DVDs for birth preparation

[covycrump]

I'm 35 weeks now, and looking for something on DVD that might be useful birth preparation for DP and I to watch together. We are signed up for NHS ante natal classes at my local hospital, and the first was meant to be this morning, but as I couldn't stop being sick I couldn't leave the house today. Now I'm a bit worried about DP and I feeling prepared; I will hopefully be able to attend the other ante natal classes, but it's getting close to my EDD now.

Does anyone have any recommendations about good birth preparation DVDs that cover a lot of the information one might otherwise get at an ante natal class? I have useful books (What To Expect, Childbirth Without Fear, Birth & Beyond), but I get so sleepy at the moment whenever I start to read, so have only dipped in and out of them. A DVD would allow DP and I to watch together.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Sorry, I can't recommend any DVD's as I watched one (in my 2nd pregnancy, what was I thinking) and I would recommend you don't watch them.

Do take an hour or so to sit down together and chat about the bits that you are worried about, want to know more about, etc.

Talk about the things that are really important to you such as having baby delivered and placed right onto your tummy/chest or whether he wants to cut the cord/see the sex for yourselves.

Do be aware of the interventions that you may require but don't dwell on them.

Do talk about how your DH can best support you.

Do talk about what you will do in the days and weeks after the birth regarding care of you, care of baby, visitors, housework, etc...this can all get lost in the focus on the birth.

Sorry if that doesn't help - I just don't think watching the blood and stuff does much to prepare men!! (or women!)

All the very best!

I did try to make DP watch women giving birth on youtube. He refused point blank. But i found it was very informative.
Otherwise we watched a NCT DVD (came free with their bump magasine, check their website)
It was okay but not that great. the good thing is it covers preparation to labour, labour and early days.
theres a good DVD called the "business of being born" - it is about how in america they tend to use drugs to speed labour and how that lead to more cesarian. My DP hated the movie as he found it was too militant, but again i found it really informative.

Make sure you agree with your DP about your limits and agree at what point you will accept pain relief, instruments or cesarien (if needed). His role is to make sure the midwife does what you want and that you are not pressurised into something you dont want (sometimes it is difficult to make a decision as there is so much going on)
That's about all he needs to know, that and where to park at hospital (and have lots of change for parking!) and be able to deal with the house for a week in case (like me) you're stuck in hosp for a week (and where to buy nice croissants). Oh and where the closest mothercare is ;-) (i sent mine buying a bra because my boobs exploded after labour)

Good luck!

Don't watch Alien
Would second not watching them as your birth experience is likely to be different from the one on the film.

Interesting that the consensus so far is not to bother, but I feel I need to be a bit more informed than I am now. The DVDs I saw on Amazon aren't generally well reviewed, but I am tempted by this Birthwise one, although I'd rather not spend £30 on something that may be no use at all. I probably should have posted this on Childbirth if I'd been thinking logically, so I might ask over there whether anyone's seen that DVD.

I saw some stuff about that Ricki Lake film a while ago; it makes me glad to not live in the US! Having a midwife, rather than doctor, guided birth seems to be regarded as akin to using a witch doctor there.

I watched quite a lot of highly medicalised American births on Living TV in the weeks leading up to my daughter's birth. I don't know if I'd recommend it exactly but it did make me realise what kind of thing I really didn't want to happen.

I think reading is just as good in terms of preparation as anything you can watch.

There are entire pregnancy and birth channels on the telly! I wouldn't pay £30!

Ask your midwife if she has something you can watch or if she can recommend...that one I watched was from mines and, I suppose, it was worth it just for the hilarious 80's fashion, the woman with the manky newspapers on her living room floor and the scary hair

Good luck, I hope you find what you need.