# one born every minute usa



## kate.m.

Just half way through watching this online & cant help but notice theres a bit of an emphasis on the wonders of drugs!! Also seem to make out that if u try n do it naturally ur asking for trouble :growlmad: Just seen the first woman have her baby: the doctor was all scrubbed up, with instruments laid out ready. Does this happen in the uk? Travis was meant to b a home birth, but ended up being forceps, so i dont really know how "normal" births go over here :shrug: Intrigued to see how the natural birthing couple get on... something tells me im gonna b disappointed at how theyre portrayed?


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## kate.m.

"Susan & steven wanted a fast delivery. But their "natural" plan has them stalled out after 12 hours". She emphasised the way she said natural.


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## Linzi

I haven't watched it yet but Ive heard a lot of people say that theres a huge emphasis on drugs & on the adverts as well the women are always flat on their backs.

I have to say when I went in to hospital I never got the pressure to have any pain releif, they offered it but certainly weren't pushy about it. 

It's different over there though, it's all privatised so maybe they get more money from giving epis... 

xxx


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## Mervs Mum

Nail on the head there Linzi unfortunately. 

I do think it's great to have it available and when women want it they should get it but I wish they werent quite so quick to suggest it. I think it plants a little seed in a woman's mind.....'maybe I'm not doing as well as I thought if they are suggesting having something....' I know clients have mentioned that when debriefing previous births.


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## mumatmadhouse

I'm glad i am not the only one who thinks this was odd. It almost seemed that natural childbirth was frowned upon. I'm sure at one point one of the mw's said the epidural rate was like 90%. It made me very glad to be a woman in the uk! I have never had any pain meds pushed on me during labour, any choices like that have always been mine to ask for if i wanted them.


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## kellyb

When I watched, I thought it was horrible the way they were portraying the natural birther. They were making faces when she was vocalizing, and the narrator was very sarcastic towards all things natural. It was pretty disgusting to me, and a sad commentary on how things are here in the US. I've watched the show a few times (I'm a glutton for punishment) and not once have I seen another couple go all natural. Incredible! Now, it may just be the particular hospital where they're filming, but still.


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## MajorBee

I agree, I was really put out by how they portrayed the couple who chose to birth naturally. Really, "stalling" at 12 hours - the average first time labour is 12 hours! Some have to be longer for that to be an average, surely??! And hated the music they played whenever the couple were on screen, plus the faces the staff were pulling while she was vocalising.


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## MajorBee

Oh, and they all gave birth on their backs, with legs in stirrups!


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## helen0403

ohh , i was not aware of that


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## lynnikins

i was shocked and sadend i suffer SPD/PGP whatever you want to call it as a result of damage done to my pelvis with birthing ds1 on my back with my legs in stirrups, even the "natrual" birthing lady in my mind was sat still far to much on the bed she wasnt moving that much and the way they made fun of her by cutting to scenes of the nurses in the corridor when they could hear her making all the " natural normal " sounds of a woman in labor it makes you think thier women must be quiet caus they cant feel anything caus of the Epi?


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## kate.m.

https://thefeministbreeder.com/life...e-unnecessary-intervention-born-every-minute/

This article says everything i thought about it, better than i could have worded it! & theres a link on there to an interview with the natural momma who featured on it!


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## L Elise

I'll be honest with you, the constant interference of the staff just struck me as obtuse, unwanted and mostly unwarranted - no sign of professionalism. Though kudos to the grey haired lady; though her (persistent) ideas were different to the couple's (and as such dismissed) she still wanted to know how she could be of help. :thumbup: Just a shame it took them to be quite rude/insistent to get her to take the hint. What the staff 'needed' or 'just wanted' really wasn't of interest to couple - and neither it should have been. To the couple it was obviously a very personal and poignant point in their lives, to the staff (and I quote the closing credits) 'it was just another day at the office'!

It didn't look like the staff were laughing at the mother moaning - I was laughing at the husband moaning. Don't get me wrong - you do whatever it takes, but that doesn't mean it can't be funny. :haha: If having my OH strip naked and us dancing around the room in sombreros helps, so be it - that's what we'll be doing! :haha: But it doesn't mean I don't expect to be able to laugh at us. :haha: 

I think there's a risk of getting *so* used to fighting for how we want our L&D to be that we lose our sense of humour. It is a shame, of course, that it has to *be* a fight, but why coompound the issue?

In comparing the cases the show displayed, if having all those 'recommended' drugs/procedures/positions means that I feel the need to scream (which did appear to be acceptable) the way they showed in the opening credits - they can keep 'em!! :haha:

The show's intentions were as clear as their bias - but they don't appear to have done such a good job of it, do they? :haha:


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## NaturalMomma

OBEM is sad for me. It is how a lot of births take place in USA. They roll your eyes if you want to go unmedicated, or talk to you in a condecending way. And uh most births take longer than 12 hours for a first birth, and even second and third births. 12 hours is really not that long, it drives me crazy when they talk like it's sooooooooo long. ds1 was 27 hours and ds2 was 24 hours 50 minutes. Also getting stalled or stuck is really uncommon. Stopping for awhile to take a breath or because your body is shy is actually part of a normal psyiological birth.


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## lesbianlove

yeah i was shocked watching OBEM US as in the uk its so different but i also think in the us u have ur own medical bills and things to pay, i know in the uk with the nhs they try and limit everything you get but over there i noticed a more relaxed aproach to epidurals and medication like its the norm and it must be with 90% of them getting it, but i did have to diagree where they thought a natural birth longer than 12 hours was too long that was ridiculous and delivering stirrups everyone in scrubs docotor there with all the equipment id be crapping it glad i in the uk


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## RaspberryK

I just watched it online and was not impressed, not sure if I can watch another episode. I was shocked they gave pitocin when the natural lady was 8cm?!?!?!?!

x


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## Samantha675

This is why I've chosen a mw for all my care. When I was pregnant with my son I told my at the time OB/gyn that I was going to use an independent MW she wrote me a certified letter that I wasn't welcome at her service any longer. Her nurse also yelled at ms when I mentioned my plans. I will never willing go to an OB again.


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## RaspberryK

^^ that's awful ^^

x


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## clarsair

I haven't watched it but I read the review in the link from an earlier post and it's made me really quite cross and upset. It's such a completely unessecary and arrogant way to approach a natural process.


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## Linzi

I watched it til about 11 mins & turned off :dohh:

I was suprised that they broke the lady's waters & started her on pitocin when she wasn't even 2cms? Unless I missed something she hadn't been in labour very long... 

xxx


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## tristansmum

i was shocked to see the first lady getting an epidural so late. just before they put it in she said i feel i need to push and then the nurse goes "not before the epidural" and laughes! Then right afterwards she is legs in stirrups and pushing. at first i thought it was just the editing but i rewatched it online and the aneathitist is still the background tidying up from putting the epi in! I mean i'm all for taking pain relief if its required (we all have different pain thresholds) but if you've got to 10cm already then i thik you might aswell finish with out. i know in UK you can't get epidural so late


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## Mervs Mum

tristansmum said:


> i was shocked to see the first lady getting an epidural so late. just before they put it in she said i feel i need to push and then the nurse goes "not before the epidural" and laughes! Then right afterwards she is legs in stirrups and pushing. at first i thought it was just the editing but i rewatched it online and the aneathitist is still the background tidying up from putting the epi in! I mean i'm all for taking pain relief if its required (we all have different pain thresholds) but if you've got to 10cm already then i thik you might aswell finish with out. *i know in UK you can't get epidural so late*


You may be surprised to hear that this DOES happen in the UK :wacko:


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## Linzi

They refused it for me because I was so far even though I was begging for it :dohh:

I'm very greatful now though (I was pissed at the time believe me lol) because I proved I could do it without, and I never believed I could.

I was just shocked how willy nilly they're given out. Of course they should be there for women who need it or want it but it was almost like they would look down on your for not having it in this programme? like you were just being a bit silly & hadn't thought it through..

xxx


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## juju_mom

I was shocked to find out the difference between having a baby in Canada vs the US. I doubt I would have the same empowering birth like I did for my daughter if I don't have homebirth in the US. I need to focus not be monitored every second.


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## NaturalMomma

Where I live you can't get the Epidural once you're in transition or past 7 cms. I was really shocked that at this hospital you could, but I shouldn't be so shocked since they outlawed homebirth MWs in that state as well.

Can you watch OBEM UK online somewhere? I'd love to see the UK version.


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## tristansmum

NaturalMomma said:


> Where I live you can't get the Epidural once you're in transition or past 7 cms. I was really shocked that at this hospital you could, but I shouldn't be so shocked since they outlawed homebirth MWs in that state as well.
> 
> Can you watch OBEM UK online somewhere? I'd love to see the UK version.

its on 4od (channel 4 on demand) but not sure if you can access that in america... or try you tube???


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## Guppy051708

I am an American...and yes..birth sucks here....be SURE to watch "The Business of Being Born". Its on NetFlix. It pretty much describes it to a T. Oh and, what you are seeing on OBEM...thats pretty much a regular L&D here in th US :( It is very sad.

I went unmedicated and let me tell you, the instant my water broke (it broke first), i had to fight the system...actually, i take that back, the day before going overdue (i didn't deliver until 41 weeks and 5 days), i had to fight it nail and tooth not to have an induction (they push inductions here the day you go overdue, pretty much). 90% of all US hospitals birth recieve pitocin at some point in time. With a very very high rate of induction...

A mere 2 hours after my water broke, they were pushing the pitocin :dohh: like seriously?! They also wanted me to use Cytotec (Mysoprostol, just google both names, you QICKLY learn how bad that drug is) to get me to dilate "quicker" :wacko: I said no. After 10 hours, a nurse came in, first words "I didn't read your birth plan but you should consider "sleep therapy". LIKE WTF?!? She said it could be days before i actually give birth and i "needed" it. By sleep therapy she meant narcotics. I refused. She pushed it on me a couple of times actually. And she even went to the doc that was on call and tried getting her to FORCE me to take the meds (lucky for me the on call OB was better than any MW and said "No! She is fine"). Anywho, my labor ended up being 30 hours, 100% back labor, and 6 hours of pushing. I refused to give birth laying on the bed and had a waterbirth-thank GOD! they wanted me to get out but i didn't want to, so i didnt! I did it with NO intervention and NO drugs. ...but its all about education. You really have to know how to fight the system. 

When you want to go unmedicated, you have EVERYTHING going against you. Its terrible! AS i said, be SURE to watch "The business of being born"!

With this baby, i am going to give birth at a free standing birth center. I would love to birth at home but my health insurance refuses to cover it (even though we pay $10,000 per year on it :dohh:) Insurance is rediculous! Most women never have the opportunity to get a MW :nope:

but anyways, what you saw on OBEM is basically a mirror image of most hospital births- including the rude pushy nurses and the lack of support to go unmedicated. Oh...and they push C-sections too....i believe the c-section rate is now 34% (i think?) and the induction rate is at least 50%. Epidurals and narcotics are pushed like no other...personally i think its because nurses and doctors dont want to have to "deal" with you if your going unmedicated-just let all the monitors do the work, and mom needs next to no support because of the epi (i dont agree with that, but its the logic). Not to mention if you have an epidural it is VERY easy for them to give you some pitocin.....afterall it IS a business here...

"home in time for dinner." <---doctors mantalities! you wouldn't believe the amount of babies that are born during business hours...and with an augmentation of 90%....no wonder...its all about convience...to the doctors and nurses.


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## Bournefree

NaturalMomma said:


> Where I live you can't get the Epidural once you're in transition or past 7 cms. I was really shocked that at this hospital you could, but I shouldn't be so shocked since they outlawed homebirth MWs in that state as well.
> 
> Can you watch OBEM UK online somewhere? I'd love to see the UK version.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/one-born-every-minute/4od

Hope this link works for you: I know some USA ladies have had some problems, as the site recognises you are out of the UK.
Xxx


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## Blob

Urgh I can't bring myself to watch it I just know I will be shouting at the tv :haha:

Guppy you must be so proud of yourself for that :hugs:


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## indigo_fairy

Guppy051708 what you went through with having to fight literally all the way is just ridiculous, when will this practice ever change?? It's appalling that a woman should have to fight for a natural birth these days. I've watched The Business of Being Born, what an eye opener...


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## L Elise

It's not that state of the medical system that frustrates me (and the UK has it's fair share of problems too) - after all you can't control what your predecessors commend. What frustrates me is the arrogance of the 'professionals', the lack of embarassment about corporate policies and the blind following of said policies, disregarding all common sense. It smacks of having no *personal* standards in how they do their job.

I'm a Helicopter Engineer - the number of times I have had to stand behind my decisions and voice them (loudly! And in front of an audience!) I just couldn't count. My battle cry is 'Put it this way - there's no way in hell I'd let my OH fly in that! I'm not signing it off for anyone else either!' and I'll do it time and time again. Based solely on the fact that I take extreme pride in what I do. People get task orientated - it's the just-get-it-done mentality. But God above help the pilot arrogant enough to tell me that he knows better than I! :gun: (My professional equivalent of what's going on here.)

But in that breath, God above help the Dr/MW/Doula/OH that stands there and tries to tell me how my L&D is going to go! :grr: They want my OH (a much gentler soul than I) to get to them before I do, I assure you. Or them *and* their arrogance will be shown the door!! If I allowed my working standards to be dictated by my management/insurance company/PR Section/HR section I'd never recover from the mortal embarassment! :nope: Professionals from every trade background (inc medical) *have* to realise the consequences of their actions - and whom exactly those actions affect.

Professional standards - a pet subject of mine!
Rant over *ahem* :coffee:


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## Guppy051708

It was worth the battle...i just wish it were different :(
....and the docs and "the system" are to blame, but so are women....so many women just blindly trust their doctors. They dont take the time to learn anything at all. I have no problem if someone wants to go medicated-thats their own personal choice, but they think they dont need to research anything because of getting the epi and likes "no you do!...actually maybe more so..." Anyways, most woman do nothing to help their L&D. And i just think thats so foolish. ...I just dont understand why more women are not standing up for such an event in their life. So many women end up with birth trauma and then they regret it. And those the prenatal crash courses in the hospital...its basically how to be a good patient. I always urge my clients (i am a child birth educator and a birth doula) to look for pregnancy, L & D classes OUTSIDE of the hospital. ...The system needs to change, most doctors need to change, but women could be helping and they choose not to. Koodos to the ones that do...it will be a battle until the end of time, i am afraid :sad1:


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## Mervs Mum

Guppy you rock :)


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## Guppy051708

:haha: Thank you! Thank you very much! <<<insert Elvis voice here>>>


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## Mervs Mum

:lol: yes and I bet those OBs and L&D nurses were thankful when the guppy had left the building!! :rofl:


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## Guppy051708

:rofl: TOTALLY lol
...I threw up on the fat lady though (the one pushing the narcotics), so that was sort of funny.


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## Kess

Guppy051708 said:


> :rofl: TOTALLY lol
> ...I threw up on the fat lady though (the one pushing the narcotics), so that was sort of funny.

Well that's one way to make your point... :haha:


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## Guppy051708

:haha: :smug:


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## Mervs Mum

Nice work Guppy!! :rofl:


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## spidey

:hi: Guppy- congrats on your BFP :happydance: not sure if you remember me 

I was supposed to deliver in a free standing birth center but was transferred to the hospital due to becoming high risk. I still went drug free, but when the paramedics wheeled me into L&D the nurse asked "is she ready for her epidural?" :haha: I think the hospital had an epidural rate close to 95%.

I watched a few episodes of OBEM (the US version) and there was one where the mom went natural. She spent all her time laying in the bed and being very calm and peaceful. The nurses had no idea she was so far along and then suddenly she had to push and they cleared out the room.


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## Guppy051708

Hi Spidey! :wave: i do remember you indeed!
How is everything going?! Its been so long! Do you have any journals? :D


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## Greta Chick

Guppy I totally agree with you about women not educating themselves, I've found so many people like that here in the UK. I'm the only one of my friends and in fact anyone I know that has a) given birth at the birth centre (second one waterbirth) rather than the maternity unit and b) had a homebirth. Literally *everyone* I know has been to the maternity unit and not one of them has had a good experience. I tell a lie, two of them did but because their babies went into NICU. Nobody who was low risk has had a good experience there, and yet none of them bothered to educate themselves on the birth centre or homebirth, none of them stood up to the midwives and doctors, they just went along with what the medical people (I say people rather than professionals because I don't think half of them *are* professional :coffee: )

It infuriates me that so many women have had epidurals and worse, c-sections, unneccessarily "because things weren't progressing, I only got to 2cm". You clearly weren't in labour then were you, and you were laid flat on your back with an epidural in already so it's no wonder things weren't progressing!! :growlmad:

xx


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## NaturalMomma

Bournefree said:


> NaturalMomma said:
> 
> 
> Where I live you can't get the Epidural once you're in transition or past 7 cms. I was really shocked that at this hospital you could, but I shouldn't be so shocked since they outlawed homebirth MWs in that state as well.
> 
> Can you watch OBEM UK online somewhere? I'd love to see the UK version.
> 
> https://www.channel4.com/programmes/one-born-every-minute/4od
> 
> Hope this link works for you: I know some USA ladies have had some problems, as the site recognises you are out of the UK.
> XxxClick to expand...

Seems to be working, thanks!


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## L Elise

You're right - people do need to educate themselves. But it's a very old fashioned system that is still tailing off over here. There auld 'Dr knows best' - 40yrs ago, you would never have questioned him/her. 

However, now they build 'em as argumentative as my good self! :haha: And I only learned to question the Doc from experience (you can only mis-diagnose a dislocated shoulder so many times). It just takes time to filter through. The more people read around (or 'google it' as it goes these days :winkwink:) the more will click. And don't forget - telling people your own stories, I mean sitting with a cuppa and actually letting people know, is sharing your own experience. Giving people another view and showing them exactly what is a choice and what is just the Doc's view.


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