How realistic is One Born Every Minute?

[citymumtobe]

Currently 30+1 with DC1 and have been avidly watching OBEM, despite telling myself not to. Our NCT teacher said it's probably best not to watch it as it's essentially like other reality television programmes and there's a certain amount of manipulation/editing involved. Interested to hear how realistic people think the show is in general and whether it reflects your experience of childbirth/time in delivery suite - or do you feel like throwing things at the TV?! One thing I noticed for instance is that most of the ladies give birth lying down when one thing that's drummed into you is the importance of gravity to the whole process...

Depends where you are. I started in the MLU, and after getting out of the pool I was encouraged to try all positions other than lying down. In fact, if I ever tried to lie down (knackered!) I was chivvied up again.

However when I was transferred to the surgical unit at another hospital, I was not allowed to move from the bed, despite not having anything done. There was no way I couldn't be attached to the various machines, and couldn't move because they were faulty.

Yes, sadly I think it's a pretty realistic portrayal of a CLU. It actually really helped me process my first birth (drip, epidural, forceps) to see how much of a production line you are on.

A combination of my first labour and OBEM are the reasons I had a homebirth with no. 2 and would never set foot in a CLU again unless I was high risk for some reason (when I would be very glad they exist).

I've had 3 births and although I walked about and tried different positions I always ended up lying down - probably due to the tiredness. So I think apart form the time scale its quite accurate -I watch OBEM religiously - My husband dreads Wednesdays at 9!

I am another of those women who just instinctively want to lie down when giving birth. Really not the fault of the midwives who were very keen on my moving around. I suppose I was tired. It just felt right.

Editing is an art, it can make people sound like right bastards even when they're not and editing long and fastidious into something exciting, well, I really have to take my hat off to the OBEM people.
From what I can gather they have three delivery rooms (including the one with the pool) rigged up with about 6 still cameras that you can sometimes seen in some of the footage (i.e. the lady with the twins this week).
I wonder if the cameras are the reason why the lights are always so bright, I noticed on the midwife labour, that they did dim them and then put them right up again. You just don't notice is as much in that room because, the wall are painted in a darker colour.

I find it really hard to relate to - very different to my experiences of giving birth.

1 home water birth, no pain relief
1 unplanned homebirth, paramedics just made it, only woke up 1/2 hour previuous, not so much as a scream, just a few grunts and he popped out.

I absolutely cannot understand the lying down thing. It would just never, never occur to me - I was always hideously unconfortable lying down.

I think it is realistic of birth on a CLU, but it isn't representative of how all births are. I think it gives a false impression of how much intervention is necessary. I think there is far too much instance of mothers having birth "done" to them by professionals, and the impression that they don't have the right to any input.
TBH I wouldn't really recommend it to expectant mothers, because it instills so much fear about the process, which makes it a self-fulfilling myth.
Sadly gentle, natural births wouldn't makes such "good" drama on a week by week basis, so we rarely see them.

City Women do usually give birth on their back I'm afraid, whatever is drummed into them. This is often down to the woman 'doing as they are told' or just not expressing a preference.

In my case I attended active birth classes at the MLU and assumed they would be encouraging it. When they wanted me on my back for delivery I just assumed that they had measured the situation and had decided that that was what was best for me, so didn't argue (much).

There is theory, and then practice. You often have to be quite assertive to put theory into practice imo.

Not very - have worked there, have friends who work there (not filmed though!) and gave birth there. It is a HUGE trust with 2 maternity units on two sites, they have 10 000 births a year and it isn't most people's experience to be on delivery suite from 2cm, you'd get sent home again or left on the ward/assessment unit til much much later, it is also a lot busier than that when there isn't a film crew (more like it was on first series of OBEM). I heard that they were sending people to the other unit to look less stretched while the crew were there and wouldn't be at all surprised.

Just to defend it slightly (don't want sacking :) ) the consultants in Leeds are mostly brilliant and I know very few people who delivered there who did have intervention - certainly not without good reason. Home births are encouraged, certainly were when I had my first so perhaps a lot of the "easy" deliveries aren't coming in any more.

It always makes me on OBEM when you see them walk past the Active Birth posters in the hall, but no one seems to be being active in the delivery rooms.

I've been watching this series with DH and suprisingly it's him that's really got into it! I'm expecting DD1, well, yesterday but i just can't get into this series. It seems highly edited (like someone said before someone arrives, next minute they are on a monitor, canula in wrist etc), nothing is really explained and unless it's a water birth all women seem to be flat on their backs. I think it's worth and i'm glad i have, watched the other previous series on 4OD where they were in Southampton. A wider variety of births and each episode had a 'theme' if you will

I think its realistic of a certain type of birth - epidural, stirrups etc

I liked the surely he's gay episode (Manchester fashion students couple) because she did do the water birth naturally on her first baby.
Ruddy TV crew made more of their dress sense and hair styles than her amazing birthing effort though.

And it makes me cross that they don't explain why things happen the way they do.

For example, I remember a woman giving birth to DC3 howling her head off and getting no sympathy from the midwife (bit of a bitch actually) because she wanted an epidural at about 3cm.
Turns out baby was born sunny side up and I was thinking No wonder she was yelling so much - that would have been more painful than her previous 2 labours, she knew it but the midwife ignored her. They made her out to be a wailing banshee crazy lady. They gave no descrpition of (less desirable) OP of baby

And I have liked seeing sections as I had one so it put it a bit into perspective.

I think you can totally relate to your own birthing experience from watching.

Oh, I let DD4 watch with me - edited on 4OD. She had been asking where babies come out.
Kept the information very to her level and she saw this weeks twins and the midwife baby all whoosh out.

By the way, she has seen lambs and calves being born before anyone says I'm irresponsible

I don't know why anyone would say you're irresponsible mayday, what's wrong with your DD watching a child being born?

I think OBEM show a pretty even range of births - some epidural, some birthing pool, some C-sections.

It is not designed to educate, it is designed to entertain so although it is realistic it only shows 'interesting' births or people. That gives a skewed idea of the drama of birth. The lying on backs thing though is very prevalent but the trouble they never explain why - often I have noticed continuous monitoring or epidural in place and they have not made this clear so it looks like the woman is choosing to lie on their back. Also no time frame is given so often births look much quicker than they are.

I'm another one that delivered lying down. DD2 had to come out quickly because they lost her heartbeat, and i started to deliver DS on all fours but it felt so weird i changed position! DD1 was a waterbirth.

Other than delivering on the bed i was as mobile as possible despite the drips and monitoring, so i have a horrible habbit of shouting 'FGS, MOVE!' at the TV.

Cailin - phew someone on my wavelength got in there first.
I'm sure others would disagree!

Mayday - I also let my older 2 watch when I was pg with DC3 (they were 6 and 4 at the time). As you can imagine, they were asking A LOT of baby related questions!

I think its quite accurate. Midwives gossiping and drinking tea. Mums on their backs as was I, lots of epidurals (me too), lots of screaming in the background (it was like this in croydon when I had dd 8 years ago)... Yep pretty much standard I reckon.

V realistic IMO. Someone mentioned the ten pounder and forceps.... V similar to ddborn with ventouse - was back to back initially, had shoulder dystocia, head was born and rest of her took longer. Panic button pressed and room was flooded with drs and midwives literally running in. Cord was cut immediately (dh didn't get a chance) dd took to back of room to check and get oxygen ( but barely knew what was happening at the time due yo the drugs and exhaustion from non helpful pushing)!

They over-dramatise it but it's fairly realistic.

TBH I prefered to know worst-case scenarios before I had my first DC. I did all the breathing and learnt about upright positions, it was bugger all good when my blood pressure went through the floor and I couldn't even get my head off the pillow. A few hours later I was whizzed in for an EMCS. But I'd learnt all about CS's too so it wasn't too scary .

I still have the planned cs episode on the hard drive as I was wondering if the DC's would want to know what it looked like. The cs's on you tube aren't as calm or well shot.

I gave birth in a much darker room with my iPod on listening to songs that make me feel calm, I really think the bright lights and the fact they can't have music due to copyright must make a difference. I loved giving birth and although I am addicted to obem I sometimes have to hide under my duvet whilst watching.

And I was on my knees hanging over the upright back of the bed giving birth, It seemed like the right thing to do at the time and it worked really well. I really rate being calm and in control and listening to your body and it can be beautiful rather than scary.

pretty realistic, though the vomiting and pooing is (mostly) edited out (understandably).