Homebirth Video's

[Monica]

I want to show my children (3 and 6) video's that show home/water birth's. I am looking for video's that are clearly done in someone's home, show the sights and sounds of natural, normal birth and won't cost me an arm and leg. My goal is to prepare my children for what they may/will actually experience during my birth, not to own an artistic, warm fuzzy birth videos. It is hard to tell just from reading the descriptions of many of the natural birth video's if they are what I am looking for. I don't want to spend hundred's of dollars to find that one perfect video. Can anybody help me? Recommend a video that you have seen to help me prepare my kids.

[MsGrizzle]

I'm not sure if you can get your hands on this but there was a Discovery Channel program called 'Unconventional Births'. It features a home birth, a water birth at a birth center with the woman's daughter catching the baby and a bed birth (IIRC) at a birth center. The birth center looks very homey though so a child probably wouldn't know the difference. There is a lot of noise, changing positions, etc. From what I remember it was pretty realistic and not all warm/fuzzy.

Cori

[AngelBee]

:notes:

[Ilovelife]

Me too! :notes2:

[amygoforth]

The DVD that came with my copy of Barbara Harper's book Gentle Birth Choices is really great. The book w/ DVD was around $20.

[MonicaS]

I 2nd Gentle Birth Choices. There are a couple homebirths and a BC birth, all very real. (Of course they are real, but I mean they didn't gloss it over.)

I bought the book and VHS set a couple years ago for $40ish.



I would love to know about any other good videos.

[Amari's Mama]

Here's the link to waterbirth.org to purchasing Barbara's updated 2005 version of the book, including the DVD and Barbara's signature:

http://www.waterbirth.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=249

[Monica]

Thanks ladies!! Keep the idea's coming!

[veggiekicks]

Another vote for Gentle Birth Choices, I think you'd get the most for your money with this one--it has several great births, very natural and realistic.
The Unconventional Births show mentioned above is also great.
Two others I liked were Birth Into Being, The Russian Waterbirth Experience
and Birth Day. http://www.midwiferytoday.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=MT&Category_Code=VT

[2+twins]

Gentle Birth Choices is great, as mentioned, and it comes with the book now (for just $13.57 on Amazon). Other recs are...

Noa Was Born (http://yourwaterbirth.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=50) - amazing footage as the baby actually emerges (home waterbirth). It's like it's in slow motion only it isn't. I bought this for only $4 from the midwife who attended the birth. You can contact her for purchase info at Maria Iorillo <sfmidwife@yahoo.com> or see the last link I posted for the address to send payment.

Psalm & Zoya - The Unassisted Homebirth of Our Twins (http://earthbirthproductions.com/index_files/Page581.htm) - $40 I like showing this video to my kids b/c of the sounds she makes (very sexual in nature). I think it's a good example of what you might expect labor to sound like. The mother is also shown nursing her toddler between contractions which I think might help a child feel at ease about being around their mom in labor.

Birth Day (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006FMXB/qid=1135314014/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-0065283-6892726?v=glance&s=video) - Another home waterbirth. Siblings hop in the tub just after the baby is born. The older sibling is present for the birth. $30

Check this (http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/birth-videos.html) out for more recs/info.

[AAK]

We have watched "Birth Day" and are now watching "Born in Water".

Born in Water is a collection of water births, most at a birth center one at home. With the exception of one bc birth, it could have easily been home had they not told us. Born in Water includes the actual births, not much of the preceding labor and has not put music over the noises, etc.

Birth Day is very beautiful and at home. Shows mother throughout labor and then in the tub to birth. I love that her children join her. However, the music kinda drowns out her noises. I thought it was a great intro for my kids though.

I got my videos from my midwife to borrow. But another low cost option in your local library. Even if they don't carry these videos (ours has some) they may be able to do an interlibrary loan.

Amy

[AngelBee]

:lurk:

Psalm & Zoya - The Unassisted Homebirth of Our Twins - $40 I like showing this video to my kids b/c of the sounds she makes (very sexual in nature). I think it's a good example of what you might expect labor to sound like. The mother is also shown nursing her toddler between contractions which I think might help a child feel at ease about being around their mom in labor.

I have seen parts of this one.....it is great! :thumb

[Monica]

Thanks so much!! I will be taking this list to the library to see if they can help me out and then I will order what I can't get my hands on. Thanks for all the help.