Unlike in the past when it was rare to see birth in the media, today’s young parents-to-be are exposed to frightening birth scenes on both the big and small screen. Increase women’s confidence in their ability to birth by showing clips of positive, low-intervention births in each class that you teach. Some of our favorites are:
Everyday Miracles (video – 7 minutes)
Available for free from Lamaze International. You can also purchase the DVD or video from the Lamaze Bookstore.
Watch A Baby’s Birth Video – (6 minutes)
This birth is available for free on the Lamaze International website. On home page, under “For Expectant Parents,” select “Look Inside a Lamaze Class.” Especially nice for Lamaze instructors to use as a closing in last class to encourage class participants to think about becoming Lamaze instructors in the future. Non-Lamaze childbirth educators can stop clip at the end of the birth. Available for free on YouTube.
Of Nature and Birth (DVD – 3 1/2 minutes)
Slides of flowers blooming and women birthing and nursing are choreographed to a chorusof women chanting “I am opening up in sweet surrender to this beautiful baby in my womb.” Last slide states, “As we trust the flowers to open to new life, so can we trust birth.” You can order directly from Harriette Hartigan or from the Lamaze bookstore.
Epic Women (DVD – 3 1/2 minutes)
Another DVD by Harriette Hartigan with slides of birthing women choreographed to The Rose by Bette Midler. It can be ordered from Harriette Hartigan.
Open Minds to Birth–Expect the Unexpected (DVD – 8 minutes)
The first birth on this DVD features a woman who “planned to have her epidural in the parking lot.” Using a variety of comfort measures such as the tub and swaying on a birth ball, she doesn’t ask for medication until transition (and too late for the epidural). After the birth, she is surprised and pleased that she was able to birth without any medications. The DVD can be ordered from Vida.
Natural Childbirth of Twins and Triplets (DVD – 7 1/4 minutes)
Available free on YouTube.