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Filming births: Why would you want to?

Steve Williams

by Steve Williams

28 Jan 05:35am

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Filed under: Birth, Children, Filming, Parents, Privacy, Society

48 comments

This week online forums fired up with talk about whether or not you should be allowed to film births, after a report it had been banned. I’d like to know why you’d want to in the first place.

A cute birth? Surely not… Pic: AP

I know it’s all about documenting the miracle of birth and so on, but why would you even think about taking a video camera into a
delivery room?

Maybe there’s some confusion with the operating “theatre” concept.

I’m sure your wife/girlfriend/partner/sister/mother (no, that’s too weird) would love a camera in her face and elsewhere while she’s enduring the most excruciatingly painful experiences you can
imagine – even if she’s totally drugged up to the eyeballs.

One would think the person wielding the camera could actually be more use and support at the other, er, non-business end.

You can’t blame the medical staff for having issues with privacy – they’re at work. I wouldn’t want a camera on me when I’m working – and my work isn’t highly specialised, involving life and death

There’s also the annoyance/danger of having a work experience Tarantino getting in their way: “Sorry, had to change the battery, can you put Trevor back in? Ta. Cue the screaming… Action”.

A Melbourne mum had issues with the ban, saying she had a caesarean and “couldn’t see anything that was going on, so I wanted a video”. Really? You want to see it? In all its wide screen, high def, gory glory? Really? Why not shoot it in 3D while you’re at it?

Apart from that, who are you going to show the video to? Whack it in the DVD player when there’s nothing on telly that night? You could also upload it to UterusTube.

There are endless options – you could cut it together like one of those before-and-after wedding videos for friends and family, “Now that’s us conceiving Trevor… yep, that was the moment…then…“Look my uterus is fully dilated! (Waaaaaaah!) Geez Nathan, I told you to get a closeup there…”

Count me out of that slide night.

Fast forward to Trevor’s 21st – a night to remember – “Can we have a bit of shush up the back, got a little video to show you all…”

Most commented

48 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Reg says:

      05:34am | 28/01/11

      Well I most certainly would not want to film the proceedings but one of the most dramatic and emotional stills I have ever captured was of my son taking his very first breath. The one where the heart bypass seals and the blood is diverted through the lungs for the very first time. The memory can capture and retain the image, but a camera allows for sharing it. Clearly it is the sharing that authorities are trying to avoid.

      Reply

    • Jim says:

      09:08am | 28/01/11

      What a fantastic moment Reg…hope all is still well!

    • Stephy says:

      06:57am | 28/01/11

      The only reason I can think of that people would want to remember the moment of birth is to remind themselves why they should hesitate before going through it again…

      Reply

    • Gavin says:

      01:46pm | 28/01/11

      30 seconds of such a film should be used as a condom ad.

    • Lollapalooza says:

      03:38pm | 28/01/11

      And used in schools during H.R.E classes…

    • Kay says:

      07:28am | 28/01/11

      Ah birthing tapes the sequel to sex tapes.  I don’t understand the appeal of either.

      Reply

    • rudy says:

      02:54pm | 28/01/11

      Sex tapes can be appealing, depending on who stars in them and how good their performance is. Birth tapes - maybe for parents. I wouldn’t want to watch my own birth on a screen, let alone anyone else’s.

    • Kay says:

      04:29pm | 28/01/11

      I can certainly go without seeing my private parts in high def, especially while something is being forcefully pushed out.. Makes me cringe just thinking about it.

    • Jim says:

      09:51pm | 28/01/11

      Screech from Saved by the Bell made a few…they were really disturbing apparently.

    • acotrel says:

      07:38am | 28/01/11

      Steve, when you have kids of your own, you’ll understand the consequences of your sex life, and you might want to record a joyous occurrence.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      11:15am | 28/01/11

      Surely the Children themself are a record of the joyous occurence. Why would you want a film of them coming out - you will get enough pictures in their lifetime (especially with digital cameras, where you will people take hundreds of photos on holiday, as opposed to 1 or 2 rolls of film).

    • s m says:

      03:11pm | 28/01/11

      I’ve had two kids of my own.  I had noooo desire to record their entrance on videotape.

    • JD says:

      04:23pm | 28/01/11

      I certainly don’t want to be filmed when I pop and poop whilst pushing, gross, yeah teh child is the record of the whole event, i plan to have the drug filled pain free birth i have been dreaming of since i was a little girl and no one is filming that area

    • megan says:

      04:15pm | 31/01/11

      I remember the birth of my daughter being a miraculous, beautiful, painful, amazing experience but I certainly do not want a video showing the reality of it.
      I will always treasure the memory of that day but in no way want to see it again on film. EVER.

    • RK says:

      07:48am | 28/01/11

      Steve, I think you’ll find it’s the woman who has asked for the birth filmed in most cases (where it happens - not all want this). 

      The husband isn’t usually seen mucking around with a camera like a dill when he could be up the other end helping out, unless he’s been asked to capture the event on camera.

      I had two of my births recorded (not the c-section).  My husband was beside me and my sister had the camera.  It’s an amazing thing to be able to watch the moment your child was born (something most women, unless they’re contortionists, are unable to view at the time).

      I’m not inviting my mates around for a movie night - my husband hasn’t even seen the footage.  It’s just something I wanted for me.

      Reply

    • JD says:

      04:25pm | 28/01/11

      put a mirror at that end, why have it if you’re not going to watch it? i can understand for intructional purposes and birth control but if you’re not going to show it to anyone why have it?

    • BL says:

      04:51pm | 28/01/11

      JD - obviously you have never given birth, or you’d know that it can be impossible to even open your eyes at that stage.  You have it for YOURSELF to watch.  And, if a woman does that, with her own birth - what is it to you?  I mean, seriously - do people tell you what you can and can’t record and watch in your own home?  don’t get your knickers in a knot about something that has nothing to do with you!

    • Mayday says:

      07:54am | 28/01/11

      My husband was watching and a nurse asked if I would like a mirror.  This is man who sat up and watched his own vasectomy as well as lots of surgical stuff on tv documentaries.

      I could feel and see the contractions on the monitor but it was his face that said it all so, no mirror required thank you!

      Reply

    • AFR says:

      07:57am | 28/01/11

      Cameras seem to be overused in all sorts of circumstances these days. Rock concerts, holidays. Don’t people simply want to exeperience the moment without worrying about thigns being in focus?

      Reply

    • JD says:

      04:26pm | 28/01/11

      filming holidays you want to make others jealous that they weren’t there and photos of holidays so you can relive the moments, who wants to relive child birth?

    • Missy says:

      08:07am | 28/01/11

      Funny stuff, I can’t imagine anything more invasive, seriously what’s wrong with these people! How many times do they watch the video, I can’t imagine to many of those tapes being watched to death can you?

      Reply

    • RK says:

      08:11am | 28/01/11

      And, Steve - it’s the cervix that dilates, not the uterus.  Can you stick to writing articles on topics about which you are informed?  (Clearly, this does not include ‘the business end’ of women’s bodies.)

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      04:36pm | 28/01/11

      Had a good 30 second laugh over that. Thank you so much.

    • bella starkey says:

      08:29am | 28/01/11

      I think the women who want a video of thier babies birth must not realise it involves hours of pissing and shitting in front of complete strangers while screaming and sweating profusely.

      It’s like someone getting a video of you when you go to hospital for severe food poisoning and then getting a close up of the rectal exam.

      Reply

    • Mayday says:

      01:49pm | 28/01/11

      Enemas always before a birth bella!

    • Stephy says:

      04:31pm | 28/01/11

      Mayday, not anymore.

    • Pop says:

      10:50am | 28/01/11

      Is it not for us to judge people who want it taped. It is a personal choice that hurts no one.

      Reply

    • JD says:

      04:29pm | 28/01/11

      I am not sure the child at his 21st birthday and out pops the video would agree with you there haha

    • Sahara says:

      10:52am | 28/01/11

      If you want to show me a video of how your child arrived into this world than show me a video of the conception not the birth

      Reply

    • Why would you? says:

      11:19am | 28/01/11

      When I gave birth, I left it too late to ask for a epidural or any other pain meds other than gas. The gas did sweet FA. I felt like my body was being cut in half, straight through my spine. The pain was excrutiating and every time I had a contraction I took temporary leave of my senses. As a result, I was naked (apart from wearing a cotton sports bra), kneeling on the bed and bellowing like a wounded elephant, while blood and mucus (and who knows what else) slopped out everywhere. I dare say I looked like an elephant too. Why on earth anyone would want to film this sort of thing is beyond me. As it is, my husband seems to be scarred from the experience.

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      03:36pm | 28/01/11

      My point exactly. Men shouldn’t be allowed in the birthing room. Very rarely is a birth exactly as portrayed in the movies and TV.

    • Reg says:

      05:15pm | 28/01/11

      I got my kicks by attending to all my old high-school GFs between breaks. Just as well they didn’t know who was behind the mask. That was all in the late sixties and my father-in-law was horrified. No epidural in those days, too bloody dangerous. A father of stability and courage is of great assistance to his partner. The weaklings shouldn’t be let anywhere near the delivery.

    • Mr GG says:

      11:31am | 28/01/11

      In case the hospital stuff up and kill mother an child with the mistake….... the very reason hospital want to stop you.

      Reply

    • LaDiva says:

      11:58am | 28/01/11

      As an obstetrician friend once said to me, there are going to be a lot of strange twenty-first birthday parties in the future.

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      03:23pm | 28/01/11

      HAhaha yeah the embarassing photo will turn into a whole new level of embarassment.
      “Look Junior… here’s Mum defecating on your head while you’ve torn her skin completely open. She needed 10 stitches after that”

    • David says:

      01:47pm | 28/01/11

      The solution is pretty simply.
      Put all the emotion aside and deal with it like any other situation where more than one person is involved. Get informed consent from everybody and go ahead. No informed consent, no go.
      Both parents have rights. Both need to agree. The doctors and nurses also have rights. They need to agree. If you can’t find a doctor or nursing staff willing to go along with your plan, then tough luck. Have your baby without their expert help and film it as much as you like. I hope you don’t have any medical complications that require that expert help.
      If you want/need their help and they don’t want to be filmed, then you need to accept the conditions they impose or accept the alternative.
      Many doctors and nurses will be fine with the idea, but then just as many won’t like it. So it’s up to the parents to decide what is more important. Do you pick medical staff based on their medical expertise or do you pick them based on their willingness to be filmed?
      Is it really any harder than that?
      I personally think it would be disgusting to watch a birth on video, but each to their own. We all have different tastes and none of us has the right to dictate those tastes to others. At the same time we can’t expect others to go along with our tastes and cater to our whims either.

      Those that think the hospitals are taking this step to avoid responsibility for their mistakes are probably the same conspiracy theorists who believe Elvis is still alive or the moon landings were fake. Get over it.

      Reply

    • Kika says:

      03:13pm | 28/01/11

      I think there’s something wrong with allowing men in the birthing room. Hasn’t it been documented that after a man sees his wife and her bits in all their biological glory that some fondness for those bits decreases? Some things should retain a mythical aura.

      This is what I find funny, a man thinks watching childbirth is ok, but then can’t stand the thought, sight of period blood. HAhahaha. Reality is horrible isn’t it.

      Reply

    • Joker says:

      03:38pm | 28/01/11

      lmao at ‘mythical aura’...

      It’s not like a dragon from Lord of the Rings.

      More like a ‘snap dragon’.

    • Syl says:

      04:12pm | 28/01/11

      My wife is currently pregnant with our first child, and I will most definitely be present in the birth room.
      I will, however, not be venturing down to the end of the bed where the action happens.  Ill be there for moral support, at head level.  Show me the kids when its done and I aint moving round the end of the bed until its all covered up.
      I watch enough horror movies at home without seeing one in person.

    • NEFFA says:

      04:31pm | 28/01/11

      i agree Kika, there is such a thing as secret womens business and should remain so.

    • Kate says:

      06:11pm | 28/01/11

      Kika, I’m a long way off having kids, but I’ve already told my boyfriend that I’d rather he stay up near me if he comes into the birthing room and he doesn’t have to look at what’s going on. I don’t want to see it, and I can’t imagine he would either. He seemed pretty relieved that I didn’t want him getting the full horrible view.

    • Lisa H. says:

      06:25pm | 28/01/11

      There is no way I am giving birth without my husband present. He is a tower of strength and just calms me by being near. Take the cameras away if you want, but don’t seperate me from my husband!

      Back to topic, my mother invited herself along to my first birth and without my permission, produced a camera and took happy snaps just as my baby was being delivered!!!

      She showed all her friends and then eventually emailed me a copy!
      The look of absolute pain, exhaustion and endurance on my face just takes me right back…to a place I’d much rather not dwell, quite frankly.
      Her lack of consideration suprised and annoyed me greatly.

      She had a full anaesthetic for my birth, though… which is perhaps why she wanted to photograph?

    • Me and my chevy says:

      10:16am | 29/01/11

      Kika that’s rubbish and you are a troll for suggesting it. Men being in delivery suites during a birth is as natural as throwing out your daughter when you find she doesn’t measure up.

      I do agree with one of your earlier posts though, informed consent is needed both by the intimately involved and by the staff.

    • acotrel says:

      08:14pm | 28/01/11

      I have never filmed the birth of any of my kids.  In fact I was only present at the birth of my last, my daughter.  My relationship with her is better than that with my first two kids.  I feel more attached, and actually part of her life.  I feel disconnected with the other two.

      Reply

    • Me and my Chevy says:

      12:17am | 29/01/11

      My brother, never the sharpest knife in the draw, took a video camera into the birth of his child and then proceeded to show it to us at Christmas when we all got together. I hadn’t been warned them walked into the television room quite accidentally to be presented by this on a 52 inch screen and promptly threw up. Apparently he warns people now before he shows the footage. Just goes to show, anyone can learn.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      09:33am | 29/01/11

      I wouldn’t condemn anyone for filming the birth oif their child, but showing the movie to others is a different question!

    • jim morris says:

      04:25pm | 29/01/11

      People should be allowed to video a birth, a death, or a birthday. What right has the government to dictate? Just more control over people’s lives. We are all being painted into a corner and it won’t be until you run out of elbow room that you will wake up to that fact.

      Reply

    • jesscar says:

      06:52pm | 29/01/11

      I’m surprised that the comments on here are so judgemental. Personally, I’ve told my husband I dont want him looking down the business end, I crossed out the options of using a mirror to see for myself and would never want it to be filmed, but who am I to judge someone else for wanting that? I dont want to skydive either or make a sex tape of ourselves but I dont have a problem with other people who do.

      And there are many things in this world that we do for ourselves, so the “why do it if you’re not going to show anyone else” doesnt really sit with me.

      I do beleive that the midwives and doctors should have to give consent before filming takes place however. I wouldnt want anyone filming me (at work or otherwise) without my permission so I feel that is fair.

      But if the nurses and doctors dont mind, and the mother wants it, why should the government or lawyers get involved?? Unless they are in fact afraid of them being used as evidence of malpractice…

      Reply
 
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