Ever since I heard about documentary, The Business of Being Born, I have wanted to see it. There was even a screening here in the Chicago area, but being a bit of a miser I decided to wait until it came out on DVD. Then life happened and I forgot about it until this past week when a friend and colleague mentioned it on Facebook. So I looked it up online, found it and watched it. It was really good.

Director, Abbey Epstein and executive producer, Ricki Lake did a great job of documenting how birth has become big business and how normal, healthy pregnancies can produce a healthy birth at home. Both of these ladies actually had a birth filmed and a part of The Business of Being Born.

Here’s another tidbit about me, I am actually a bit of a prude. So I don’t enjoy seeing other women in all their “glory” giving birth. Although, I do love their responses as they meet their newly born child – that moves me to tears. I also do not like fowl language, which The Business of Being Born did not “bleep” out the few times that it was uttered by participants in the movie, but that did not detract from the message of the film. It did make my ears ring though. Not that I don’t ever spout off something I shouldn’t when I am upset, I do, after all I am human. However, I do not use the “F” word and think it sounds atrocious to be honest. Very unlady like and unprofessional in my opinion. But I will say that some of these ladies were giving birth and in pain, so in part they really did not have had much control at the time either.

I think this is a must see film for all women planning to have children, expecting or who may even be done having children. Each group of women will take something away from it and it will challenge the way they view and think about birth.