In Bloom Doula Services

When I found out I was pregnant with Holden all I wanted to do was talk, think, and learn about pregnancy, and of course labor and delivery. I was starving for information, and couldn’t wait until each appointment with my midwife and doula. I did not have any close friends who were pregnant or had even had a baby, so I often turned to movies to get my baby fix. The trouble was I couldn’t seem to find much of anything worth watching. Often times I ended up binge watching 16 and Pregnant, which is neither here nor there. In a world of so much technology and media at the tips of our fingers you would think there would be more about pregnancy and birth. I mean, Netflix has at least 12 documentaries about health and dieting, but very little regarding birth. There are several movies about pregnancy, but in my opinion they do more harm than good. Theres Juno, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Knocked Up, and now Bridget Jones’s Baby. I’ve seen them all of course, and now that I am on the other side of delivery I can say that they are all very unrealistic. If you go into labor expecting it to be like a movie, you won’t only be disappointed, but unprepared.

I did google searches for things to watch, and could not find very much out there. I’d usually come across old forums that suggested the same unrealistic movies I wanted nothing to do with. Holden is pushing a year old, and I am just now finding some of these gems that I wish I had seen during my pregnancy. To prepare me, and also to have an uninterrupted viewing experience. Holden is not my favorite movie viewing partner. After some extensive searching, here is my guide of motherhood related documentaries that I believe every mom should consider watching.

The Business of Being Born

I have a very special place in my heart for this film, Riki Lake and Abby Epstein. I am not exaggerating when I say The Business of Being Born changed my life. I watched it for the first time in college while taking Womens’ Reproductive Health. I left class feeling exhilarated, inspired and determined. I told all my friends and my mom to watch it too. I knew some women had home birth and unmedicated birth; and I had always wanted that experience, but I had no idea what that really meant or what it looked like. Until I watched The Business of Being Born I honestly had never seen any depiction of birth that wasn’t produced in Hollywood. The Business of Being Born (TBBB) was the first eye opening thing I had ever heard about hospital birth. They break down what actually happens in a hospital birth and show how the over-medicalization of such a natural process such as birth has been corrupted into a money making scheme. It has been accused of biases, but in my opinion it is a must see! I have seen it at least 7 times, and watched it the day I found out I was pregnant. There is something to be said for the natural process of birth undisturbed by any outside forces. Watching a natural birth depicted honestly and positively is important for every mother about to embark on this journey. I can’t recommend it enough.

Watch it on Youtube here.

More Business of Being Born

Although TBBB is my favorite, More Business of Being Born is a great and much needed addition to The Business of Being Born. Its a 4 part series that breaks apart aspects about birth that the original did not get to touch on as much. There are birth stories from celebrities, such as Alanis Morissette, Gisele Bundchen, and many more, who had either home births or had seen midwives. I watched this particular episode multiple times as I prepared for my unmedicated birth. It is incredible to hear so many different perspectives and experiences. There is an episode dedicated specifically to different options available to expectant mothers like birth centers and doulas that TBBB doesn’t really address. There is also interviews with Ina May Gaskin, a world renowned midwife and author, and footage of her farm, where she and a team of midwives have been safely birthing babies for decades.

The Business of Being Born was available on Netflix until recently, but now you can stream and buy each on TheBusinessofBeingBorn.com. You can also stream additional episodes and get even more information on their website. Both The Business of Being Born and More Business of being Born are also available on Amazon.

Pregnant In America

Pregnant In America, much like The Business of Being Born focuses on what a typical birth in America looks like. It is filmed by a man who’s wife is pregnant for the first time and they have decided to have a home birth. They try to break down what exactly is so taboo about home birth in America, as they compare pregnancy and birth here to pregnancy and birth around the world. If you are unaware, America has dismal statistics when it comes to maternal and infant mortality, and an alarmingly high cesarean section rate of over 30%. Despite the medical advances in our country we are suffering when it comes to the results. Pregnant In America takes a closer look at what it means to have medical interventions during labor, the corruption of insurance agencies and doctors alike, and questions the system we have bought into for decades.

You can watch Pregnant In America on Youtube here.

The Mama Sherpas

I hadn’t heard of The Mama Sherpas until recently, which is unfortunate because these are my people! It is also produced by Riki Lake and Abby Epstein of The Business of Being Born. If you know a little bit about Holden’s birth you will know that he was born in a hospital, but with a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) instead of an OB. It is amazing how many people are unaware of this option. I chose a hospital birth with a midwife because I felt it offered me the best of both worlds. I could get the care of a midwife, but have the comfort of a hospital (i.e. 24 hour on call nurses). The Mama Sherpas is all about the incredibleness of midwifery care and how it can change hospital births for the better. There is also jaw dropping close up footage of a natural breech birth. If you are considering an unmedicated birth in a hospital setting, I would strongly encourage you to watch The Mama Sherpas. Midwifes are amazing and highly underrated.

Stream The Mama Sherpas for free on Amazon.

Heads Up

Speaking of breech birth, Heads Up is a must see for everyone, but especially mommas who may be experiencing a breech pregnancy. In America, if you are carrying a breech baby, you will almost always be told you will need a c-section. That is because OBs are not trained to deliver breech babies anymore, and it may prove difficult to find a midwife who will deliver a breech baby as well. Heads Up shows a few women journey through breech pregnancies and deliveries and questions our medical systems refusal to treat breech deliveries with the same validity as typical births. It reveals that much of our society’s fear of breech births is unfounded and possibly doing more harm than good.

Heads Up is available for streaming on their website here.

A Breech in the System

A Breech in the System is about one woman’s journey through pregnancy and her determination to have a natural birth despite carrying a breech baby. I watched this documentary as I was pregnant with Holden. Around my 8th month of pregnancy I had a scare that Holden had turned breech and was told that my option for a vaginal delivery would be slim to none, despite receiving prenatal care with a CNM. Thankfully Holden was not breech, but the fear of a scheduled c-section sent me looking for anything I could get my hands on. Vaginal breech births are not impossible, as clearly seen in A Breech in the System, and its worth questioning this wide spread refusal to allow women to attempt breech deliveries vaginally.

Watch it for free on Amazon.

Why Not Home

Home births are often viewed as taboo, dangerous, weird, and sometimes even negligent in our society today, but those views are often based on misinformation and ignorance. Even though home births have been becoming increasingly more common, still less than 3% of all births in the U.S. happen at home. Why not Home take a closer and in depth look into the realities of home births and why more and more women are changing the narrative surrounding birth in the United States and taking control of their birth experience. The truth is there are risks associated with birth in any setting, but home births are typically at the receiving end of the criticism. As a wise Momma in the film stated “its all about choosing the risk you are most comfortable with.”

You can rent Why Not Home on their website, Whynothome.com. It is also available on iTunes and Amazon!

The Milky Way

This one is one I wish I had seen months ago, but I only watched it while preparing to write this blog. The Milky Way breaks down our culture’s history with breastfeeding and breastmilk and how it has evolved over time. It uses that information to examine what actually leads to a successful (or not successful) breastfeeding experience. In America breastfeeding was considered for the poor and uneducated for decades. It hasn’t been until recently that a push for breastfeeding has become common place. Even though women are encouraged to breastfeed the support is just not there. Only 15% of women end up exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months. The Milky Way examines all factors that impact a woman’s breastfeeding experience her prenatal/postnatal care, labor and delivery, community support, maternity leave, and explores why here in America breastfeeding is not the norm, and becoming increasingly hard for women to stick with.

The Milky Way is available on Amazon streaming.

Breastmilk

Another gem produced by Riki and Abby. Breastmilk takes a very deep and emotional look at all side of the breastfeeding coin. It follows several women and their experiences from pregnancy to well into babyhood as they try to breastfeed. There are women who struggle and women who breastfeed without a hitch. Breastmilk delves into every aspect of breastfeeding and features women from all walks of life as it gives an unflinching portrayal of what they are going through.

Watch it on Youtube here.

When The Bough Breaks

A heartbreaking, eye opening, and brutally honest depiction of the realities for mothers suffering from postpartum depression/ postpartum psychosis. When the Bough Breaks is narrated by Brooke Sheilds, who famously and bravely shared her battle with postpartum depression (PPD), and shared the experiences of dozens of women who battled PPD and postpartum psychosis. Postpartum depression is common, and manageable, but many times women do not receive the help they need because of the shame that surrounds PPD. Although When the Bough Breaks is often difficult to watch, it is so important for new moms especially to have a good understand of what PPD looks like, and the reassurance that it is ok to ask for help.

When the Bough Breaks is available for streaming on Netflix.

The Beginning of Life: The Series

In my search for easily accessible documentaries pertaining to pregnancy and/or birth, I discovered The Beginning of Life, on Netflix. Its a series that covers it all: pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, postpartum, and of course motherhood. The Beginning of Life focuses on the experiences of a baby; how they learn, grow, and respond to the world around them. It is fascinating and I even made my mom watch it to show her parts that resonated with me. It features many mothers from Portugal, but don’t let subtitles scare you away. It also features Gisele Bundchen, who like me seems to live to tell her birth story. There is also the full length documentary The Beginning of Life that you can rent on Youtube here.

 

Are there any films I left off the list that you would recommend? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Happy watching!

-Alexa