Yea or Nay : House of Babies on Discovery Health Channel

[UrbanCrunchyMama]

Completely disgusted by the representation of birth on all the other Discovery Health Channel shows, I've started recording old episodes of "House of Babies" only to discover my ambivalence about it.

On one hand, I would recommend that pregnant women watch this show over anything else on cable TV. On the other hand, I recently saw episodes where...

- midwives were pushing on the mother's belly to help the baby out.
- suctioning seems pretty routine immediately after birth.
- midwives firmly massaging the baby's chest or back to get that first cry out of the baby.

While we could stand to have more places like the Miami Maternity Center in this country, what's your take on how gently and naturally babies are caught there?

Lydia

[April422]

I fall on the nay side. I recorded an entire season and the MW just totally rubs me the wrong way.

[dandilion44]

Originally Posted by April422

I fall on the nay side. I recorded an entire season and the MW just totally rubs me the wrong way.

I totally agree.

[dogmom327]

I used to watch it when I was pregnant because I found it to be more positive than the other baby shows and it was nice to see natural childbirth on a daily basis. However, now that I've given birth, I am much more sensitive to the problems you raise. It is disappointing that they intervene to the extent they do. I wonder how much is conscious vs. unconscious so they are "doing something" for the camera. Something tells me in our society, a show where truly gentle births are featured wouldn't do too well--not enough drama--although we'd all watch it!

[Veritaserum]

I would definitely not choose the head midwife there. She's much too pushy and hands on for my taste. It's been awhile since I've watched the show, but there was another midwife with white-ish hair who seemed far more calm and quiet. I might like her....

So, yeah, I skip the show, too.

[rmzbm]

I don't like it. The mw is way too bossy and controlling.

[nashvillemidwife]

I like to watch it, but there's no way I'd deliver there. Even my husband said "does it really take that many people to have a baby?"

[angelpie545]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

I don't like it. The mw is way too bossy and controlling.

I agree. I would be extremely uncomfortable giving birth with someone like that as my attendant. She seems to be very much that way with her staff as well. I'd venture to say that most of them probably feel that way to some degree.

[minkajane]

Every single birth I've seen on that show has the mother sitting right on her tailbone with her legs pulled back - even the ones in the tub! The only exception was one where the mother was flat on her back in the bed and the head midwife was yelling at her because she was panicking and was pulling instead of pushing.

[angelpie545]

Originally Posted by minkajane

Every single birth I've seen on that show has the mother sitting right on her tailbone with her legs pulled back - even the ones in the tub! The only exception was one where the mother was flat on her back in the bed and the head midwife was yelling at her because she was panicking and was pulling instead of pushing.

Yea, I kind of noticed that too. I kept thinking...who is having the baby here, the mother or the midwife? I am surprised so many women choose to have their babies there...but then again, I'm not sure how many other options are available to women in Florida who want to have a natural birth. I guess when you are in that kind of position you kind of take what you can get. It's probably a lot better than being in a hospital.

[nashvillemidwife]

In at least one episode she referred to that as "the" birthing position, as in "it's time to get in the birthing position". Granted, the tub she uses doesn't really facilitate any other position (especially if you're going to have it on film), but something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

[mwherbs]

so I would recommend it over the other birth shows- with some warnings that not all midwives do things the way they are presented -- as far as reduced high-stakes drama and women actually giving birth and being unmedicated can't find it elsewhere on TV consistently---
but personally I can't stand to watch any of the birth shows I end up talking to or screaming at the TV- I can get sucked in, because hey it's birth but my family will change the channel because they know it is a subject dear to my heart..

[erin_brycesmom]

Gotta go with a Nay. I actually have no problem with Shari's personality but I think she and I have different views on birth in general and that is where my objection would lie with her. I do credit her for doing a *LOT* of positive things for the natural birthing community and helping to open a lot of birth centers and she does sound like a wonderful person.

And maybe it is all camera editing but the mothers get way too much directing for my taste and their births don't end up feeling that natural to me. The best way I can compare it would be to wanting to eat healthy and going for some kind of organic snack where the first ingredient is organic cane juice and then washing it down with supposedly "organic" Horizon milk. In the end, that wasn't very natural or healthy but it passes off with the name and description as such. I feel that way when I watch HOB. I hate that *THAT* is what your random mom sees portrayed as natural birth.

Honestly, I prefer watching A Baby Story or Birth Day.

[sunnymw]

Nay. I don't do birth shows on TV anymore because I just cuss and throw things. I DID enjoy ONE of the Amazing Births episodes... the one with the intentional UC. It was so beautiful... but even those are so hyped up and "OH MY GOD, the baby could DIE being born at home!" etc...

I'd love to rent expensive video equipment and document my entire birth, and mail it in... see how much they can butcher it with editing

[Incubator]

Ok, here is the place to post my journey...
When I was a kid I wanted to be a doctor, when I went to college I wanted to be an OB.
When I very first got pregnant with DS a friend of mine said if she ever had another baby she'd have it at home, and I thought she was one of "those people". There was much eye-rolling to be had.
While I was still pregnant and we moved to Florida, the regular baby shows were starting to annoy me, but I still enjoyed watching them most of the time, and my favorite was HOB. I would have KILLED to be able to give birth there, but Miami was a little out of our way.
After I had DS I could no longer stand the regular baby shows, I'd watch a birth or two and start cussing and get all stressed out about it and badger my husband with facts, usually the same ones over and over again, everyday. I'd go out of my way to find HOB because I still enjoyed the birth shows on TV and that was the best one I could find.
Here I am pregnant with #2, just seeing the regular ones on the TV guide makes me sigh noisily and start grumbling but I never bother to tune in to that garbage anymore, and watching HOB even every now and then really tests my limits.


I think there's a BIG difference between a NATURAL birth, and a HANDS OFF birth. Maybe some women don't realize how truly hands off a provider can be without endangering themselves or the baby. With that as a given, I think the Miami Maternity Center is a damn good place for someone who isn't as comfortable or as educated as some MDC mamas about what is both normal, natural and safe during birth. At least they don't cut, use the vacuum, give epidurals, or any of the more intrusive things. Knowing what I know now, however, I'd never choose that for myself. Maybe it's a stepping stone...

[UrbanCrunchyMama]

Originally Posted by erin_brycesmom

The best way I can compare it would be to wanting to eat healthy and going for some kind of organic snack where the first ingredient is organic cane juice and then washing it down with supposedly "organic" Horizon milk.

Great analogy because I'm totally with you on the food too.

[UrbanCrunchyMama]

Originally Posted by Incubator

When I was a kid I wanted to be a doctor, when I went to college I wanted to be an OB.

What path did you ultimately choose for a career?

Originally Posted by Incubator

I'd watch a birth or two and start cussing and get all stressed out about it and badger my husband with facts

Good to know I'm not the only one that does this.

[UrbanCrunchyMama]

On today's episode, a first-time mom went into the birth center after her water had broken. The midwife (not Shari) and husband sat on one side of the room, and the mom sat on the exam table on the other side of the room. The MW was actually quizzing the mom on things she learned in childbirth class.

"How many hours to do have to labor after your water breaks?"
"Wow, you remembered. That's right -- 24 hours."
"Now do you remember how you need to breathe during labor?"
"You don't remember? Like this..."

Are you friggin' kidding me?! The mom was already anxious enough! And to be quizzed on top of that! Oh, then (for whatever unspecified reason), the husband was not present at the birth because he went home while his wife was napping (so the woman's brother was called upon as the stand-in labor partner). What's up with that?

[Peony]

Originally Posted by rmzbm

I don't like it. The mw is way too bossy and controlling.

My thoughts exactly.

[Veritaserum]

Originally Posted by UrbanCrunchyMama

Are you friggin' kidding me?! The mom was already anxious enough! And to be quizzed on top of that! Oh, then (for whatever unspecified reason), the husband was not present at the birth because he went home while his wife was napping (so the woman's brother was called upon as the stand-in labor partner). What's up with that?

Yeesh about the quizzing, too. :