You Have a Choice (A Short Birth Documentary)

This short film was made by the wonderful folks at Goodrich Creative ( http://goodrichcreative.com ). View the newer, higher quality version here: http://vimeo.com/6344770
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The video consists of a synopsis of a typical birth by a registered nurse in a labor & delivery unit of at a local hospital, followed by individuals and couples sharing their birth experiences.

This is a short documentary that was made for a video contest for Birth Matters Virginia. Please rate the video using the stars (5 or more would be great!) and share it with friends. Also check out http://birthmattersva.org/ for more info.

The focus of this documentary is to show people that they have a choice in their birth, rather than just trusting "professionals" to take care of everything for them. You can educate yourself and have an amazing experience in your birth rather than just a "medical procedure."

Many thanks to:
Laura, Louis & Esther, David & Paula, Brian & Nicole, Dana & Mike, Jeff & Elizabeth, Jonathan, and all of their kids!

I hope you enjoy.

Song: "Emil and Auguste" by Jonathan Cooke (http://www.myspace.com/theillustratedmanual)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• birth
• BirthMattersVirginia
• boontok
• markmroz
• mark
• mroz
• natural
• birthing
• pregnancy
• labor
• midwife
• doula
• choice
• documentary
• story
• hospital
• nurse
• doctor
• water
• pitocin
• stadol
• contraction
• fetal
• monitoring

[zenfire86]

I have read all of the comments to this board and

LaborDeliveryRN screams out that she has never worked in the inner city. Labor sounds like they have a nice cushie job at a well-off hospital. Were I live there is no one-on-one anything and people like Boontok are a blessing we don't get often. The two hpts in my area put u in a bed and hook you up to an IV, no other options. Once you're in labor thats it, you cant get up anymore till you give birth. Don't be so fast to judge what you dont know

[boontok]

Thank you for your viewpoint... very well said.

[McGowanGuitars]

One more thing...with your comments about the nurse in the video. She has delivered numerous births in hospitals as well as home births. I know this because she delivered my wife and I's last child in our home. Before you discount her experience make sure yours at least equals it.

[boontok]

Touché!

[riemck]

it certainly is accurate based on my first experience. if a woman doesn't know she has choices & she trusts her doctor & the hospital staff, then it does turn out very much like this "nurse" describes. whether or not she's a nurse, she paints a very accurate picture.

[McGowanGuitars]

LaborDeliveryRN...Make your own video about what you believe in. Maybe if you did that you could change my mind on how I view hospitals in regards in delivering babies. The hospital you work at may be wonderful, and if it is, it's an exception. My wife and I have experienced 3 home births with our own children. Have you ever experienced a home birth? If you havent, I can understand your defensive viewpoint. But I have, and a man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with a theory.

[stefanierose88]

@skyerorymika my body did great :-) and my baby was healthy and shes growing very well and happy. I had a horrible experience with my OB, he basicly assaulted me during my labor (he broke my water without consent or informing me and tried to put an internal fetal monitor but I was kicking him and screaming for him to get off of me so he couldnt get it in her head). I hope I never have to give birth in a hospital again.

I also tried very hard to breastfeed but i failed :-( that was hard for me.

[skyerorymika]

@stefanierose88

Just realised you wrote this 8 months ago.

How did it go Stefanierose? :-)

[hajeh]

lovely short film.. thank you

[stefanierose88]

I really wanted to give birth at home or at a brithing center but I cant because I am on subtex, an opiate medication. Because of this I have to be somewhere with a NICU so my baby can be monitered for withdrawal. I am very nervous about the hospital. I have had nothing but bad experiences in hospitals b/c I'm a medicaid patient with a past history of drug addiction. I do not want to be stressed out. I dont want IV's or meds. Can anyone advise me on making my hospital birth more enjoyable?

[AnniaMarie]

I am so fortunate to be able to have a home water birth w/ midwife. Baby will be here in a few wks and im so lucky to know what i know and not only know that the hospital is my only option. Its time women around the US woke up and wised up.

[psycholicious90]

Getting an epidural is way more painful than the actual contractions, c-sections and " drugs" should only be used in emergencies....

[MommaTBlair]

Very well done Mark. As for the young nurse in the video; I have never met a more committed young lady in all my life. She is so committed to what she does that she provides her services not only when she walks into the hospital to punch a clock, but also to a family that wants to have the intimacy of home birth. As for you LaborDeliveryRN... I think you may need a zanax, you are way too uptight! I think it's important that people know there are other methods out there other than a hospital.