Congratulations to the winners of Ricki's book -- Jenny301, ParaJLegal1, and Jade 812! Check back often for more chances to win in Daily Buzz!
Ricki Lake has a long resume: actress, former talk show host, documentary filmmaker, and mom. She's also acommitted natural childbirth advocate who wants women to be educated about their options when it comes to giving birth.
In her new book, Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choics, and Take Back the Birth Experience, she and co-author Abby Epstein provide tons of info and advice to help women choose the kind of birth that's right for them.
Here's part 1 of my interview with her about the book and the process of giving birth.
Look for part 2 tomorrow -- and enter today to win a copy of the book! I'm giving away three. Read on for the interview and for details on the giveaway....
Your Best Birth is an awesome resource -- after already working on the documentary "The Business of Being Born," what made you and Abby decide to write a book?
Abby and I were both doing screenings of the film around the country and we always did Q and A’s at the end of each screening. At these Q&A’s we realized that there were so many questions yet to be answered. There are so many areas that we couldn’t cover in an 85-minute documentary. We felt that, just as the documentary is a tool for families having a baby, a book could provide more information for people to make informed, empowered decisions about the choices available to them during childbirth.
Does a woman's "best birth" necessarily mean a drug-free home birth?
No. That ended up being what was right for me. It was my second son, and that was something that was important to me.
We want women to know that they have choices and to know about all of the options that are available to them—all so that they may make educated decisions. I don’t judge any woman for the choices she makes, I just want her to have access to the correct information and not just go along with what her care provider tells her is best for her.
What would you tell moms is the *most important* part in planning their best birth?
Again, it’s about doing your homework and really caring about the process of giving birth. There are so many decisions that go into where you have a baby. It’s an opportunity for moms to have an incredibly empowering experience.
Having a baby is incredible no matter how the baby comes out or how you become a mother. But I really think that if women are active participants in the decision-making process, they can feel like they are part of the entire birth experience.
Thanks, Ricki!
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Come back for part 2 of the interview tomorrow....
Now, for that giveaway.
I'm giving away three copies of Your Best Birth, $23. To enter to win one, tell me:
How do you envision "your best birth?"
Here are the rules....
Three moms who reply to this post with a comment by
11:59pm (EST) on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 will be chosen at random to receive a copy of Your Best Birth*. Only your first comment counts as an entry; I'll discount all the others.
*No Purchase Necessary. Starts Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7am EST and ends Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. residents, 16 years and older, who are CafeMom members. Void where prohibited. Click here for Official Rules.
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Comments 15
I am already planning my "Best Birth". I really love Ricki's documentary and can't wait to read this book!
I can answer the question really long, or really short haha. I will try and keep it relatively simple.
I envision my upcoming birth, which will no doubt be my best birth, as something intimate and peaceful. Not painfree, but peaceful. I will be at home laboring with my husband and toddler. We have friends who will come to help with Becka so friends will also be there. I want to listen to music, light candles, and just ride the contractions!
I have a shower and husband at my disposal haha. I will use both to aid with comfort. DH knows massage points, and will fill the tub if I need him too!
I am giving birth at home, in our bedroom. I will most likely end up squatting, as it seems to be more comfy for me.
I will reach down and feel the head as it crowns! I can't wait to reach down and pull our baby up! Hubby is a little squeamish and unsure if he is going to catch the baby! So I may do that too, which will be awesome!
Birth, while I realize can and does hurt, doesn't have to be miserable. I plan to just go with the flow and enjoy every minute. :) I am excited for the upcoming birth (in the next couple weeks now) and know that while things don't always go as planned I have the makings for the Best Birth possible! :)
I plan on picking up this book this week at some point.
I read a fantastic review of it online, from someone who EXPECTED it to be anti-c-section and hospital births, but was very pleasantly surprised to find that it was exactly as she totes it - a guide for educating women to teach them about birth and help them decide what is important TO THEM, as an individual.
For me, I'm not entirely comfortable with an unassisted homebirth, and I can't afford to have someone attending. If I had a birthing center available, I'd use that, but I don't. So, I'm going for the Naval hospital, and all plans I've made and all "envisioning" has been done based on that. They have tubs you can use for laboring, but they don't want you to deliver in them. I don't want pain medications or to be confined to a bed with an IV this time, and I'd love to use the tub for pain control, and birth in whatever position feels comfortable to ME - not what is easiest for the midwife (med-wife... heh) or doctor.
Then there's always the chance that with my history of not feeling contractions EVER, that this baby may be born here at my house whether we like it or not, and hopefully that'd be in my tub as well (easy clean-up, hah!).
My best birth would be a water birth. I can't wait to read this book!! I loved "The Business of Being Born" but unfortunately I saw it AFTER I gave birth to my son. This next pregnancy/birth is going to be SOOOOO different. :)
I really want to have a water birth. My hospital is not equipped for this, and there are no close birth centers, so I am looking into having a midwife deliver my baby at home. I would like the room to be lit by candles with soft music and beach sounds playing quietly in the background. I really want to have a doula. I want my husband with me, of course, and our son in the house but not in the same room. He's only two, and I don't think he would understand what was going on, and I don't want him to be scared. And both of our families could be at the house too if they wanted. As long as they are quiet. :)
I can't wait to read this book I loved "the business of being born". I hope the book is just as empowering as the movie!
I am a member on her site as well and look forward to the release of this book. I enjoyed the Business of Being Born very much and attended a screening of it with my best friend.
To answer the question:
How do you envision "your best birth?"
My BEST birth is one in which I make the decisions for where and how, rather than making *most* of them. Obviously, there are circumstances which can take that control away from you and if my child needed intervention, I'd freely allow it (who wouldn't?). But let's say it's a perfect world and nothing was or could go wrong, my birth would unfold perfectly, at home, surrounded by only my husband and a small group of close friends. I'd like to think I'd be in the water, but I can't say for sure because I don't know what I'll feel like at that moment. I would push my baby out freely and easily into my own hands (or my husband's should my hands be unavailable) and I would hold baby to my breast to nurse for the first time. Then, I'd snuggle in my own bed and babe and I would fall peacefully asleep, while everyone else ate and enjoyed each other's company. Then they'd all do my chores. LOL The last part is sort of a joke...only sort of.
I would really like to get ahold of this book, it sounds great! My Best Birth would be one where I am in control. Let's just say my first birth was less than desireable. I want to take control of my childs birth. I am not quite sure about home birthing but I am looking into a Birthing Center and/or a Midwife. I want someone there who can guide me when I hit walls or if something were to happen. I want my fiancee to support me as I bring our child into this world. I want it to be a special exceprience for us as a family with guidance if and when we need it.
My best birth is at home, in my own comfortable environment. No bright lights, not constant monitoring. At home I will be able to move as I choose, eat as I choose and labor as I choose. My hubby will be there with me, supporting me as my birth coach and my hynobabies coach. My midwife will only step in when I feel that my body is ready to deliver my beautiful little girl. I am ultimately shooting for a hypno/water birth, and will have the birthing pool all set up and ready to go. Low music, low lights, and my own peace of mind knowing that I am doing the best thing for me and my baby.
This is my best birth and this is what I will be having the end of August.
I admire Ricki and all those women who helped her make her documentary and those that helped her write this book. I have not read it, but would love to pick up a copy of it someday. It sounds like an encouraging book that informs and woman on how to take back her birth...whether at home or in a hospital.
I loved Ricky Lakes "Business of being born" amazing stuff!
My Best Birth would be me in a birthing center. free to walk. eat. drink. not straped to a bed like at a hospital. I want to be free to get in water if thats what i feel like doing. I want to be in control! I want to go drug free! I want my baby to go from birth canal to breast!
My ultimate dream is my dh wont pass out on my first contraction (like the first time) and he will be in the room to hear our babes first cry.. Id love for him to catch or cut the cord.. but Im stretching it there! lol..
i haven't seen BoBB yet, but i can't wait to. i also plan to read this book. i'm already planning on having a midwife and i'm not even pregnant yet. lol :)