My husband and I took a six-week childbirth class about a month before my due date. The instructor was unquestionably pro-drug-free labors. So, in addition to going over all the anatomy charts and talking about our fears and how we handle pain, etc., we also watched a ton of birth movies. Tons and tons and tons. Her goal was to bore the fear out of us, I think. In fact, by the end of the six weeks, we'd seen birth from all angles -- you know, except the angle of actually experiencing it, which by then felt a little beside the point.
There was one video in particular, shot some time in the early 80s judging from the hair/hiked up jeans on the dad, that really stuck with me. The woman was so calm and checked out and focused on the birth. She didn't even mind writhing around naked with her legs wide open during her minister's quick visit to say "hi." She kind of got on my nerves.
While I was laboring and eventually pushing out my first kid, I thought of this woman. I reasoned that if this insane preacher-flasher could stay calm and have a baby, so could I. And I did!
But since nobody goes to childbirth classes anymore, I'll give you a YouTube version of mine -- it's not me, she's reaching the level of calm like I tried to and like the 80s mom did. I've come across some others with laboring women who are just as calm -- no, calmer! -- than my inspiring/annoying laborer. You won't want to watch them at work, as the camera captures EV.ER.Y.THING. Happy labors!
