Is watching One Born Every Minute good preparation for childbirth?

Based on the earlier UK episodes, I have always said no to this. In fact, I openly tell my pregnant clients NOT to watch it. So when the Australian version came out, I started watching it, with the hope that maybe things would be different this time.

My answer is still no. One Born Every Minute should not be used as your source of childbirth preparation and education.

Sure, it probably gives a realistic picture of what happens in maternity hospitals across Australia.  The high rates of intervention. The 30% caesarean rate.

Yet it doesn’t give a full picture of what birth can be.

It is (obviously) medically driven. It also exists to make good viewing.

Episode 2 started with one of the midwives saying ‘every day is ‘a new woman with a new problem’.  And this is exactly what is portrayed – birth as a problem that needs to be solved. After all – drama sells.

When all is going well with birth, let’s face it, it’s not nearly as exciting to watch as when things aren’t going as well. It doesn’t make as good t.v. viewing. In fact, it may even be down-right boring to watch except for the most die-hard birth nerds.

So we’re largely seeing the drama. The tension. And we are seeing those beautiful moments of birth. But they tend to be overshadowed.

And this repetition of drama. And talk of pain. Of things that could go wrong – this all embeds into our sub-conscious. These are the images and language that we begin to associate with birth.

So when it does come time to think about our own birth or indeed birth our baby – these are the pictures that come to mind.

And what about the couples who are in it?

There are 60 cameras filming the births. These families have agreed to have their births filmed. Yet even if the cameras are ‘discrete’ and ‘not noticeable’, they would be aware of the cameras.

I expect that many couples would feel a pressure to perform. One of the Mums being filmed said she felt pressure ‘to do it right’ and to be natural and normal and ‘do it well’.

If there was ever a time to feel pressure to do it right and be natural and normal – labour and birth isn’t it. Quite the opposite. Labour should be a time where you don’t have to worry about what you look like, how you act or trying to be ‘normal’.

Your birth environment should be one where you feel safe, secure and private. A place where you feel like you can truly surrender to your labour and birth. I would question whether having your birth filmed, knowing that it will be televised on national t.v. (the first episode had an audience of 325,000) gives you that feeling of safety, security and privacy.

Your birth doesn’t have to be like those on t.v.

If you are choosing to watch ‘One Born Every Minute’ whilst pregnant, or planning on falling pregnant anytime soon, here are a few things to keep in mind.

* Birth is a normal, physiological function of the body, which doesn’t always make for good ratings. But birth doesn’t have to be drama-filled.

* Dim the lights! There are very few births shown where the lights are dimmed. Many of us wouldn’t feel comfortable having sex in a place so open and well lit as a hospital, so why should birth, which is equally intimate – if not more so, be so ‘public’?

* It’s ok to move hospital furniture around to make the room as comfortable for you as possible. Use any, or all of the ‘props’ for birth like birth balls, peanut balls, birth ropes or even position yourself on the bed so that you are comfortable. You do NOT have to be on your back on the bed!

* You don’t have to wear a hospital gown. For many people (myself included), the moment you put on a hospital gown, subconsciously you become a patient. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in – even if that is nothing at all.

* Informed consent matters. Your body, your choice. You have the right to give, or refuse, consent or ask for more time. Being told ‘we’re just going to do this to you -ok?’ is not informed consent.

* Surround yourself with positive stories and images from sources other than tv!

* Educate yourself about pregnancy and birth from sources other than t.v. There are some fantastic independent childbirth education classes (like Hypnobirthing Australia™ classes) and evidence-based sources that will be a much greater source of information.

My 2 cents – don’t watch One Born Every Minute as your childbirth preparation. There are far more positive ways to educate yourself about birth. They just don’t rate as well.

Kate Vivian is a Mum of three and pregnancy and birth geek who helps Mums-to-be find their voice during their own pregnancy and birth.

After a less than fantastic birth of her first baby that ended in a caesarean section, she realised that having a positive birth was all about being empowered to make your own decisions. Kate went on to have two incredible, positive vaginal births after caesarean (VBAC) having found her own voice.

Regardless of the journey you walk during your pregnancy, Kate will be your biggest cheerleader. She will be the voice behind your voice as you walk your journey with confidence.

To find out more about Kate, check her out here.