OBEM 2014

[Tea1Sugar]

When does the next series start?!

Isn't it the end of this month? I'm going to make DH watch it this time as preparation!

Ew, no, DH and I always watched it but since becoming pregnant I've avoided it like the plague.

I love obem. OH quite likes it too. He says it's research for when I'm in labour - a kind of what not to do!

I've never watched OBEM... It's so cringe!!

It makes medicialised & hospital births 'normal'.

So thinking end of the month yeah? Great, I'll be in the throes of the third trimester and dp WILL watch it with me!

Oooh - can't wait! I absolutely love OBEM - I even watched it about 7 hours before I went into labour!

"It makes medicialised & hospital births 'normal"

How do you know this if you haven't watched it and also for most women hospital births are the norm.
I like it because it's realistic and doesn't shy away from the complications of childbirth.

I've always loved watching it, guaranteed I cry at every single birth! I'm in two minds about watching the new series, currently 33weeks pg with dc1 & the mere thought of childbirth makes me feel sick so I think I'll give it a miss this time around!

Yes, cannot wait for this to start. Being preggers and watching doesnt actually phase me at all - i have always been interested in these shows. My dp cannot stand them, he is very squimish and cant stand seeing blood etc lol - not sure how he will fair when i am in labour.
The only thing that has scared me is i had to go to A&E recently and i saw a lady in labour and it kinda freaked me out a bit - seeing it in real life did bring it home! But i have calmed myself down now lol.
Will def be watching new series

I watched some of the first series depending on my shift pattern. I presumed it would show a big variation births.

I appreciate it's 'entertainment' but I don't think making people think complications of labour & child birth are realistic or normal is a healthy way to perceive child birth.

Ultimately i don't find watching a birth entertaining... Just don't understand it!

I love watching it but since getting pregnant hearing all the noises and screaming scares me.

I know I'm having a hospital birth and for me that will have to be "normal" as I have no other choice so for me seeing what happens is really helpful.

I try and remember that everyone is different and has different pain threasholds so im sure i will be fine.....(wishful thinking)

It's like the equivalent of being at a toddler group whilst pregnant. People will tell you all the horror stories and tales of their 3 week long labours (ok, maybe I'm exaggerating slightly there!). And even the fairly "easy" labours tend to come with stories of nearly giving birth in the car/hospital reception.

These stories make better tv. They may or may not be inidicative of your labour. I also sometimes wonder if knowing they're being filmed affects the mothers in any way.

They do show totally normal labours as well, im sure thats one thing the programme has been praised for. There is a wide variation of different cases and complications. Some people are just shown because they have an unusual story or something, it isnt all forceps and emergency sections!

Can't wait!

I can't wait, I love it!! Me and DH always watch it together. I cry at every birth

shelly but for some people, hospital births with complications are normal. If I had given birth at home, there is a strong possibility me and or DS could have died.
My antenatal classes didn't cover anything re intervention/instrumental deliveries/haemorrhaging but thanks to OBEM (and MN) I have seen that it does happen to others and feel less like a freak amongst my friends and family who all had straighforward 4 hour labours!
I LOVE OBEM - mainly for the many hapless DPs and having a really personal insight into others' families.

Me too writer

Anyone remember the lady (think she worked in fashion or beauty - certainly she was sitting up in bed straightening her hair half an hour after giving birth) who had a water birth and her baby seemed to just slide out after a couple of pushes?

I watched that and thought "that's the kind of birth I want!"

Sadly I got one of those "abnormal" medicalised, complex ones instead.

thebookofruth - I know the lady you mean, the one who wore the red bikini set she had designed herself and barely made a noise during the labour? The one with the camp looking husband?? Did you watch the series a few months ago called "OBEM - what happened next" where it followed up on some of the couples?? That couple were on it and unfortunately they had two miscarriages whilst trying for their next child They got another little girl in the end though!

Loads of people have said 'don't watch OBEM while your pregnant!' but I take a lot of comfort in some episodes - where the mum (red bikini and skirt combo, slightly dizzy mum) gasps 'it didn't even really hurt!' after - and I cry without fail at every little face looking at their Mum with blinky eyes for the first time.

I guess 200 years ago we'd have seen out mums/ sisters giving birth at home but now first timers are walking into it without much of a clue. At least OBEM takes away a little of the fear mystery of the delivery room.

Glad it's back

That's the one! Sad about the MCs, glad they had another DD though. They seemed like a sweet couple.

Ha! X-post for red bikini lady!

Lol - there were so many brilliant couples on there!! Does anyone remember from the first series there was a young couple (about 17/18) and they just seemed like the most unlikely couple. The guy was a bit of a 'geek' (a really lovely one), sounded quite posh whereas GF definitely wasn't, and he was studying the Classics or something and was sitting reading Shakespear Scripts and discussing the Ancient Roman Gods with the midwives I fell in love with him. He was so sweet and loving towards his GF and then cried his heart out when baby arrived. So nice to watch!

I remember the red bikini lady but not the other couple your referring to Writer - i love it and cannot wait for it to start! ALthough i have watched the OBEM what happened next and some of them were really really sad, worse than watching the births! [Sad]
I also enjoy being nosey looking at how different partners/husbands react to their gf/wifes etc and when the baby comes they are sobbing wrecks lol