Do you let your kids watch A Baby Story?

[Val]

This is one of my DD7's fav shows (she is the youngest of 4 and it is the closest she will get to childbirth until her 17 year old sister is ready to have kids)......

....she explained to me the "role" of fathers in pregnancy and childbirth. She claims you have to have a husband to get the things you drop off the floor and do all your chores for you because your tummy is too big, and then when you are in labor the baby can't come out unless the father holds your hand and your head and says nice things to you! Oh, and he has to cut the cord so the baby can have a tummy button.....Not sure I want to correct her on this one- think she has the perfect husband about wrapped up!

 

[julie_yet]

I think you're absolutely sane. My mom was a doula and childbirth teacher and was very open with me and my siblings. She would take me and my brother to her classes when we were very little and we knew more than her students.

She had a video called "Children at Birth" that she'd show her class. This tape showed everything, nothing was blurred out and we watched it from the time we were toddlers. It was just normal for us.

My mom gave birth to my brother at home with all our relatives there. I was 3 years old and I remember sitting on the bed next to her. My dad and grandmother delivered him and my older sister who was 12 at the time even got to cut the umbilical cord. It was a very cool experience.

 

[lulugirl]

Dd has been watching A Baby Story since she was 4, she really enjoys it.

 

[kasar]

My kids love A Baby Story! Of course you should let her watch it (as long as she's comfortable with the whole thing). It's really nicely done - not too graphic.

My only concern would be the labors they show seem so easy! A few puff-puffs and voila - a baby. I WISH my deliveries were that calm!

 

[princesspumpkin]

DD started watching it with me when she was about 4. It was her nap time (and mine) and that's what I watched while going to bed. She would sleep with me and we'd fell asleep while someone was giving birth. Now DH is the one who can't stomach it

 

[tiggersmom2]

I'm a natural childbirth instructor, and those screaming women who aren't educated about how to effectively control their pain irritate me. I have my own videos that provide a much more "detailed view" but have calm, happy women.

You know.....with my first son I decided to do natural child birth.....it didn't work. I screamed until I had the epidural. I was "EDUCATED" on how to "control" the pain...hee, hee and whoo whoo is just a load of crap in my book...give me an epidural anyday.


To the OP.....my son's have watched a Baby Story many times and my oldest son was in the delivery room to greet his brother!

 

[Sandy22]

You know.....with my first son I decided to do natural child birth.....it didn't work. I screamed until I had the epidural. I was "EDUCATED" on how to "control" the pain...hee, hee and whoo whoo is just a load of crap in my book...give me an epidural anyday.

Amen sister!!!

 

[bajanswife]

You know.....with my first son I decided to do natural child birth.....it didn't work. I screamed until I had the epidural. I was "EDUCATED" on how to "control" the pain...hee, hee and whoo whoo is just a load of crap in my book...give me an epidural anyday.

No, I agree that the "hee hee" breathing isn't the most effective way. Deep breathing from way, way down in the belly, staying calm and low vocal sounds like moaning (NOT screaming), no matter how much pain you're in, is the key. I've done childbirth med-free 3 times, so I've had a lot of practice! A woman's reaction to pain can make it feel better or worse, depending on the reaction. It IS possible to experience intense pain but not be that bothered and panicked by it if you can control your reactions to it.

Sorry it didn't work for you. Sounds like you've found your ideal way of coping now! An epidural sounds wonderful in theory, but I know I'd hate all the medical junk that goes along with it, and the fact that my body was no longer under MY control. But that's just me. I'm not a martyr to pain - I just know myself, and I'm really turned off by "medical" births. I'd rather deal with pain, which really isn't as bad as most people think once you learn to deal with it well.

 

[goofy4tink]

Absolutely!!! My dd, now almost 12, has been watching A Baby Story for many years now. There isn't much she doesn't know about 'birthing babies'. She has seen the 'unprepared' moms screaming and yelling. She has seen the informed moms, taking it all in stride. She knows what to expect.
Funny story tho....when we visited WDW with another family and their dd, same age as my dd, we went to see 'The Making of Me'. Well, the other dad was aghast at the birth part of the story. He couldn't believe he and his dd were being put through it. On the way out of the show, my dd looks at them and says.."You think that's something? You should see a real labor and delivery!!! Some of those moms are really bad. And the baby they just showed you isn't even close to what a real, just born baby looks like!" I thought that dad was going to call Child Services about me when we got home. He was just disgusted. I still believe that knowledge is power.

 

[transparant]

I don't usually watch "A baby story" - I used too, but I can't stand how high tech they make birth look sometimes. I know they used to show a midwife who did water births out in California every so often and I loved those!

I have my own video library of childbirth and my kids have seen all of them - they don't even blink. It's been such a part of thier life because of my job that they are totally used to it.