Bloody Hell (literally !!!)
Expat said:
'Wonder if it's a good idea to watch this whilst pregnant.' Definitely NOT ! Eeekkkk, am totally terrified now.
Several things I noted:
The midwifes were totally rushed off their feet and (I'm not sure whether that was the editing) the births seemed like a factory line. There was no personal touch, I hardly heard the midwifes say anything kind (in fact they were so patronising to the girl with the c/s e.g. 'now you're not going to look good on telly') or very compassionate. They just didn't have the time. I don't think any of the women had a 'birth experience', it was just 'get them in - get them out'. The woman at home seemed to have the best care, and I was impressed how cool the midwife was who 'woke up' the wee boy was - well done her.
All the births (except the home birth) happened with the women lying on their backs. I thought that's considered bad practice by now and that you could choose which position you want to deliver in, no? Even the women who was having her 5th child had a monitor strapped to her belly and was 'tied' to the bed on her back. I'm expecting my first baby at the beginning of August and I would hate to have to lie on my back, apparently it's so much more painful.
Speaking of painful, my word, all that screaming. I'm convinced now that I'll be asking for an epidural the minute I'm in hospital.
Lastly, why would anyone want to be filmed whilst giving birth? I felt for those women and I wonder if they'll feel exploited when they see the footage.
All in all I have to say that I'm quite traumatised by the programme. I have no personal experience of birth but it looks babaric - painful, bloody, out of control and (sorry to say that) very undignified. I guess I must have been naive. So, I'm not sure I'll watch that programme again until my baby is born.
I'd be interested what you all thought.