documentary: the face of birth

On Wednesday night I had the privilege of seeing the new Australian documentary The Face of Birth. I was in a cinema full of midwives, mothers and pregnant women. We were all eagerly anticipating a series of interviews with the world's leading birth experts - Michael Odent, Ina May Gaskin and Sheila Kitzinger to name just a few. 

The Face of Birth offered a balanced discussion about birth - regardless of where or how you birth your baby the experience can be empowering. Its very essence was this: "If you are pregnant, take the time to prepare so you can make informed decisions - take responsibility for your journey."

I can't and won't go into every aspect of the film because there's just no way I can do it justice. But there were a few points that really resonated with me...

• Home birth is a safe option for healthy, low-risk women
• Contrary to popular belief, private hospital care limits your birthing options
• The amount of women suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after birth is on the rise - does this suggest that birth, for some, is a battlefield?
• We are living in the 'labour bypass era' where many women don't think they have to do their labours.
• Women, in general, are terrified about giving birth
• "For the first time in the history of mankind the number of women who give birth to the baby and the placenta thanks to the release of a cocktail of love hormones, this number is approaching zero" - Michael Odent. 
• "There's a perception that only strong women have homebirths...which I find extraordinary because I think that all women are strong." - Noni Hazlehurst. 
• Women who are proud of their birth experiences stay silent for fear of judgement
• Aboriginal women have a right to birth on their land, in their community. At present, there is only one part of Australia that allows this to happen. In most cases the pregnant woman will be flown to the nearest hospital at 36weeks and will wait to have her baby. This time period is called 'confinement.' (I find this absolutely appalling).
• "We don't lose many babies in Australia; we're very lucky because we've got good nutrition and good social circumstances. But what we do lose are a lot of marriages and a lot of relationships and a lot of people's mental health after childbirth" - midwife, Jan Ireland - thanks for the reminder Jess.
• For more information and statistics, read Co-Director Kate Gorman's letter here. 

It was wonderful to see so many of my past and present students there on the night. One of them, Selena, was 41weeks pregnant. She left the cinema at about 10pm and told her midwife that she felt nothing but inspiration for her imminent birth. At midnight her waters broke and at 3.09am she birthed her baby boy on her yoga mat - in the comfort of her home. 

I'm still considering posting Poet's birth film on here. Some days I feel completely confident about sharing it in the hope that it will offer inspiration to those planning a water birth. But I also feel that it's a deeply personal capture that needs to stay within the walls of our family home. There's also the fact that I'm mostly naked and, as a rather modest being, I find it a little nerve-wracking to put it on the internet; share it with the world. We'll see...

Update: I have deleted some of the sentences from the original post.  Perhaps my passion can sometimes get in the way of my statements - hence they can come across as judgements which I would never, ever intend to make. I write about birth to offer information and, perhaps, inspiration.  I don't think, as mothers, we are ever going to have the same stance on birth and I would never expect my readers to agree with everything I say here.  I write as a mother, pre-natal yoga teacher and journalist. My discussions are by no means objective but they are informed.