Why do I bother watching A Baby Story?

Acacia · 01-17-2007, 02:20 PM

I am soooooo mad right now....So a first time mom goes in with ROM and is dilating beautifully, already a 4 when she came in. She gets an epidural and relaxes, heartrate drops, internal monitor attached. She is checked and is 6 and 80%. and hour later doc checks and she is 7 he tells her right then that he thinks she is going to have a section!!

. he leaves and she breaks down. He comes back in an hour and checks her...no change she is flat on her back...he tells her well..looks ike a c section...are you okay with that?? SERIOUSLY...like that is informed consent PLEASE

So she goes and has one. I swear this really bothers me. What a freakin moron of a doctor...baby and mom were doing just fine.

doula Michele · 01-17-2007, 04:32 PM

I know... its frustrating.
But maybe use the show as pretend scenarios. What would you do or say if you were a doula in that situation.
Or try to follow along and pick up subtle clues as to what you think is going to happen.
Make it a game.
I don't know, i do that sometimes, and that way I don't get as emotionally involved.

AussieDoula · 01-17-2007, 04:43 PM

As much as I don't like watching A Baby Story, I catch it if I have the time and nothing else is going on so that I can remain abreast with what my clients are likely watching, and the types of images they are exposed to as pregnant women.

Usually the shows are very mainstream and quite a disappointment from a "natural birth/non-interventive" standpoint. As a Doula, however, it's nice to see that most of those women appear happy and accepting of the outcome.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to catch an episode where mama laboured with a midwife... and a male, African American Doula!!!

I would venture to guess that he is quite the minority of this profession, but I was absolutely captivated seeing this woman labouring not just with her male Doula, but literally surrounded by male family members and friends. Her little sons were present, her partner, her brothers, and a few cousins (if my memory is correct). All of them were in the room with her, all making rhythmic moaning sounds in tune with her own, and it was very inspiring to watch such a powerful event.

I am a supporter of male Doulas and male-partner involvement at a birth, so to see this actually happening on mainstream television was extremely exciting. Every now and then, A Baby Story allows their viewers to peek through the curtain and get a glimpse of our world.

AussieDoula · 01-17-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doula Michele

I know... its frustrating.
But maybe use the show as pretend scenarios. What would you do or say if you were a doula in that situation.
Or try to follow along and pick up subtle clues as to what you think is going to happen.
Make it a game.
I don't know, i do that sometimes, and that way I don't get as emotionally involved.

What a great idea! You could really prepare yourself for a variety of births this way. Maybe even keeping a "cheat sheet" of ways you would support mama could help you later at "real" births when you can pull that list of ideas out.

tlcdoula · 01-17-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doula Michele

I know... its frustrating.
But maybe use the show as pretend scenarios. What would you do or say if you were a doula in that situation.
Or try to follow along and pick up subtle clues as to what you think is going to happen.
Make it a game.
I don't know, i do that sometimes, and that way I don't get as emotionally involved.

I like that idea!!!!!

RosyDoula · 01-17-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AussieDoula

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to catch an episode where mama laboured with a midwife... and a male, African American Doula!!!

I would venture to guess that he is quite the minority of this profession, but I was absolutely captivated seeing this woman labouring not just with her male Doula, but literally surrounded by male family members and friends. Her little sons were present, her partner, her brothers, and a few cousins (if my memory is correct). All of them were in the room with her, all making rhythmic moaning sounds in tune with her own, and it was very inspiring to watch such a powerful event.

Wow, thats amazing! I love what her family and doula did to support her. It must be instinctive for humans, I can't help but make sounds with mothers sometimes.

MindOverLaborDoulas · 01-17-2007, 06:53 PM

I was so yelling at the tv!!! I had Tivo'd it so that I could go to the bank. Well, when I watching it, I had to keep rewinding to make sure that I didn't miss anything!

Sure enough, it was just as you wrote. Total joke!

MothertheMother · 01-17-2007, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doula Michele

I know... its frustrating.
But maybe use the show as pretend scenarios. What would you do or say if you were a doula in that situation.
Or try to follow along and pick up subtle clues as to what you think is going to happen.
Make it a game.
I don't know, i do that sometimes, and that way I don't get as emotionally involved.

I'll never look at these shows the same way again! This is a great perspective. Thanks for sharing

b'earth angel · 01-17-2007, 09:04 PM

I had a potential client call me on Monday, she knew what a DOULA was because she saw it on A Baby Story!

It's not all bad. I do get frustrated at them too. I usually end up yelling at the TV, "get out of bed", "get in the tub", "take a walk", "that guy is a quack", "where'd she get her med degree"...

I only watch it when at my mom's, so the rest of the family thinks I'm quite mad.

I remember one time I watched, it was a home waterbirth!

It was

awesome!

Acacia · 01-17-2007, 09:39 PM

The thing is I do talk through it and think about what I would do. I also yell at the tv and call the doctor names lol. It is amazing that someone without a medical degree (me) can sit in front of the tv and figure out how a persons birth will go just from the first impression given by the doctor. I just get heartbroken I guess watching it unfold and angry thinking that it may influence a pregnant womans thinking in a negative way. Anyway...I will try to cool down and learn as much as I can...It's a learning experience ....a learning experience and yes I have to keep repeating it to myself lol.

douladot · 01-18-2007, 05:54 AM

I love all of these suggestions, ladies! I have gotten to the point that I hate to watch them and even tell clients not to because they are so much of a "negative influence"> I, do love the suggestion by Michele, however, to watch and take notes as a doula! Great idea! You doula sisters are awesome!

midoula · 01-18-2007, 08:08 AM

I don't watch very often, only if I happen to be running on the treadmill at the gym at the right time. I will watch the beginning and if it seems they may have a natural birth I watch the whole thing. I caught two good ones in the last 2 weeks or so where the woman had a midwife and a doula and gave birth completely drug free. There is also a good one where the mom was Mrs. USA (or something like that) and her husband is a pro football player. She has a home water birth.

DoulaYvonne · 01-18-2007, 09:39 AM

I vacillate on these shows. On one hand, I LOVE birth so I am drawn to watching the miracle. Yet on the other hand, they are too often way mainstream! I have caught a few episodes with midwives, and fewer still with doulas. The show I really enjoy most is House Of Babies with midwife Shari Daniels. That seems more "real" to me than all the others.

Acacia · 01-18-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoulaYvonne

I vacillate on these shows. On one hand, I LOVE birth so I am drawn to watching the miracle. Yet on the other hand, they are too often way mainstream! I have caught a few episodes with midwives, and fewer still with doulas. The show I really enjoy most is House Of Babies with midwife Shari Daniels. That seems more "real" to me than all the others.

I love House of Babies as well! I only get to watch it at my parents house though because we don't get Discovery Health. I with they would made a dvd of all the episodes. I would love to buy it and loan it to clients so they can have a real perceptin of what birth is like in normal circumstances.

apikailaa · 01-18-2007, 03:39 PM

My husband doesn't let me watch A Baby Story anymore. Everytime I watch it, and I'm not joking, I mean EVERY time the mom has a c-section! I yell at the TV and I caught my son saying what I was saying!

I even wrote an e-mail to TLC and asked them to show me something that wasn't a cesarean in a hospital! They said they show all types of births and that I just need to keep watching, but I can't. It's awful! I do like Aussie's suggestion though of making it a game!