I saw a french documentary yesterday about childbirth techniques across the world -- Le Premier Cri. It wasn't particularly informative, but did tell some interesting stories. It was beautifully shot and showed very intimate scenes of childbirth from across the world. I had to wonder how the filmmakers were able to document a childbirth, at night, in a tent in the desert. As in, how they managed to find that opportunity. Also strange, there was a quebecoise woman who wanted to have a completely unassisted birth, but let a whole film crew into her house while she was giving birth??
The film does raise questions about modern childbirth. The big issue being childbirth in a medically-sterile environment or natural childbirth (at home, in the desert etc.). The argument raised by those who advocate unassisted birth is that women have been giving birth without the assistance of doctors and technology since the beginning of human history. This is entirely true -- child birth is one of the most natural things. But what was the rate of infant and mother mortality during childbirth before modern hospitals?
Hospitals can be sterile and dehumanizing, so perhaps it makes sense to give birth in a more welcoming environment. This view was exemplified by a hospital in Ho Chi Minh with an incredibly high birth rate (120 births a day!) Left and right, all over this hospital, women were popping out babies. A doctor was delivering one baby and right beside the woman was another one ready to deliver, legs sprawled. Rooms were filmed with dozens of women laying on beds craddling new borns. It was akin to a factory, producing babies by the minute.
But the woman, in the film, who gave birth at home, didn't want anyone to phone a doctor even if there were complications. I don't think it's fair to entirely dismiss technology and modern medical advances, just because you want a 'natural' birth. I think the woman in the desert who gave birth to a stillborn shows this point. Complications can happen both in hospitals and out in the jungle, but there is a greater survival rate in hospitals.
The woman who gave birth at home, had her child in one of those birthing tubs. There were also stories of women who gave birth in the ocean, strangely, with dolphins. Apparently the echolocation of dolphins improves the baby's immune system and helps coordinate right to left brain activity. How the hell they figured this out, I'm not sure. Water births are intended to be less traumatic for the child, since they go from womb fluids and placenta out to warm water. But then they're just pulled out of the water anyway... I guess it seems bizarre for a land-dwelling animal to give birth in the water. A whale wouldn't temporarily beach itself to give birth.
The movie centered around a night with a total solar eclipse, which apparently comes with many, many women giving birth all over the world. Pretty interesting. And a neat way to present cases of child birth from all over. It was also interesting to learn that giving birth laying on your back is very European. Most other cultures will do some sort of squat; a japanese women was crouched on all fours too (This film got pretty graphic).
http://www.disney.fr/FilmsDisney/lepremiercri/
The film does raise questions about modern childbirth. The big issue being childbirth in a medically-sterile environment or natural childbirth (at home, in the desert etc.). The argument raised by those who advocate unassisted birth is that women have been giving birth without the assistance of doctors and technology since the beginning of human history. This is entirely true -- child birth is one of the most natural things. But what was the rate of infant and mother mortality during childbirth before modern hospitals?
Hospitals can be sterile and dehumanizing, so perhaps it makes sense to give birth in a more welcoming environment. This view was exemplified by a hospital in Ho Chi Minh with an incredibly high birth rate (120 births a day!) Left and right, all over this hospital, women were popping out babies. A doctor was delivering one baby and right beside the woman was another one ready to deliver, legs sprawled. Rooms were filmed with dozens of women laying on beds craddling new borns. It was akin to a factory, producing babies by the minute.
But the woman, in the film, who gave birth at home, didn't want anyone to phone a doctor even if there were complications. I don't think it's fair to entirely dismiss technology and modern medical advances, just because you want a 'natural' birth. I think the woman in the desert who gave birth to a stillborn shows this point. Complications can happen both in hospitals and out in the jungle, but there is a greater survival rate in hospitals.
The woman who gave birth at home, had her child in one of those birthing tubs. There were also stories of women who gave birth in the ocean, strangely, with dolphins. Apparently the echolocation of dolphins improves the baby's immune system and helps coordinate right to left brain activity. How the hell they figured this out, I'm not sure. Water births are intended to be less traumatic for the child, since they go from womb fluids and placenta out to warm water. But then they're just pulled out of the water anyway... I guess it seems bizarre for a land-dwelling animal to give birth in the water. A whale wouldn't temporarily beach itself to give birth.
The movie centered around a night with a total solar eclipse, which apparently comes with many, many women giving birth all over the world. Pretty interesting. And a neat way to present cases of child birth from all over. It was also interesting to learn that giving birth laying on your back is very European. Most other cultures will do some sort of squat; a japanese women was crouched on all fours too (This film got pretty graphic).
http://www.disney.fr/FilmsDisney/lepremiercri/
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