be prevented from life. There is no doubt that
this conception may be devastating for women who could not imagine their
lives with a baby but this is inconsequential. The baby has been conceived
and the choices are possible once the baby is born. For a women who
perceives this conception as a crisis should be encouraged to accept the
reality of this pregnancy and given permission to discuss its possibility.
It may be an inconvenience to ones life plan but this little person does
not deserve to have its life terminated as a result. Adoption is no
longer the sexy choice for women who do not wish to rear a child.
However, this is a real choice. The pregnancy will only last a period of
40 weeks.
There is a monolithic societal pressure on women to be the sex in the
city gal, which is saturated into their consciousness from the media. It women who bear the emotional scars and pain from the culture that has now being enshrined into daily lives. We need to recognise the vulnerability of women who do have an unwanted pregnancy who wish to terminate as they are exposing themselves to a greater degree of psychiatry and infertility in the future. As a society we need to be encouraging life. The child within the womb is an infinite possibility to our social capital.
Interested to hear your comments.
Carol
Carol, you have some right on thoughts there. I have a heart for the British Isles, and even a couple years ago lived there for a short time. I’ll keep in touch; however, I don’t have the time to reply, as my mother just passed away suddenly. Please pray for the repose of her soul (Renee).
I think natural childbirth education is missing from NFP courses right now. At the very least we need to promote natural birth like they do breastfeeding. Protecting your fertility during childbirth is important too! I had my first in a hospital and had to fight for everything I wanted- including refusing to take contraceptives postpartum. My second was born at home with a midwife and it was perfect. I am pregnant with my third and will have this baby at home too. First time at your blog- looks really great! Can’t wait to read more!
In ireland we have significant number of women who are enlighted to seek natural birthing. I was successful in being accepted on the birthing programme the midwifery led birthing centre. There is one in my town attached to a large medical hospital but it is its own separate entity. This allows for ‘mums to be’ to be tranferred out to the medical led care if it is needed. I must say that the support I received from this unit was second to none. I achieved a natural birth with only 45 min of ‘gas and air’ while fully dilating. I successfully birthed our daughter after 15 hours of labour. If your expecting your first child be comforted by the fact that the only real hard part is at the pushing stage and that only lasted a maximum of 2 hours. Something I never knew was that you have one really hard contraction then a more gentle one in order to give you a rest. Also there is more time between contractions to catch your breath.
The mantra ‘every pain will bring my baby closer to me’ was very good. I strongly recommend pregnancy yoga where you learn positions for active birth. I prayed through out my birth. My rosary beads wrapped around my wrists and praying ‘Padre Pio pray for me” gave me great strength. I am sure the midwives must have thought ‘this one is a real catholic’ but they were totally non judgemental. In my heart I imagined my ancestors of women who had given birth naturally and believed that I also had their strength. I worked in Africa for a while so I thought of the women on that continent, the majority of which have no medical intervention but the support of their nearest and dearest. When I eventually pushed out our daughter and she began to suckle at my breast I experienced a joy I had never had in my life. I was so thankful to God and for this little soul who was in our care. Everyday has been a joy. I have to say that the self esteem I gained from birthing naturally is immeasurable.
My comments are not to undermine the thousands of women who must have medical intervention as it leads to successfully birthing their healthy baby. At the end of the day that is the most important outcome. Medical science is positive but not to the cost of undermining women’s confidence on achieving the birth as naturally as possible. Trying to live your life with minimal intervention from medical intervention is the norm but funnily enough when it comes to giving birth, a natural, healthy experiece we place ourselves, in the medical model of active management. Likewise in fertility management we women now subcontract out this to the multi million dollar pharmaceutical companies, while subjecting ourselves to medical risks. Returning birth and fertility to women is real feminism. This marries well with the teaching in the Catholic faith. One observation from sharing my nfp choices with friends is that many of them do not have the power to say no to sexual intimacy in their marriages. I really feel for these women who on the surface seem to have everything. I think that if a couple can use nfp it shows a closeness and a deep co-operation when it comes to intimacy.