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The Business of Being Born

January 2, 2008

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I have heard from several people about the upcoming special benefit screening of The Business of Being Born.  Proceeds from the event will go to a new local nonprofit, BirthNetwork of Northwest Arkansas, a group that focuses on educating about natural childbirth options.  Here are the details:

BirthNetwork of Northwest Arkansas is pleased to announce a special benefit preview of The Business of Being Born, Friday, January 18, 2008 at Northwest Arkansas Community College’s White Auditorium.  The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a Talk-Balk Panel of local birth experts.  The first 50 mothers (or mothers-to-be) will receive a gift bag loaded with information and samples of mother and baby-friendly products.   Admission is free.

The Business of Being Born is directed by Abby Epstein and produced by Ricki Lake.  In 2001, actress Ricki Lake gave birth to her second child with the assistance of a midwife in her home bathtub.   She made the choice for a home birth after she experienced unwanted medical interventions while delivering her first child at a hospital birthing center.  Ricki succeeded in giving birth on her own terms and the experience was so unexpectedly empowering and life-changing that she felt every woman should know what they could be missing out on.

Ricki approached filmmaker Abby Epstein to collaborate on a film that would
examine birth culture in America, and ask questions about the way American
women have babies.

Footage of women having babies punctuates The Business of Being Born.  Each experience is unique; all are equally beautiful and equally surprising.  Giving birth is clearly the most physically challenging event these women have ever gone through, but it is also the most emotionally rewarding.

Along the way, Epstein conducts interviews with a number of obstetricians,
experts and advocates about the history, culture and economics of childbirth.  The film’s fundamental question: should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emergency?

As Epstein uncovers some surprising answers, her own pregnancy adds a very
personal dimension to The Business of Being Born, a must-see movie for anyone even thinking about having a baby!

This film premiered at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival and is due to be
released in select theaters in January 2008.  It will then be available on
Netflix in February 2008.  The filmmakers are allowing these local
screenings to help raise awareness on the topic and support birth
organizations on a local level.  A silent auction will help raise money for
the Transparency in Maternity Care Project of BirthNetwork of Northwest
Arkansas.

For more information go to The Business of Being Born website or the BirthNetwork of Northwest Arkansas website. 

Posted by Terri Chadick | Filed Under Blog 

Comments

One Response to “The Business of Being Born”

  1. Molly Jensen on January 3rd, 2008 6:53 pm

    I am so happy you are sharing this information. I am excited to see this movie. I have and two attempts at home births. One successful with my first, and one that required medical transport to a hospital. I would not change my experience for anything.
    thanks
    Molly

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