The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born is a documentary film that explores the modern birthing experience and maternity care in the United States. Produced by Ricki Lake, it compares various birth plans, including midwives, natural childbirth, epidurals, Cesarean sections, and more. The film criticizes the American health care system with its emphasis on prenatal medicines, costly medical interventions, and its view of childbirth as an emergency rather than a natural occurrence.
The film documents actual home births and water births, then compares them to hospital births. Filmmakers follow a midwife, Cara, in New York, as she takes care of pregnant women and attends several births. It provides statistics about our current birthing techniques and the issues faced by today's obstetricians. Many experts weigh in and cite a multitude of reasons for these challenges, primarily the overuse of medical procedures or drugs in the interest of saving time, such as Cesareans (C-sections) and Pitocin. Discover why this documentary is a must-watch for expectant parents.
Director: Abby Epstein
Produced by: Abby Epstein; Paulo Netto; Amy Slotnick; Ricki Lake