More Business of Being Born (Giveaway!)
**This giveaway has ended. Thank you to all who entered -nearly 100 of you!- and I really hope you all get to see the film at some point.
Congratulations to the winner, Amber! Woot! Amber please contact me with your mailing address and we’ll get your prize shipped out.**
I’m six months into my third pregnancy and at this point, ‘baby talk’ is an equally passionate subject as food. My girlfriends can attest to the fact that I could talk birth and babies for hours at a time.
The third time around is every bit as exciting for me as the first pregnancy and although I have less (far less) time for reading and research, it is still a priority.
Imagine my delight when a PR rep for Ricki Lake contacted me recently and asked if I would be interested in reviewing her latest documentary series, More Business of Being Born.
Like millions of other women, I had watched The Business of Being Born, Ricki’s breakout documentary on the birthing crisis in America, and really enjoyed it. In fact, Danny and I had just recently watched it together and I gleaned even more from the film the second time around.
The timing couldn’t have been better for me to be introduced to the film’s follow-up series. It was as if all the research I was wishing I had time to do was already done for me and condensed into a tidy 4-DVD package. All I had to do was pop the corn and put my feet up.
I watched all four DVD’s last weekend. I cried. I laughed. I took notes. I formulated questions for my doctor. I booked an appointment to interview a doula.
This film touched on so many topics that I needed to learn about. For the first time, the term VBAC is in my vocabulary, as Mateo (my second) was a breech baby and delivered by scheduled C-section. I am an advocate of natural birth (Noah was an all-natural, drug-free delivery) and sincerely hope to avoid surgery this time around. MBOBB answered a lot of my questions regarding VBAC’s.
I’m incredibly thankful for this new, eye opening documentary on modern birth made by women for women.
Today ‘More Business of Being Born‘ premieres in L.A. and around North America (find a screening) and I’m here to tell you that it is a MUST SEE for expecting parents or future parents.
I’m giving away More Business of Being Born: The Complete Box Set at the bottom of the post, but first, read a little about what each film contains!
DVD #1: Down on The Farm: Conversations with Legendary Midwife Ina May Gaskin
Follow Executive Producer Ricki Lake and Director Abby Epstein to The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee, where pioneer midwife Ina May Gaskin talks candidly about the latest birth trends and the art of midwifery. Gaskin, who was featured in the original The Business of Being Born, sparked Lake’s initial interest in natural birth and has continued to inspire the filmmaking duo’s advocacy efforts.
DVD #2 – Special Deliveries: Celebrity Mothers Talk Straight on Birth
Featuring celebrity moms Laila Ali, Gisele Bundchen, Cindy Crawford, Alyson Hannigan, Melissa Joan Hart, Kellie Martin, Alanis Morissette, Christy Turlington-Burns and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Special Deliveries is a collection of intimate birth stories from a diverse group of mothers. Whether they chose to deliver at a hospital, home or birthing center, these heartfelt and humorous testimonies speak to the lasting power of the birth experience.
True inspiration for any mother-to-be, this group of women trusted their bodies and intuitions, taking responsibility for their birth decisions even when things didn’t go according to plan. None of these courageous women has ever spoken on the record in such compelling detail, and, on this DVD, the filmmakers weave together their passionate narratives as a celebration of the journey to motherhood that will leave viewers with a renewed sense of amazement about the power of women.
DVD # 3 – Explore Your Options: Doulas, Birth Centers & C-Sections
The most comprehensive and educational DVD in the series, Explore Your Options offers birth-planning guidance around key topics such as the role of doulas (labor support specialists,) the advantages of birth centers and the alarming escalation of cesarean sections in the United States and Brazil.
Epstein and Lake talk to doulas about why their profession is currently booming and uncover why having a good doula can make-or-break the entire birth experience. They look at the ever-growing rates of inductions and c-sections, which have reached 50% in many US hospitals and more than 99% in some private hospitals in Brazil.
How “safe” are these cesarean surgeries, and what are the health implications for the mothers and babies? Explore Your Options examines the pros and cons of birth centers, described as a perfect middle ground between home and hospital.
DVD #4 – The VBAC Dilemma: What Your Options Really Are
The VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) has become a hot-button issue in the modern maternity care system, as one in three new mothers will give birth via cesarean section. Are all of these mothers then forced to undergo a repeat cesarean the next time around? Epstein and Lake posed that question to dozens of experts, determining the surprising truth about VBACs.
Giveaway!
Thanks to our friends at MBOBB, I have the complete DVD set to giveaway.
Giveaway Prize: 1 copy of More Business of Being Born: The Complete Box Set (4 DVD’s) Value: $59.99
To Enter the Giveaway: Leave a comment on this post. That’s it.
** This giveaway is now closed. A big thank you to all who entered!**
Giveaway will end in one week, on November 15 at 11:59. Good luck to all!
Cool! and so exciting for you Aimee. If you are considering a doula, I would highly recomment motherwit in NDG. I had one of their midwives with me for my second and it made all the difference for us. Good luck and happy third time round!
Cara
[email protected]
Need this!!!
I never heard of either of these documentaries until right now. I can't wait to see them!
I say "yes!" to VBAC.
I loved The Business of Being Born, and am definitely excited to see More Business of Being Born! It was a very educational and eye-opening experience!
I would love to win this giveaway!
We're hoping for #2 soon and although birthing our daughter went relatively well, I'm looking for inspiration for our second time around!
I would love to see these DVDs. I planned on a natural childbirth with midwives, but ended up having a c-section. I need to learn about VBACs and my options for the next time around.
thanks!
I became addicted to the original Business of Being Born while I was pregnant – I recommend it to everyone I know now! Would love these DVDs for myself, and also as a "lendsies" for all my pregnant friends!
I would love to see this! Thank you!
I really want to win this, both as a mom and as a nursing student.
I loved the BOBB. It cemented my decision to have a HBA2C and could watch it over and over. It was really hard to get my hands on here in Aus. too!
Thanks
mountaingoats @ hotmail . com
Sounds great!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I just had baby #4 in april! They are such a blessing. I love birth, babies, mommies, the whole thing! I am in the process of being certified to teach Bradley Method childbirth classes and would love to add this DVD set to my library for my clients (and myself!) 🙂
The first movie completely changed my life (and got my husband on board when he saw that homebirth was more than just another hippie-granola idea from me!) We would love to have this DVD set.
I'm so excited they're releasing a new set of films! I can't wait to see it.
I'm so excited about this new film! I loved the first one and can't wait to see what else they've put together.
I have been so excited about this film! I'd love to share this with moms-to-be who I know 🙂
I'm an advocate of doula-assisted birth, if a woman is to have any assistance at all apart from lots of love and encouragement. I'd love to win this set.
Hi Aimee ! I'd love to watch this DVD set and then pass it on to someone who might now be able to buy it themselves.
LOVED the first movie…would love to see these as well.
I loved the first movie as well and it has changed my whole view of giving birth. I would love to win and may just buy it if I don't!
Birthing is so beautiful! i would love to have a copy of BoBB. I know lots of doulas who I could share with 🙂
I'm due with my first in May… think this would be super helpful!!
I'm crossing my fingers! This would be so awesome to win. I am currently 6.5 months along, and we are planning our first natural birth… unfortunately there is no one in our area who provides assistance for homebirths 🙁
I would love this!
I loved The Business of Being Born and this looks interesting as well!
I'd love to see this one too!
The Business of Being Born was an incredibly eye-opening film for me, and was part of what lead me to midwifery care and homebirth with my fourth baby. I would love to have this DVD both for my learning, and for the moms I know.
I would love to win these–not only am I am mom but I also teach early childhood education and other course on babies and young children. These dvd's would be a huge eye opener for my students
I'm pregnant for the first time at age 35 and would love to benefit from this DVD set 🙂
My email address is HEATHERLBRANDT (AT) FRONTIER (DOT) COM
I forgot to put it in the previous comment :0
I'd love to watch this! Hoping to have a homebirth whenever we have our next baby. 🙂
Oh that trailer has me hooked! Thanks for sharing this.
Just had #2 natural birth a few weeks ago and love anything related to pregnancy and birth!! Adored BoBB#1 so count me in!! Thanks
How exciting! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
I would love to win these. The first film was such a motivation to me to have a natural birth with my first and second and looking forward to doing it again sometime soon! : )
I would love this! I'm a 4th year nursing student and my main focus is maternity. I loved the first, and I am very excited to see these!
[email protected]
The first one was so inspirational to me. I'm done having babies, but I spend a lot of time with new and expectant moms and I'd love this second one.
I love the Business of Being Born! Ever since seeing it, I have wanted to become a Midwife! I told my hubby that after all 3 kids are in school I am going back to school for this. I want others to have the options that the doctors took from me.
When I was pregnant with my first a year ago, I did SO much research. BOBB really helped me prepare for my natural birth. Now, I get to be the Doula for a friend of mine in February! I can't wait to see MBOBB and would love to win it!
I'd love to own these. I've had two natural births (one of them at home!), but I'm always looking for resources to educate other mommas out there.
I'm pregnant with my fourth and would love to win! I've never seen any of the movies, but they sound great.
I am pregnant with my third and am looking forward to another natural delivery! (Our first was not, our second was…) I would love to see this DVD – I've heard so much about it.
This looks amazing!
Would love to see this! Thanks for the giveaway!
I have been meaning to see the first video. Though not a mom, or a soon-to-be mom, birth is such a fascinating subject – stories are always so unique! Thanks for the review!
I love this documentary! I watched after I had both of my children. Wish more doctors would worry more about the woman and child more than their own selfish wishes !