SubscribeLast night I went to see this movie with a friend (Hi Vicky 
). I thought it was an amazing movie. I loved watching the incredibly beautiful home births. I couldn’t help but get teary eyed as I watched those tiny wet babies enter the world and lay on their mothers chests. I loved watching all the moms and their reactions as they looked at their babies for the first time. It was so touching. I kept thinking of the births of my own children as I watched, particularly Nora’s birth.
As I look back at Nora’s birth, I don’t think I could have asked for a better or more perfect birth experience. I still remember the calm excitement I felt all day, knowing that I would be meeting my baby soon. Being in labor was welcomed. I spent the day with Scott, working with each contraction, until I thought it was time to go to the birth center. When I got there, I was still free to do whatever I felt like I needed to do. Becky was nearby, in case I needed her, but she left Scott and I on our own to do what we needed. I sat on the birth ball, wandered around, and watched a movie. I felt so calm and relaxed. Even right up until transition, I felt like it was too easy, and I couldn’t possibly be getting close to delivering. I told Scott that I was sick of being in labor. Not because it was painful, I was just ready to be done. He just smiled at me and said “Well, that’s good, because you will be done soon.” I didn’t know I was in transition, but he did. Shortly after that I got into the tub and everything went fast from then on. Nora was born about 10 minutes later. I vividly remember the first moment I picked her up out of the tub and held her on my chest. She wasn’t breathing right away, but Becky was so calm and professional, that I hardly knew there was anything to worry about. I just held her and looked at her and felt that “birth high” that they talked about in the movie.
Watching that movie and thinking about my own birth, I think that every woman deserves to have a birth like that. I know that ultimately the goal is a healthy baby, but so many women are missing out on an amazing life changing experience. Women don’t believe in themselves, and they don’t think they can do it. Their doctors perpetuate the idea, and they end up with so many interventions that they can’t have a natural birth even if they wanted to.
One of the best things about this movie is that it shows normal women having normal natural births. It shows women that it can be done. I think this is one of the biggest problems with our society today. Women don’t hear about natural births. Our society just sees childbirth as a traumatic medical event. I loved that this movie showed that normally childbirth isn’t a dangerous medical procedure. I think it did a great job of showing how the vast majority of deliveries are normal natural occurrences, but that complications can arise. And midwives are trained to recognize the warning signs. One woman was transferred to a hospital, and she ended up having a cesarean section. But it was a necessary c-section, not one brought on as a result of too many medical interventions. It showed perfectly how the system is supposed to work.
I hope that all men who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant will see this movie!