Dr. Lisa and Ricki Lake Debate Home Birth on The Doctors Part 2

[kimberlyirenedances]

Trying to have a natural birth at a hospital is literally impossible because they won't want to keep you there for however long it may actually take you natural to labor! They'll scare you an say that your baby is in danger and then induce you when that wasn't the case, then it's all down hill from there because they'll then have you lay in bed which is extreme pain do then you'll ask for an epi and won't feel how you need to all the while your baby is in medication gel and doesn't know what t

[erinnstreeter]

"I have seen thousands and thousands and thousands of deliveries..."  I'm leery of any care provider who doesn't know either exactly or approximately, preferably within 100, how many births she has actually attended.

[llamalover02]

if i ever have a baby, i don't plan on letting some docker push me around and put poison into by body and my baby.

[vshowers37]

Home birth at your own risk! You can have a natural birth at hospitals as well because the bottom line is that it's about being your own advocate. Instructing the doctors, midwives and nurses what you want.

By the way, I love Ricki Lake. However, she uses scare tactics in her documentary regarding hospital births. If she wants to claim that doctors use scare tactics... she needs to acknowledge that she does as well. Not so much in this video, but in her documentary.

[edaj84]

@vshowers37 I disagree, Ricki tells it like it is. Hospital birth can be incredibly scary, demeaning, humiliating, upsetting for many people.

[lisavg09]

vbac?

[edaj84]

@lisavg09 vaginal birth after cesarean

[lisavg09]

Vbac

[LackTruth]

I like how ricki kept her cool while the other lady was acting all crazy in part 1. you would of thought that ricki was personally coming against her. its doctors like her that makes people afraid to think for themselves and know they have options.

[doula2010]

Many childbirth educators are not aware of the many chemical miracles that

go on before and after birth. Many of these changes can only be successful

if a woman is left alone so that no cortisol is released into her system.  In fact

during the transition state it has been proven that both baby and mother are

both "high" on oxytocin the love chemical and another chemical DMT. Refer

to Michel Odent's work on undisturbed birth . It is this kind of birth that women

everywhere desire.

[1stborncolton]

and on your back is not a good pushing position. It makes your pelvis smaller and harder to get the baby out. I wish women would trust their own bodies more than doctors who don't give a shit about anything but getting sued

[1stborncolton]

and on your back is not a good pushing position. It makes your pelvis smaller and harder to get the baby out. I wish women would trust their own bodies more than doctors who don't give a shit about anything but getting sued

[1stborncolton]

Failure to progress is often "failure of doctor to wait patiently" I love Ricki and intend to birth my next baby at home. Away from fuck up doctors who don't know what REAL birth is supposed to be like

[singlemomadvocate]

Dr. Lisa could've handled the situation a little more professionally, but she is only concerned because of what she has seen.

[RinoaHatake]

Ricky came off some much more... classy and well informed. While Dr. Lisa came off as one the people using scare tactic to get her point across...

[pixiestix151]

whn you deliver on ur back it is not for your sake or the babies sake its for the doctors comfort its easier if youre squatting (gravity hello!!). 

[oliviajune91]

@pixiestix151 Out of curiosity, have you given birth? I tried squatting during the pushing part (and yes I was in a hospital), and I found that position impossible. I was spending energy trying to support myself up while all of my focus should have been going to pushing the baby out. On my back was the most comfortable for me, and I only ended up pushed for an hour (it was my first baby, and if you know anything about birth you'll know that that's not a long time at all).

[kenjahsmom]

@oliviajune91 That is the amazing part of birth. Each one is different. As a labor/childbirth doula, we find most women feel laying on their backs the most uncomfortable position.

Note - most women.. others find it to be the best.  A mom may delivered 2 or 3 babies in squat or side laying yet the next time back laying is best.

So many variables, size of baby, head postion, tuck the list goes on. The key is to have the freedom to choose what is right for you in the moment.

[pixiestix151]

@oliviajune91 being that im 17 no lol i have not but this is something ive been researching for a while now and well everyone is different and i guess different positions work for different people... and perhaps being in a tub would have helped i believe being in water helps steady you and stuff.

[luv2diy]

I wish I had had my baby at home! I fought to have a vbac not far from where this show is tapped. When I got to the hospital in active labor I lost control of my pain because I was afraid of the hospital environment and having another csection. The epidural paralyzed my leg! And now many months later I'm still dealing with the pain from the nerve damage. If I do this again I will do it at home like I had wanted to this time. Btw even with the horrible burning pain the nerve damage caused, the r

[dovebar76]

I see both sides.

[prismwriter]

In a world where The Corporate Entity has the definition of PERSON, and are literally controlling the purse strings of both parties, we should be totally aware that it is conceivable that these undead "persons," who live off our financial blood could move once again to make home births illegal, and hospital births mandatory.

[kaylalee2]

I'm pretty sure WAY more than 200 hospitals in the US don't offer VBAC...WAY more! I live within 10 miles of two hospitals, neither of which offer VBAC...

[theunhappycircus1981]

@kaylalee2 - I agree. I had to have a c-section because I went into labor at 26 weeks with my twins. 2 years later I was pregnant with my youngest daughter and wanted to try a vbac but was refused by the hospital because of complications that "could" happen. My daughter was born thru c-section and ended up having to be medivac'd to the nearest children's hospital anyway because of fluid in her lungs and she wasn't breathing on her own. A week later, she was able to come home.

[kaylalee2]

Aww snap, did she just play the "dead baby" card? I hate that!

[NaimaMania]

lol that lady said"dimming the lights in the OR" as a way to have a great csection! LOL! stupid

[xavierzsada]

This is ridiculous...you lose the ability to choice or have options at the hospital. You can't give birth squatting in a hospital. I started at home and ended with a c section. Even though I HAD to go to the hospital, but I would choose home birth EVERY TIME. Because the stats are up every time you birth on your back that you will end up with a c section

[denton1511]

Dr. Lisa Masterson is one of the worst things to have ever happened to maternal and infant health. Period.

[kenjahsmom]

@denton1511 Glad someone else sees her for who is really is.

[hcmontessori]

We had an amazing home-birth. Midwife: a.k.a "specialized in birth"! My midwife had 6 years of midwifery education at a state accredited school & 13 continuous yrs as midwife, studied nothing but pregnancy & the birth process, is trained to spot "abnormal" pregnancies - which is only about 5% of all expecting moms, although hospitals would have you think otherwise. M.W refer all high-risk moms to doctors. If the preg. is "normal" (about 95% of women) it's perfectly safe to have a baby at home!

[seestarrs]

Dr. Lisa is VERY defensive & rudely interrupts. This is exactly the experience pregnant women get discussing birth plan w/a DOCTOR. I'm 8mos pregnant & the picture of health in every way. Although I'm willing to be flexible in an emergency, I've been pushed to do their "standard procedures" of being hooked up, water breaking, induced, pitocin to deliver placenta. During classes, the Doc & anesthesiologist lied to the woman that Ep & PIT have NO effect on baby. So unbalanced. So one-sided.

[BigFam9952]

@DrSandmann: I will make a good faith assumption that you actually are an OB. Does your comment to me mean that you are at the bedside administering and monitoring the meds at every birth? Are you the one who draws up the Pit for the IV when there's a hemorrhage? Hoping you have some measure of trust in your nursing staff since the RNs manage the bulk of the care on L&D. Classic case of "damned if you do and damned if you don't" (carry anti-hemorrhagics, that is).

[DrSandmann]

@BigFam9952

I’m not an OB, but I am a doctor. And I know enough about the training of OB’s and the training of nurses to know that the OB knows a hell of a lot more. I know this because I work with mid-level providers all the time, and have experienced first-hand the lack of knowledge in their heads.

[dawngalloper12]

I had a VBAC .. It was at hospital, but I refused constant monitoring, I wanted to move!! And I think that played a big part in my labour! 3 hours, start to finish. She was born less then an hour of being at the hospital.

[jenns2727]

I love how some of you think that the only reason Lisa would be "pro-hospital-birth" is solely for money. Have you forgotten that she is a doctor and her primary focus is the health & life of her patients? Even though there are risks involved in any kind of birth, at least in a hospital you have immediate help should a problem arise.

But oh yeah I forgot, Lisa only wants women to have births in hospitals for money...

[newcatmouse1]

@jenns2727 have you forgotten that Dr's don't make medical decisions anymore?!? HMO's do. And they are, most certainly, motivated soley by money. Though the film (The Business of Being Born) is certainly biased, it is full of well researched facts. If you haven't already, you should consider watching it. Another great resource of information on the topic is Naomi Wolf's book, "Misconceptions"

[miaangel247]

I dont have any children but when i do, hopefully i will have them at home!

I have notice that a lot of Doctors go by either the "book", the newest technology, or the latest drugs(aka medicine). I think that if doctors were more open minded A LOT of diseases, cancers, infections, maternal mortality, & even SIDS, would be cured! If there was nothing wrong with having a baby at home years ago, whats so wrong with it now? Is it because its dangerous to the mother & baby or the doctors pay check?

[darkchocolate1589]

Ugh, Lisa likes to interrupt! She needs to go back to school for some communication lessons. Medicine is not all, honey.

[JonELockDown]

If you have your baby in a hospital they will try to make you fill out an application for a birth certificate which enslaves your baby and makes them a debtor under the 14 amendment

[lissistar1]

GOOD ON YOU RICKI!!!! I LOV this film, probably the best film on birth I've ever seen. Thank you to the wonderful ppl who work hard to change "the system" for the better,

[Maricarmen417]

homebirth is going to win!!! hospitals are going to extinc.... my mom had all of my brothers and sister at home... she has told me about many old ladies who were experts in delevering babies at home an not once in her job did she kill a mom... and doctors have... she was an expert this was in the 1950's why wouldn women be able to have a homebirth again? how did our ansestors did it then? comon women were strong were better that this... childbirth is the best for us...!

[hollymailhot]

I had a home birth with a midwife with 30 years experience! It was a great experience but I did have complications myself the midwife was able turn my daugher manually, however after giving birth I did have to go to the hospital for a severe hemmorage...but my daughter was perfect and didnt have to go to the hospital at all which I was happy about!

[TheReizenderUnsegen]

BTW, home birth became much safer once people knew how to properly perform blood transfusions and people stopped doing the "letting blood" procedure.

[o0katiekins0o]

@TheReizenderUnsegen true. but doctors were bloodletting as well.

[DrSandmann]

I don't know how Dr. Lisa could just sit there and listen to a complete idiot like Rikki Lake lecture the audience on childbirth.

Dr. Lisa has patience and tolerance beyond belief.

[cherienb123]

@DrSandmann If a person goes out there and researches child birth they will find that for the majority of women home birth is actually safer than hospital births. Hospitals interfere too much and when things go wrong it is usually due to an intervention that was performed at the hospital.

[o0katiekins0o]

@cherienb123 in Ricki's documentary there is a great quote. one of the women interviewed said that doctors are trained to look for pathology. and because of that they will often find pathology where pathology does not exist. i am in no way against hospital births. it's not MY ideal birthing situation but i understand for some there is a comfort associated with it. however, i do feel the hospital's role in labor and delivery should really be limited to emergency situations only.

[kbenge89]

/high five to Ricki Lake! I lovedddddddddd "The Business of Being Born"! I plan on birthing my son at home. :] I'd trust myself, my body and my midwife more than I would that bitch, Dr. Lisa. I wouldn't let her near me or my baby.

[DialovesBono]

My first child was born in a hospital and I was left alone for so long that her heart rate dropped due to the fact she had been in the birth canal with a compressed cord and I was still under the doctor's orders of "Don't push". I left the hospital without once having breastfed her successfully 12 hours after giving birth because the hospital was overcrowded that day. Luckily she is fine, but I have never been left alone on a home birth and have never felt more cared for and more supported.

[soccersuppe]

lisa look like a monkey

[MrsWJAA]

I happen to believe that in most normal pregnancies, if a woman/couple does a lot of research into their preferences/feelings and choose it, a homebirth can be much safer than the hospital because there will not be a case of one intervention leading to another as you usually get in the hospital.

The biggest reason they rush to have a baby out in aprx 24hrs after the water breaks is risk of infection, which increases in hospital because of cervical checks. no checks after ROM=low infection risk

[YourBirthRight]

I too have seen thousands of babies be delivered and seen thousands of hospital mishaps and mistakes. Its unfortunate that Dr. Lisa is using the typical ACOG scare tactics re: dead babies/moms. Thank God we people out here sharing the truth about birth. Learn the truth lades. Deliver where you may and while you get info on home birth risk also get the research on RISKS of Hospital birth. They exists. If you have no health issues, home birth can absolutely be the safest place for you.

[DrSandmann]

@YourBirthRight

You are a fucking retard. Did you know that, prior to modern medicine, childbirth was a MAJOR, MAJOR cause of death for women?

Trust mother nature all you want. OBGYNs do. But the difference is that OBGYNs know when to intervene.

[TheReizenderUnsegen]

@DrSandmann Birth was not as dangerous as it is painted as back then. Even today, USA is failing in practice. 40 other countries have better outcomes for maternal and infant, and lesser mortality. And these other countries do have midwives and more home births. If USA, the leader in "birth technology" is doing so bad compared to other countries that use home birth, what the heck does that tell you? Before you start passing the R word, make sure you don't make yourself look like the R word.

[RisaRN]

@DrSandmann You are clearly misinformed and need to read about the poor sanitation and hygiene practices by physicans after touching cadavers and then delivering a baby without washing their hands. This was a major cause of infections that led to "death from childbirth".

[DrSandmann]

@RisaRN

What the fuck are you talking about? Why in the hell would physicians be touching cadavers?

And OB’s use gloves, you idiot. So while they should certainly wash their hands, at very least they place gloves on in sterile fashion before delivering a baby, And mind you, inadequate hand hygiene can occur anywhere. So, to say that it’s a problem specific to physicians is outright moronic.

Lastly, nosocomial infections are not a big killer of newborns, comparatively speaking.

[kenjahsmom]

@DrSandmann- RisaRN is referring to the comment re maternal and fetal mortality in 17th & 18 th cent. The main reason women died was do to i Doctors who would autopsy a Tb death & then deliver a baby w/o washing hands in between They didn't understand how germs spread. It was our understanding of how germs spread that had the greatest impact on reducing mortality.

In fact Nosocomial infections in premies is in the top 3 reasons they die.

Btw all Dr's work learn on cadavers in medical school.

[RisaRN]

@RisaRN You are truly an ass. Look up the Semmelweiss study that piggybacked on your statement about women dying during childbirth in the past(and this was primarily in the 17th-18th century) will hopefully fill in the empty spaces. But, something tells me it's pretty much impossible.

[BewsMom]

@YourBirthRight A dead baby or mother is not a "typical scare tactic". It is a dead baby/mother. It is scary on it's own, and those who have lost their lives in birth deserve to have this risk discussed and taken seriously.

[kenjahsmom]

@YourBirthRight well put.

[YourBirthRight]

Dr. Lisa is unfortunately a product of her medical upbrining. I trained as a nurse in a "county" facility and while intuitively I knew there was a better way I was scared. I was told bad things could happen if we didn't keep women on the monitor and keep them in bed etc and I unfortunately believed it. When i entered midwifery school and began to learn about the things we DO to women that creates the problems i was horrified and actually cried about it. I am so happy I know better now!!

[hcmontessori]

My midwife consults w/ a Dr. on a regular basis, is knowlegable & went to school for 4 years to be a midwife. She knows the warning signs & knows when an "abnormal" birth requires a Dr. Did you know: 90% of all moms are in the "normal" pregancy category. Studies show: civilized countries that use mainly midwives instead of Dr.s (like the Netherlands) have significantly lower death rates for both moms & babies. Countries that have mainly Dr. care have higher mortality rates in both categories.

[jns124able]

@hcmontessori what do you think the reason for those stats are?

[jns124able]

@hcmontessori My reasoning is that doctors arent dealing with only "normal" pregnancies. They take on the high risk and complicated cases that midwives dont touch which will of course carry a higher mortality rate.

[hcmontessori]

The study Im quoting consisted of all normal pregnancies in both hospital & midwife care.The risks come when Docs perform c-sections & inductions that aren't necessary.Studies show that women in the USA, France, Italy & Korea except that these are "normal" procedures, though, they are not.They carry unnecessary risk when performed on women w/ normal, healthy pregnancies. Induction causes abnormally severe pains for mom putting the strain on baby's heart rate & this usually leads to c-section.

[jns124able]

Id like to read this study if you have a link. If not, no worries.

[mehradj69]

you re just jealous you didnt get into med school

[hcmontessori]

@ mehradj69: It seems you're jealous having not done the research yourself... take that chip off your shoulder.

[hcmontessori]

Netflix has "The Business of Being Born". Watch it. It has changed my view of the whole birthing process. Midwives will only take-on moms who are having a "normal" pregnancy. They're trained to know what is normal & what is not. If any problems arise, even at 6 months into care, they will refer the at-risk mom to Dr.s.

[Oren1shii]

(continuation)

I cant and wont take that risk. So my plan is (im pregnant now) to prepare a birth plan and find a doctor who understands my needs and knows when to back off or come in.

[Oren1shii]

i think home births are beautiful thing. You get to set the mood and pace of ur delivery. But i also think that as with any birth, there are serious risks that could be involved. There are X chances of this or that happening every Y births. What if, just what if, you happen to be that X? And then knowing that if u had given birth in a hospital, it could've been prevented? I dont know what that would do to u as a parent. (continued)

[thinkuthink]

I don't like "Dr." Lisa very much. What woman promotes another woman not trusting her body? And all for money. What a loser. Shaitan is all up in modern Obstetrical practice. This woman is an example of that. A dampening of the human spirit. What a shame.

GO NATURAL as much as G-d wills.

[reggie11953]

thank you thank you thank you

as a mom who home birthed three wonderful children who are now 16, 15 and 10 I can attest to the ever alarming changes in birth these last few years...never when I had my own did I ever think that it would come a time where HALF of the hospital births in myt commumity end in c section

[norahsmom09]

births are not medical procedures!!!! THEY'RE NATURAL THINGS!

[pm4tm1027a]

I believe that women should not be discouraged to attempt a home birth if they desire. However, in reply to your reply to my comment, hcmontessori, I was in attendance through this UNAUGMENTED labor and delivery. Given the number of years ago that this occurred, I wouldn't venture to guarantee that the doctor DIDN'T unnecessarily hasten the delivery of the placenta. However, it's unbalanced to simply discount the value one side or another simply based on one's preference.

[101blamblam]

she is so sexy damm i love how she looks she look gud for a older whomen

[hung0sowell]

lisa is soo damnn hott

[treehugger1980]

The UK Royal Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists summarises: "Women considering planned VBAC should be informed that the decision carries additional 2 to 3/10,000 risk of birth-related perinatal death when compared with Elective Routine Caesarean. The absolute risk of such birth-related perinatal loss is comparable to the risk for women having their first birth.

But VBAC is not being offered in US Hospitals??.... Follow the money and you'll find your answers...

[hcmontessori]

"Dr." Lisa is taking this WAAAY to personally! Why can't she see that Midwives are there to encompass the safety of the situation. They are trained to know what is "normal" (safe) and not normal. They also carry all med. equipment that you'd use at a hospital, all the way up to an IV drip, salene solution, oxygen for mom & baby, and Certified Nurse Midwives (Nurses who are professional Midwives) are trained to give Pitocin. They go to extensive schooling & training to use these things.

[ONLY1BLAZE]

This was a debate? Dr. Lisa was the ONLY ONE who got to talk...

There's a web site dedicated to this 'doctor', put it in search engine-- The Fallacies and Falsehoods of Dr. Lisa Masterson

Read & realize that this doctor is so full of shite that it's mind-boggling.

[ONLY1BLAZE]

Way to go, Dr. Lisa-- using scare tactics (the 1st twelve seconds) so women won't attempt a home birth.

Check out the web site for Dr. Lisa's practice. Her patients dislike her & wouldn't use her again.

[pm4tm1027a]

It's wrong to unilaterally say that when things go "bad" in the hospital, it's the result of interventions that "cause" the situation in the first place. As a former L & D RN (who also has considered home birth), the things that made me shy away from home birth were the kinds of events that I saw occur at (normal vag) delivery. Emergency life-threaten things like the entire uterus coming out with the placenta! NObody could predict that! My 3 babes: In hospital. no drugs. no episiotomy. great

[jamisonlive]

I guarantee you that the doctor that pulled out this mom's uterus was using aggressive and invasive maneuvers to hasten placenta delivery. Most doctors do not wait for the uterus to clamp down on its own in order to deliver the placenta. They keep a pitocin drip going even after delivery and use cord traction to get the placenta out. Most placentas do not deliver right after baby! Avg. time is 3 - 30 minutes! That is normal! Sticking your hand up there to go in after it???...I think not!

[nakedhousewife]

Of course things go wrong. Usually emergencies are brought on by interventions, not because the body has failed. Midwives are trained to recognize when things aren't normal and treat or transfer accordingly. Rates of death, c-section, infection, episiotomy, and other interventions are lower, sometimes hugely lower, when using a trained midwife at a home birth or birth center.

[prczl]

If it is safer for mother and child to birth at hospital in US, why do the US have the one of the highest maternal mortality rates of all industrial countries, while the Netherlands who have a home birth rate of 30% have the lowest perinatal mortality rate of all European countries? Why are so many c-sections performed in US hospitals, when the maternal mortality rate in a c-section is the threefold of a natural birth?

[DameonWolfDemon]

This lady talking about home births has an awesome energy to her. Lisa on the other hand...lol...yeah...

[amandafraidenburg]

Lisa is perpetuating a broken and emotionally void system, by fear mongering! She is not trustworthy. No one can be trusted when they fear people!

[communitysharer]

Good Job, Lisa! You are so right! Never give birth to your child at home, thinking that your midwife, ONE PERSON, doesn't need any help from others. Doctors are in a set place called a hospital for a reason. There are many of them there with all the equipment they need, just in case something happens, so that someone can take over, if something happens. GOOD JOB, LISA! YOU ARE SO RIGHT, DOCTOR!

[melsoft121]

@communitysharer I know I'm way late to this debate, but many midwives have a team of three or more people and they have all required equipment with them, plus a long list of conditions the home must meet, and things that the women they are working with should have and do before they call the midwife. All high risk pregnancies should be in a hospital. I don't think that a low risk pregnancy has any right to take a bed from a high risk, nor that any high risk has the right to rush a low risk.

[BJBlitzstein]

I can't abide the constant fear-mongering that is the m.o. of the medical community.

[Happyone4]

"It can be beautiful in the hospital"...um yeah Dr, that's because you're having a BABY-a gift from the Lord, babies and bringing life into the world is beautiful in and of its self in general...but lets be real here Dr. you know darn well there is a huge difference between the way the two play out. The two more times than not LOOK VERY, VERY Different and to the mother FEEL very, very different.

[Xinoutorah]

:) Definitely

[Happyone4]

I think the point the Dr. is missing is that she's seen so many bad things, things go wrong mainly due to interventions that cause the problems in the first place...I'd like her to leave the hospital for a littl while and help with Homebirth/Free standing Center birth so she can see that the sats speak for themself and that the percentage of upsets during birth or emergencies arising are greatly lowered when they allow a woman to birth naturally rather than pumping her full of drugs.

[mskittyluv]

lmao at 1:15 dr lisa giving ricki the side eye

[alyahenai]

the doctors made me feel as if I was going to literally DIE if I kept refusing these pills which I had my own personal reasons of refusing after having done research, but yet my pregnancy was one that was amazingly wonderful...it's all about scaring the "consumer" into methods that at times are not the best for mother and baby...do research everyone.....

[alyahenai]

I personally get a little agitated when I see this show because of all the major deception that is going on...these doctors have an obligation to everyone except you! Therefore they use these scare tactics to get you to invest in uneccesary things..now I agree, there may be complications but my experience has been less than pleasing with doctors in general who use scare tactics. With my first child I was bullied into taking antibiotics which DOES pass through the placenta, and I refused, yet

[jatsq]

they have worked so hard to become a dr. They want that feeling of respect & they feel disrespected if patients want to take too much control or have too many opinions. The mentality of "don't question the medical books" .They have infested so much into memorizing this material, they don't want to feel like it has been for nothing. But dr.s of the past memorized incorrect info & it is the open minded dr.s that really make a difference & have made things better.

[amedina625]

Exactly. Doctors are not God. Let's remember that up until very recently Doctors were actually recommending cigarettes to ease ailments. There will never be an absence of fetal deaths, unfortunately, it's going to happen, regardeless of where you have the baby. Before there were hospitals how did millions of women have babies? Duh, at home.

[TexasHippopotamus]

My first child was born with the cord around his neck and during contractions his heart rate stopped. I had an epi. and am glad he was born in a hospital. Mt second child was born in the parking lot of the hospital and was fine. Every situation is different.

[Merdenoms]

Thanx to Ricki and her great doc I have

decided to have natural birth all the way.

The doctors the hospital and insurance

companies are all in it for the money.

[Njderig]

Dr. Lisa is a fucking idiot. Ricki Lake is smart. I applaud her point of view.

[whitneycanales]

I am pro-homebirth...I actually am having a homebirth next month. But I think it's ignorant to say Lisa is an idiot.

[Njderig]

If Dr. Lisa isn't an idiot, she's definitely not being honest. She is using scare tactics to get women to go to the hospital when it isnt neccessary. Women should have the right to have a natural birth, without some quack in a white lab coat making the experience mechanical and unnatural. Did you know that doctors are telling a large percentage of women to get a C-section (even when they don't need one) just to make another few thousand extra dollars. God, I hate doctors.

[whitneycanales]

I agree she's not being honest. Like it's said in The Business of Being Born, decisions are being made by doctors based on liability and legal reasons, not because it's what's best for the mother or baby. However, there is a lot of good medicine out there, and while 95% of births aren't high-risk, for those that are, I am thankful for hospitals and doctors who have the skills to perform a safe delivery. There's nothing wrong with medical help when it's necessary.

[Njderig]

Yes, but there is a problem with medical "help" when it is NOT neccessary. That is the problem

[johncanalesusa]

Absolutely, I agree.

[Njderig]

What the hell do you think women did for thousands of years before there were hospitals and quacks?. Today the mother is drugger, the baby is given a deadly cocktail of vaccines, and if he's male, they rip his foreskin off just to pocket a few more thousand dollars. The medical community is evil. WAKE UP PEOPLE. Don't believe these assholes.

[Klingon1000]

And I am going to be rather dissapointed if what some of these doctor's consider a problem is a cord wrapped around the neck. That is nothing a woman can't handle ALONE.

[Klingon1000]

In my opinion, Laura Shanley has it correct, I'll stick with unassisted because in my opinion, that's the safest, healthiest choice.

[Klingon1000]

Key word-RARE

[fierceblossoming]

Just an FYI - hydrocephalus can be and usually is diagnosed during pregnancy. It can be seen clearly during ultrasound. In the US, if a midwife's client develops any issue that takes the mom out of the "low-risk" category, she is immediately transferred to a doctors care, as continuing to care for the woman would be outside her scope of practice. Did your friend get adequate prenatal care? Was there any indication of hydrocephalus prior to labor/birth?

[fierceblossoming]

If you friend knew at 4 months, then she would never have been cleared to have a homebirth. No midwife would have taken her as a client. Please understand that I am not making any judgement about your friend, but rather trying point out that homebirth is a safe option for women who are low risk. Your friend obviously was not low risk and it was appropriate for her to birth at a hospital. Of course things can go wrong during birth, but many of the things that can go wrong are foreseeable.

[healer81]

its safer to have births at homes than hospitals, having a baby has become a disease almost in modern culture.

[omgbaby123]

when i have kids i want to be in a hospital with lots of pain killers

[Irulansimba]

Lol, good for you at least your honest!

[Klingon1000]

You don't really know what your talking about when you say homebirth isn't as safe as a hospital. Please do some research on unassisted and midwife attended birth's before you go bashing them. Because your opinion is just built on false statements. Not every woman is high risk, and most of the time, you can recognize symptoms if you are. Please, spare me. I won't stand for lack of knowledge.

[Klingon1000]

And yes, you are wrong. Because I can almost bet you haven't taken the time to study the SAFETY of homebirth. Only these negatives that you have heard from PROFFESIONALS. Do you not realize now that women are having babies at home, the childbirth industry (hospitals) are losing money. A doctor is going to make up any bullspit to scare the woman into staying at the hospital for money. So no, you havent done research on homebirth, only on the stuff that will back up your opinion my friend.

[Trinitymoon999]

Women who choose homebirth ARE thinking about their babies wellbeing! You all need to do your own research and stop just listening to the doctors orders... because they are not always practicing evidence based medicine and thinking about the very best thing for mothers and babies. Our maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates prove this.

[NDNgirl4ever]

Did you know that The Royal Academy of Obstetricians in Great Britian fully support homebirth, and that their top hospitals offer it as a service? If it was so dangerous, how come British doctors offically and fully support it? So there are also doctors who disgree with her as well. I fully support homebirth, and I agree with professional doctors as well.

[PeaceLoveEternity]

dr. lisa is a nazi!!!

[ktendler]

Go Ricki! Hospitals are for sick and dying...intervention leads to intervention leads to intervention and then the mother might as well take a side seat at her own delivery!

[cbheld]

you run a risk getting in your car everyday!!! these doctors are EGOMANIACS! they want to make money and play the hero. that's it! they DO NOT have a woman or her babies best interest at heart, no matter how much they're brainwashed in med school to think so. i had my babies at home and it was MUCH safer than in a hospital where you're subjected to ALL KINDS of interventions!

"women of earth, take back your birth!"- bumpersticker

[NDNgirl4ever]

Nurse midwives successfully deal with stuck shoulders during homebirths all the time.Research the Gaskin Maneuver. Also, they carry drugs to deal with hemorrhage as well. Nurse Midwives are well trained to deal with distress, and life threats are VERY rare.

[MiniItalia]

Why would you choose to have more risks? LMFAO.

Just because you want to be "independent"?! SELFISH!!

Think about your baby!! GO DR. LISA!!! :D!

[Molly0307]

I wonder if Dr. Lisa has ever seen a totally unmedicated birth or a healthy home birth.....

And I agree kathydano: she was too nice.

Any doctor can scare a woman into interventions b/c they are THE DOCTOR. Women need to know that not all interventions are safe or properly tested. Look at the history of the things done to pregnant ladies and tell me if the medical establishment always had out best interests in mind..........

[Njderig]

The medical establishment has only one interest in mind. That is to make money. ie, unnecessary c-sections. respond back, tell me what you think.

[kathydano]

I wish Ricki would just cut loose and list all the statistics (and they are many!) that back up the idea that homebirth is just as safe (if not safer) than hospital birth. I think Ricki and Abby were being too nice. I know they were the guests on the show, but come on!

Previous post was right--Dr. Lisa did seem very threatened.

[xelakann]

yes. Dr. Lisa came off very threatened and defensive in this piece.

[SaraAsIs]

I love Ricki! Her movie "The Business of Being Born" is absolutely amazing. Dr. Lisa is very narrow-minded.

[genamom]

So glad they did this!

[erinlay]

Ricki-you are so much more intelligent than Dr. Lisa--she needs to take the blinders off.

Yay Dr.Storck (?)

[JSpearman4]

I get the point of these shows are to present options to people however the tone of these shows (this one and the one on autism) have been some adversarial it makes me uncomfortable watching it.

[genamom]

The tone is set by dr. lisa who just doesn't get it. Confrontation is never comfortable

[Molly0307]

They are coming from a more "mainstream" perspective, but they don't need to put their guard up so high!

[JSpearman4]

I guess you can make that point, but at the same time, there many people that come at them in an adversarial way, and we all know that is for shock value for the people watching. This is understood and they know this, but how many times can one be professional when people constantly come to antagonize you on national telvesion? You have to come strong or else Ricki Lake's or even Jenny McCarthy's ignorance could possibly kill someone. I totally understand where they are coming from.

[cbheld]

more like these doctors ignorance!

[JSpearman4]

I agree. Other people have other viewpoints but this is my own. Im sticking with the woman that has gone to medical school as well as assisted in births over seas in developing countries OVER Ricki Lake... Thats just me though.

[DuoSonic87]

Mhmmm ...

Lots of "Safe" things go on at the hospital too,like a goofy half-educated doctor running in with a vaccine after the baby is born and injecting the poor soul with it.