What's the most/least realistic childbirth scene in a film or TV programme?

[BellaBearisWideAwake]

I was watching Knocked Up the other night, and it seemed ok ish, I mean nothing like my labour, and very medical, but perhaps that's just what birth is like in the USA?

My nomination for least realistic: Phoebe giving birth to triplets in Friends. Vaginally with minimal pain relief and HCPs around

Well I thought any scene of a childbirth where the woman is screaming like mad with her legs in stirrups was ridiculous and way over-dramatised, only to find myself doing that exact same thing whilst delivering dd (only had gas & air all the way through)

NettieJoy that cannot be right! Every person I know IRL is an American and all of us know what a midwife is, at least I would assume so! I only know a few people who have gone this route to have their own babies, but I'm very familiar with midwives and doulas and what they do.

In fact I would love to be one. But I'm so in love with epidurals that I'd feel hypocritical or something.

Also agree re Juno. "Ow, ow, fuckity ow!"

I second Bodies. I did watch it before i had kids but the special effects were amazing. not sure i could watch it now since ive had kids. It was such an amazing programme, v scary though.

The film/t.v industry has a lot to answer for as they perpetuate the belief that birth is nothing but a medical emergency from which women need 'rescuing' by the medics etc, rather than being the normal life event that it actually is .

The stupid film/television industry is also responsible for the fact that DH kept shouting "Push, PUSH!!!" at me during the second stage. Despite the fact that I had told him that the only words to come out of his mouth were to be gushing praise because I was doing so well. For some reason best known to myself I contained myself, but what I really wanted to do was to shout back "I am fucking pushing you idiot and if you think you can do better then you can come here and push out this fucking baby!". I wish now that I had because I was so fucked off with it (especially after two hours - the baby was very badly presented and would never have come out no matter how much he screamed at me I pushed).

He said after that all the births that he had seen on TV had someone shouting push, and so he thought that's what you do.

LOL @ Peep Show's Mark 'accidentally' ending up in KFC...ha ha ha ha! I love the internal monologue as he's heading out of the hospital:
'is this wrong?....this seems like the sort of thing someone might do when their baby is being born....'

Anybody remember Daphne in Neighbours giving birth with her tights on?

Someone already mentioned Daphne in Frasier. Most unconvincing screen birth I've ever seen. Not a hair out of place and not a speck of blood or goo on that skirt suit or on the vet's table she gave birth on.

Friends- how did they not know Rachel's baby was breech?

The recent Upstairs Downstairs labour was very like mine but not for a primip maybe?

Least realistic - Natalie Portman in the star wars film where she has Luke and Leah whilst virtually dying...it still annoys me to watch it!

There are never any umbilical cords or placentas on TV...

The birth scene in Jude the Obscure (watched in an English lesson when I was about 14) scarred me so much. I was horrified by a lot of that film! Should really watch it again to see whether it's as bad (for which, read realistic) as I remember. I might appreciate the realism instead of being grossed out now!

Been watching re-runs of 'thirtysomething' and Suzannah's birth was very true to life Filmed backwards (cliche clock turnng back but effective) starting with her almost being sent for a CS to the first Braxton hicks and all the waiting in between.

She got Emma out on her own in the end and was well and truly knackered!

I've never watched ER (amazing but true) but I remember the tv critic Kathryn Flett reviewing an episode of ER where the baby has shoulder dystocia and then there's a huge rush to get it out because shoulder dystocia is incredibly dangerous. She said it was painful for her to watch because her second baby had shoulder dystocia.

Yes I remember the Daphne birth scene in Neighbours as well! I was only a little girl at the time but I still noticed the lack of tighs removal! Silly! Also its' lucky there is always a Doctor on hand in Neighbours!

Any one remember 'Making Out' the BBC thing about the scouse women making circuit boards? Margie Clarke discharged her self from hospital whilst in labour as she wasn't being listened to, 'I think the apple is going to drop herself'. argie walked home and gave birth at home. Saw that as a teenager but it must have had a deep influenced me. 15 years later after ending up in a delivery suite and not being comfortable with things signed the discharge papers and went home where I could handle labour on my terms. DS was born naturally 30 hours later at the hospital on terms me, dh and BF were comfy with. Margie I thank you

anyone seen

made me giggle

The best ones have to be when they give birth in hospital, their haid is only a little ruffled and they get handed a clean 3 month old baby. .

I have noticed that they are trying to be as realistic as possible and I have seen a few babies that are covered in gunk but still clearly too old.

An episode of Baywatch. The Hoff delivered the baby on the beach with the waves crashing around them, and the gorgeous slim mother didn't remove her swimming costume. Impressively done.