ryder

c-sections are some womens choice of birth. Just like we have the right to choose if we want drugs, if we want a home or hospital birth, some women have the right to choose to have a c-section, choose whether we breastfeed or not. All of these are choices every individual can make.

Has anyone seen cemetary's from 100 or 200 years ago? Has anyone seen all the small plaques from babies being stillborn or dying of sickness soon after birth? Or women dying from birth? Sure we have the natural instinct to give birth, but sometimes the medical professionals do help.

I honestly dont know what the doctors are like in other countries. I know in Canada women have the right to choose what they want. No doctors here force anything on anyone. Some women are lucky to have a doctor with them their whole pregnancy and birth. We have hospitals that let you have your baby how you want, they will have a birthing pool if you want one, you have alot of choices.

I have nothing against home births or natural births. I think that its amazing, for me its not what I want. But for other women who are low risk, sure. Why not. I just know I couldnt put my baby at risk like that. :S

I apologize because I know this opinion will offend some people, but I work in a hospital and I find it quite scary what some people believe from things they see. Sometimes it isnt all that correct. There are alot of misconceptions.

Carley

c-sections should not be a choice if it is not needed, it's major surgery. A doctor shouldn't offer a c-section unless it is needed. There's a huge difference between breastfeeding and formula feeding. Doctors always say the first c-section isn't the problem but it's the 2nd, or the 3rd etc. Why would women want surgery if they do not need it? You don't question the infant deaths that happen in hospital from all the intervention, that's serious. The plaques that killed babies back then most of them do not exist now, so that has no need here. Hospital births can be dangerous too, any birth can be.

This isn't directed at you, so don't take offense

Margerle

And the ultimate irony being the same docs who will offer an 'elective' section are the same ones who will say that a vaginal birth in the same elective situation is statistically/biologically/and scientifically better on a woman and her baby.

suzan

Welcome!

lifeguard

I watched it today. Absolutely amazing. I found it particularly interesting when they described how just starting on pitocin 'caused such a predictable cascade of interventions. I alwasy felt this way but it was interesting to hear it outlined so logically.

It was also shocked to hear that a gorilla (right species?) that is c-sectioned will NOT take care of it's baby - interesting!

I am natively from Canada & I must disagree that things are not pushed. Although I know it does vary from doctor to doctor things are not that far off of the US. I must admit I am very much against elective c-sections - especially in a system where the burden of cost is on society as a whole & not the individual. It's elective, expensive & just seems to have too many risks to be worth it (I had a friend almost die from an infection afterwards - not worth it!). And as pointed out in the film - women are not being given informed consent - unless they do the research themselves. They are given the bare minimum info skewed the way the hospital wants it.

I don't think doctor's are the problem or have poor intentions. But they were trained in this system & have a hard time seeing outside of it. It was eye opening to see a group of 3 ob/gyn admit they almost never saw totally natural births.

I must admit my biggest worry about birth is that I will have to spend too much of the time being my own advocate to ensure that I have the birth I want. That & we have a bit of a language barrier here & I am unsure what percentage of the hospital staff will speak some english.

Holldoll

I feel the same way in the US. We have insurance, but it's still being paid for by me. Insurance is so expensive when you are pregnant because they have to count on the fact that you might have a $35,000 birth! DH lost his insurance for 3 months during my pregnancy and because I was pregnant, it cost us $1200 a month for insurance!! That's ridiculous, but they have to plan on it. If fewer people had elective c-sections that they pay for with insurance than it wouldn't be so high.

pepperflake

Thank you for the link marley2580! I finally had a chance to watch it uninterrupted and it was great. It covered everything I've always suspected about birth in the US and the way I would love to have my baby. I am one of the lucky Americans who got to use a free standing birthing center with midwives with my first birth. I'm using a midwife with this birth but she only delivers in a hospital. There are no registered midwives close enough to my home to do a homebirth and the birthing center is too far away.

I'm terrified of the hospital. I don't know what to expect yet. I don't want to have to argue with the staff about what I will and will not stand during labor but I will. I'm adamant about no interventions unless there is a life threatening situation. There is NO WAY I will be laying on my back to deliver- or at all. If they confine me to the bed, I will be up on my hands and knees. I will not let them use pitocin or any narcotics. They've already told me I will have to have a heparin lock in place, in case of an emergency. I really really really wish I could do a homebirth

We have our hospital tour next week so at least I will get to see what I can expect. I just have a feeling I'm not going to like it for the most part. I hate that American women don't have more choices, especially since I live in such a rural area. If I lived closer to a bigger city, I might be able to have things like I want. Hopefully, women will start changing the way things are done and demanding more power. I will start at home by educating my daughters and empowering them while they are young.

lifeguard

I feel exacly the same way!!! Especially about the lying on my back. It seems so ridiculous when they KNOW it's not the best position, the least of which because it can narrow your pelvis by 30%!!! Why would they purposely put such a blockade in the way?

I had a friend recently who when she had her 2nd child had a rougher labour. It would progress fine as she knelt, crouched, walked, etc. But everytime they felt it was time to push they would make her lie down on her back & her labour would pretty much stop. This went on for quite a long time & exhausted her. No reason for such ridiculousness in my mind! I'm amazed how unangry she is about it!

codiontour

i think the movie has been removed : ( i was trying to watch it again and cant get it!

Margerle

I know you can stream it through Netflix (though I'm not sure how they handle international customers).

http://www.netflix.com/FreeTrialInfo