Business of Being Born

Thursday, I went to a screening of The Business of Being Born, a film produced by Ricki Lake. Wish I could figure out a way to post the trailer here, but I couldn't find it on YouTube. It's worth it to visit the BoBB site, and watch the trailer.

I was SO moved by this movie. I forget that homebirth and natural birth are so rare in the US. I had both boys at home, and the empowerment and connection with myself I got from that experience have been so important in my mothering life. I was thinking that women feel empowered when they schedule a C-section, but really, they're turning over their power to their doctor and the medical system here... which I truly don't trust.

I got teary several times, the first being during the first birth they showed. It was a gorgeous water birth, and the look of ecstasy on the mama's face as she pushed the baby out will stay with me for a long time.

Evan's birth was as pain-free as birth can be. Folks have said it's just that "moms are supposed to forget", but *immediately* after the birth, I said, "That wasn't bad at all!" The connection I had with my midwife, Damaris, facilitated that; she's one of the most beautiful souls I know. I was with her, too, for Seth's birth. The contractions with his birth were a little more painful, but still, very very manageable. Beautiful births, both of them.

Being an unlicensed midwife assisting a homebirth is illegal here - and lay midwives can't get licensed. Very few doctors (maybe 2 statewide?) are willing to be backup for homebirths. North Carolina Friends of Midwives is working very hard to get this changed, so we can have Certified Professional Midwives in NC. The screening was to raise awareness of the issue, and to raise funds for NCFoM. I'm so glad I got to go. The movie will be released on DVD in February.