Comments on: “The Doctors”: Carrying on the Homebirth Turf War? http://www.birthactivist.com/2008/09/old278/ bloggin' for better births Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:04:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: mamablogess http://www.birthactivist.com/2008/09/old278/comment-page-/#comment-1543 mamablogess Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1543 I have a hard time believing I have a hard time believing that a show with Dr. Jim Sears on it will be totally anti-homebirth, isn't his family pro-homebirth, or are they just pro-drug-free birth? On the Dr. Phil show, they generally present both sides in a fair way on issues like this (even if Dr. Phil himself does not agree), and I know the Dr. Phil website has (or at least had) other invites up about homebirth that are not like this one, this was just one of them. I'm hoping they are planning to present a balanced view, or at least allow people to speak from both sides of the issue. I guess we'll have to wait and see how it is presented. Any idea on when this topic is set to air? I have a hard time believing I have a hard time believing that a show with Dr. Jim Sears on it will be totally anti-homebirth, isn’t his family pro-homebirth, or are they just pro-drug-free birth? On the Dr. Phil show, they generally present both sides in a fair way on issues like this (even if Dr. Phil himself does not agree), and I know the Dr. Phil website has (or at least had) other invites up about homebirth that are not like this one, this was just one of them. I’m hoping they are planning to present a balanced view, or at least allow people to speak from both sides of the issue. I guess we’ll have to wait and see how it is presented. Any idea on when this topic is set to air?

]]> By: Guest http://www.birthactivist.com/2008/09/old278/comment-page-/#comment-1551 Guest Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1551 It aired Wed. The Drs aired a segment on homebirth vs hospital birth on Wed. They attempted to be fair, having someone who had a successful homebirth, a woman who's son almost died from a rare congenital kidney disorder (not found on u/s) born in a birthcenter, and someone who had a natural hypnobabies birth at a hospital. They talked about homebirth positively for only about a minute. They then went into the dangers of birth, how much can go wrong, why c/s are needed, OB's expertise, etc for the rest of the segment. They talked not a thing about actually how safe homebirths can be for most women (high risk and rare congenital disorders aside), never mentioned the studies that have been done demonstrating the safety of homebirth, etc. They also didn't even mention CNM's in hospitals. The only mention of midwives was in the homebirth context. They made the distinction seem like MWs are only for homebirth and OB's only for hospitals. The couple who were on that wanted to have a natural birth but hadn't yet made a decision on the location (hospital, home, birth center) did ask about the probability that something (like shoulder dystocia) could happen- the OB's answer was 15%, give or take. She also asked about OB's speeding up labor and talking a woman into an intervention for personal convenience, which the OB responded "thats just not true." Not much of a defense, in my opinion. All in all, I did not like the piece, I did not think it was very balanced at all. Anyone else catch it? It aired Wed. The Drs aired a segment on homebirth vs hospital birth on Wed. They attempted to be fair, having someone who had a successful homebirth, a woman who’s son almost died from a rare congenital kidney disorder (not found on u/s) born in a birthcenter, and someone who had a natural hypnobabies birth at a hospital. They talked about homebirth positively for only about a minute. They then went into the dangers of birth, how much can go wrong, why c/s are needed, OB’s expertise, etc for the rest of the segment. They talked not a thing about actually how safe homebirths can be for most women (high risk and rare congenital disorders aside), never mentioned the studies that have been done demonstrating the safety of homebirth, etc. They also didn’t even mention CNM’s in hospitals. The only mention of midwives was in the homebirth context. They made the distinction seem like MWs are only for homebirth and OB’s only for hospitals. The couple who were on that wanted to have a natural birth but hadn’t yet made a decision on the location (hospital, home, birth center) did ask about the probability that something (like shoulder dystocia) could happen- the OB’s answer was 15%, give or take. She also asked about OB’s speeding up labor and talking a woman into an intervention for personal convenience, which the OB responded “thats just not true.” Not much of a defense, in my opinion. All in all, I did not like the piece, I did not think it was very balanced at all. Anyone else catch it?

]]> By: Becca http://www.birthactivist.com/2008/09/old278/comment-page-/#comment-1575 Becca Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1575 The Doctors I haven't seen the episode that aired, but my sister did, and she said true your suspicions it was horribly biased and blatantly and maliciously anti-homebirth. Your email is wonderfully eloquent. I imagine however, that the message will fall of deaf ears. The Doctors I haven’t seen the episode that aired, but my sister did, and she said true your suspicions it was horribly biased and blatantly and maliciously anti-homebirth.

Your email is wonderfully eloquent. I imagine however, that the message will fall of deaf ears.

]]> By: mamablogess http://www.birthactivist.com/2008/09/old278/comment-page-/#comment-1738 mamablogess Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1738 I did catch the tail ed of I did catch the tail end of it, and I thought it was horrible. The doctor was completely biased and seemed to be jumping out of her skin whenever anyone said anything good about homebirth. I was very disappointed. I had hoped it would be fair, but it was not at all. I did catch the tail ed of I did catch the tail end of it, and I thought it was horrible. The doctor was completely biased and seemed to be jumping out of her skin whenever anyone said anything good about homebirth. I was very disappointed. I had hoped it would be fair, but it was not at all.

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