The NCT drive me mad: "Women could be scared off having babies by... erm watching it actually happen"

[moaningpaper]

Women could be scared off having babies by seeing the intimate experience of childbirth served up as a television spectacle, a leading childbirth charity warned yesterday, as Channel Five screened the first live birth on British television.

"Speaking before the programme, Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said the decision to film live rather than use pre-recorded footage placed an unfair strain on expectant women.

"If something goes wrong, we don't expect to be in a position where we're watching the death of a baby. You can have just as much value from seeing a birth that's been recorded half an hour previously.""

Ermm so this is the NCT, who are telling us all that we should fight medicalised birth, telling us not to film them actually happening in case ... a baby DIES?

She says it is also not a realistic depiction of an NHS birth, because if it was realistic then it would show "A midwife running between two or three labouring women."

Once again, a load of NCT anti-NHS propaganda which is just going to terrify women. It makes me

[Callisto]

The NCT should be strapped to a rocket and fired into N Korea imo...

[CountessDracula]

surely fired out of N Korea!

[ScreamandYellowFeathers]

Hmmm, never had a MW who swaps between labours. How odd.

I can see the point about filming if anything went wrong. I had to turn it off after the C-section birth last night, thinking the baby wasn't doing well. I'm sure alot of new mums don't want to see that

but agree its alot of scare mongering.

[Philomena]

I think it is highly unlikely that the programme was live. I suspect that there was a delay, just like there is on other reality TV programmes.

I watched it and I am 35 weeks pregnant today and I've watched plenty of births on channels like the Baby Channel and Living. I would be far more nervous if I had no idea what to expect.

[Gobbledispook]

Totally agree with you mp

[KathyMCMLXXII]

LOL.

My feeling about this programme was that they should have had a z list celebrity giving birth rather than a normal woman, because then the presence of cameras would have made it less, rather than more, stressful for the mother.

[vitomum]

surely the 'expectant woman' is herself capable of making a decision about what places an unfair strain on her - how is it 'empowering' for the NCT to make that decision for her!

[NOMurDErousPLUME]

I had a midwife who spent a total of about 20 minutes with DH and I throughout my 2h30 labour. She only stuck around for the 20 min delivery bit. Thankfully I was very happy to be left with just DH and my pg and labour were uncomplicated enough to mean it was perfectly fine and dandy. Delivery ward was mega busy and they were mega short staffed - just yer typical NHS birth.

[moaningpaper]

"just yer typical NHS birth"

LOTS of people have extremely positive NHS births

[NOMurDErousPLUME]

My 'birth experience' was very positive. But the lack of midwives in the NHS is a very real issue for lots and lots of NHS Trusts in the UK.

[TheBlonde]

LOTS of people have extremely shit NHS births
It is a lottery unfortunately

Ch5's prog was typical of it's sensationalist format.

[Gobbledispook]

I must be soooo lucky - throughout all 3 of my births I don't think there was a minute that I didn't have a midwife there.

NHS care I just couldn't fault.

AM often shocked by some of the stories I read on here.

[motherinferior]

Belinda Phipps, oh, don't get me started. Just don't.

[beckybraAAARGHstraps]

'She says it is also not a realistic depiction of an NHS birth, because if it was realistic then it would show "A midwife running between two or three labouring women."'

So she is trying to reassure the women who may be scared off having babies by telling them that no matter how bad it was the in the programme, for them it would be even worse. Okay....

[joelallie]

Same here Gobbledispook. Having said that I had 3 uncomplicated deliveries (more or less ) and none of them were very long. My midwife did pop in and out and was only there constantly for the 'hot and heavy' bit . But that was fine - not sure what she was supposed to be doing when I wasn't actually in the last stages - hand-holding, brow-mopping, doing the crossword with DH and I? I think most women are better off on their own or with their birth partners of choice. Unless something significant is actually happening or there is a problem why do you need a midwife? The fewer bodies in the room the better IME.

A bit more reality can only be a good thing when it comes to preparing for birth. I wish I'd known a bit more about the reality before I actually starting labour - it hurt so much more than I expected. Anyway how can it put people off - if you want a baby but you don't want to give birth what are you going to do? Buy one in Sainsburys?

[docincognito]

well, having been at the "business" end of about 20 deliveries during my training (admittedly over 20 yrs ago )I was quite glad to be told by my obstetrician that I had no choice but to have an elective Caesaren section. And very dignified it was too! Childbirth is messy and painful, and I can see how watching a programme like this could put off a few pregnant women (and maybe a few yet-to-be-pregnant!),you don't get quite such a good view from the top end! But, I suspect those of a squeamish disposition just wouldn't watch.

Can't really see the harm in it if the mothers have given consent, but hope that there was some kind of delay mechanism, as it would be upsetting to see things going horribly wrong.

[NOMurDErousPLUME]

That's how I felt joelallie - The birth of our child was something very personal to DH and I, I didn't miss the mw because I was actually HAPPIER when it was just DH and I (although there was no time crosswords ), but my feelings were not the reason the mw was not there around the clock.

[NOMurDErousPLUME]

(no time for crosswords)

[kandi]

Hi, new on here, but thought I'd jump right in!

I hear what you're saying about saying the running around of midwives between 2/3 women is scaremongering. But I have to say I didn't like the programme at all. To a woman, her baby's birth is a very emotional, spiritual experience that is absolutely undescribable and the programme was very cold and clinical in my view. I also got upset when I saw the baby who was a bit slow to get going from the c-section and really felt for the mum who looked absolutely terrified but obviously felt inhibited by the camera crew.

I did find the story about the quads fascinating though.

[moaningpaper]

I agree that there are undoubtedly certain NHS trusts where there is a midwife shortage

I'm not sure that telling people that they are likely to have a midwife "running between two or three labouring women" is very helpful though. It's not like they are trying to extinguish them. I was given the choice of whether the midwife would stay or just pop in every 15 minutes - I chose the latter. I don't know what I would have TALKED to her about if she'd been hanging around ... But there was no sense of rushing around or harassed midwives.

[PrettyCandles]

I felt that that programme was in very bad taste, and was quite glad that they didn't manage to 'capture' their live natural birth. Childbirth is a very intimate procedure, not a spectator sport. I could accept a quiet cameraman in a corner of the room, but not all the "And how do you feel" pseudo-sensitive interviewing.

OTOH, all the other items were fascinating, including the live caesarian birth, and I'm glad I watched them. Firstly it is an education and a preparation for birth to have some idea of what goes on or can go on, secondly to wonder at and give thanks for the amazing things that medicine can achieve to help mothers and babies.

A large part of my preparation for each birth - from the first time on - was watching filmed births. Nothing written can really prepare you for the sheer animalness of it all. If someone were to compare childbirth to sex, then (especially as a first timer) you might be outraged and reject such comparison utterly, but having watched a woman groaning and moaning her way through contractions I realised that she did sound exactly as if she was hhaving sex.

And, BTW, I did have midwives attending more mums-to-be than just me alone, and the time I requested that only one particular midwife attend me I was not seen by anyone else because she was already attending other births, and could only come to me just in time for my second stage. So that complaint was very realistic, IME.

[NOMurDErousPLUME]

Disclaimer - I did not watch the programme....

[peegeeweegeeWITCH]

I did not watch the programme - would get even more broody for another ickle lovely baby...

I had two NHS births. My ds was back to back, distressed, stuck and a complete nightmare for the entire 17 hour ordeal. When I arrived the labour ward was full and I had to wait until a delivery room became available. The previous women's blood was still on the curtain...
BUT, I had a midwife with me the whole time and even though she was a real old fashioned battle axe she was ok.
With dd I had one midwife and one trainee midwife with me for the entire 2 hour labour, we all sat around having a cup of tea and telling jokes. It was great!!

So, two different experiences, both NHS, but both good.
Yes they are understaffed and overstretched but I think they really do try their hardest...

ps - both these births were at a local hospital with a bad reputation.