The Business of Being Born
April 23, 2007 by Amy Spangler | 2 questions or comments
The Business of Being Born
Is birth a natural process or a potential medical emergency?
These and other questions are the subject of a new documentary film by Director, Abby Epstein. After two very different birth experiences, actress, Ricki Lake decided to collaborate with Ms. Epstein to produce a film that explores and questions maternity care practices in America.
In a recent interview with the Huffington Post, Ms. Lake discusses her birth experiences and why producing this film was so important.
The Business of Being Born will premier at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, April 25 - May 6, 2007. A screening will be held on Friday, May 4th at 5:00pm at the AMC Theater at 266 3rd Avenue at 11th Street. The screening will be followed at 6:30pm by a Post-show Talkback with Ms. Lake and Ms. Epstein, and a cocktail reception at Danal, 90 East 10th Street at 3rd Avenue at 7:15pm.
Individual tickets can be purchased for $40 from the Friends of the Birth Center. Tickets include the screening, reception, and gift bag.
I was lucky enough to see the movie last night and encourage those who criticize Ricki Lake and the other women in “the business of being born” to watch the movie before passing judgement on the film. It is incredibly empowering and emotional and gives women information about their choices in childbirth. After the presentation of the film last night Ricki and Abby answered questions from the audience and I was impressed particularly by the comments of a doctor from NYU because it shows that the decision to have a more natural birth vs. a traditional hospital birth does not have to be an either/or situation. Unfortunately, I fear that most women’s doctors are not so open-minded. Hopefully, this movie will start a dialog to encourage changes in our current system.
Today, I couldn’t wait to share what I learned with my close friends and family. Even though I am not yet at the point in my life to have a child, I feel blessed to have been exposed to alternative options now so that when I am ready I will be able to make an informed decision. Also, I can now encourage those I care about to question the status-quo way of giving birth, to explore their options…
Thank you to the women who had the courage to share the births of their children with us. Thank you to the midwives and doulas and other healthcare providers who are trying to give women a choice in how they bring their children into the world. Thank you especially to the producers and director of this film for giving voice to an issue that has not been addressed before in the general public. My hope is that the film gets a wider-spread distribution so that other women can feel the sense of empowerment that I feel.
Thank you Alex for sharing your thoughts on “The Business of Being Born.” Seeing this film is now on the top of my TO DO LIST!
As a health professional who works exclusively with breastfeeding families, I hope all women of childbearing age will give careful consideration not only to how they birth their babies but how they feed them as well. Like birth, infant and young child feeding does not have to be an either/or situation, but rather a fluid series of events that unfold in response to individual circumstances.