As a British woman who thought childbirth in the UK was heavily medicalised, I was shocked to learn about childbirth in the US through this film. Midwives are standard practice in the UK unless there's a problem during birth, in which case a doctor will become involved, and home births are increasingly encouraged. I just can't believe that women in the US are being robbed of what should be one of the most empowering and wonderful times of their lives. I sincerely hope that this documentary ignites the flame of much-needed change.

Thanks for recommending this movie! It solidified what I already knew from personal experience and fired me up about the need to spread the word about midwifery. My oldest child was born in a hospital in 1994. I had educated myself and had a birth plan. I was walking around at 8 cm dilated, and feeling great! I was progressing quickly and in control of my pain. Then, an ob/gyn resident ordered me into bed, ruptured my membranes (against my wishes), and would not let me out of bed again. It took me 6 hours to progress to 10 cm. (I had made it to 8 cm in less than 2 hours, by listening to my body.) I was hysterical and begged to be let out of bed. When finally I could push, he was born in 5 minutes. My body knew what to do!

So, in 1995 when I was pregnant with my second and last son, I vowed no doctor would touch me. (I had found out in the mean time that Medical Assistance in PA DOES pay for midwives.) In 1996, I delivered my almost 9 lb son in 30 minutes at a free-standing birth center. We were home 5 hours after he was born. Thank God for Midwives! We must spread the word!!!!!!

I had a midwife when I had my son 13 years ago. The only reason I had one was because he was born in a military hospital. It was the most difficult thing I've ever experience. The woman let me rip because she did not give me an epesiotomy. I felt every bit of the ripping since the woman didn't believe I shouldl receive anymore medication. I ripped in the front due to his rather large head. I hate to be gross but, even though she sewed me up, it came apart and now I have a perminent inner labia tear. I could wear jewelry if Ii was into that sort of thing. Maybe my experience was because it was a military hospital, I can't say for sure. My best advise wouldl be to know your midwife well before hand.

I'm 4 1/2 months prego and my midwife lent this to me to watch a couple a weeks ago!! It helped to stregthen my determination to do this in my own home and trusting my own body!! I just wish all women would watch this along with some awesome home birth videos I've seen on youtube.

I second the thanks to Laura, for recognizing as a medical professional that there are things that need to be fixed in our system, and that from her own professional experience in two European countries that it is hardly dangerous to have a midwife to help birth your baby. We in the States just have to get with the times and not pressure women with fear.

I loved this documentary! I think it is so important for our bodies to do things themselves without always being interrupted by drugs. A friend of mine was administered three epidurals and was in labor for over 24 hours because she wasn't dilating! I was terrified of having a child until I watched this documentary and saw how miraculous and beautiful the whole process is.

thanks laura for acknoledging as a RN that there is a problem with the system and that women need to trust themselves ! xxx

born, not bord. lol

i was curious about home births about a year ago and i took out a book from the library... i cant recall the name right now. it was about a woman who is a certified nurse midwife and her stories. it was fascinating and really eye opening, but i can say that after reading it i will never ever ever have a home birth. there were just too many times when she said things like "had the baby continued to be in respiratory distress we would have of course gone to the hospital just 10 minutes away..." um. no. had the baby been in respiratory distress you bet your ass i would have wanted a doctor standing RIGHT THERE to step in. i think there has to be a middle ground somewhere- i dont know much about birthing centers but they sound like they might be a good compromise. i agree that reading the book opened my eyes to how WRONG a hospital birth can be in so many ways- they make it cold and scary instead of natural and wonderful. but i think when i came down to it i want to know that if ANYTHING went wrong there'd be a doctor next to me and a NICU down the hall.

i had watched this movie years ago, but when i found out i was pregnant last march i hunted it down again. what an amazing and empowering movie. it seeled the deal for me... i was having a home birth. this was my second child, and seeing as my first labour went very smoothly...and extremely quickly(2.5 hours) i was feeling pretty confident. i wanted an all natural water birth. fast forward to nov 30th (3 weeks before my due date) and 7am i'm getting contrations. call my midwife, she has clinic that day and of course thinks it's early labour. she asks me to come to the clinic. got my husband up, called my parents (dad is coming to help with my 10 year old and mama is coming with me) we grabbed the car seat (which of course wasn't installed yet) some diapers and some clothes. i was pretty sure my son was going to be born at the clinic. rush there, she checks me and sees that i'm 7 cm!! in panic mode she says get back in the car and get home!! she tells the patients in the wating room and the other midwife i'm about to have this baby so she had to leave. she gave us blankets for the car and told me not to push....walked in the front door, made it upstairs and on the bed. my mom ran my tub, since the birthing pool never made it and i hopped in. 5 minutes in the tub and one crazy hard push and my gorgeous little man cosmo was in my arms. it was incredible!! after everything was done i got help over to my bed and just enjoyed him for hours.... it's not for everyone, but for me i wouldn't have wanted it any other way:)

For UK Kind Lifers, there's an amazing programme on every Monday on Channel 4 called One Born Every Minute. I'm totally gripped by it and have already decided I want to use the birthing pool. They focus on three women every week and it's fascinating viewing. So excited for Alicia:)

My Mother was an OB-GYN and then went and obtained a Ph.D. in ethics. Her dissertation was about coercion and force of pregnant women. I absolutely agree that there is a problem with some doctors forcing women to do some things that are perhaps not medically necessary. However, I believe the statistics of needing c-sections because of pain medications is very low, and I personally feel the benefits of accesss to immediate medical care ooutweighs the negatives of a hospital birth (just my opinion). I am 100% for a woman choosing what she feels is right for her, but I don't think it makes a woman somehow heroic if she chooses a home birth over a hospital birth. Reasonably, they both have pros and cons. I would like to see a change where women feel safe, cared for and listened to in a hospital setting.

Pixie, thank you. Yes I remember I was terrified beforehand, even though I really wanted a natural homebirth. I remember even considering the C-Section many times as the fear became so big. However, I just kept working on it with breathwork sessions & it took until about a week before the actual birth until I finally felt "ready" to handle it. And then when the time came it was so easy I can't tell you - the contractions were no worse than a period pain, and I mean that genuinely. The pushing was physically hard work, but all the way through the pain was hardly noticeable. It was definitely the most wonderful 8 hours of my life to date & I would gladly do it all over again, only this time I would welcome it as I would "know" what was to come!