Reaves. I notice you do not provide qualified and actual links to your assertions. Amazing things are found on Google, and Google does not attempt to ascertain the expertise of the websites nor opinions (as distinguished from fact) it includes in its data base.

Google warns us (with stronger and stronger language) about what we are viewing there. Its priorities from the git go have been volume, not erudition, for its data. I think Google trusted readers and researchers to have the brains to do their own screening of material. Well, if our discussion participants are any indication of the profound intelligence, logic, relevance, and opinions we average readers have, it may be worth a double take.

The attitude quoted in the article is: “It’s my child,” she [the mother] said. “Who can tell me I can take a picture or not take a picture of my own flesh and blood?” Yea.. all that blood is so gorgeous! Hmmm how many of us would just simply love to see a digital snapshot of ourselves exiting bloodily head first from mom's womb... or sometimes feet first... or from the incision of a Caesarian section? Lotsa flesh (mom's) and lotsa blood (also mom's but smeared all over junior... or junior-ess).

The only answer is: ONLY the professionals who are bringing an infant into the world. ONLY they have the RIGHT to preclude (or, heaven forbid, allow) spouse, relatives, friends, neighbors, interested onlookers? access to the delivery room. Certainly not the "right" of an ignorant mommy dearest (nor daddy dearest for that matter).

The picture-taker is UNSANITARY AND IN THE WAY of medical professionals trying to do their job and any harm to the baby could be ascribed at the least simply to the distraction by the digital photographer hopping around to get just the right angle.

Any alleged "harm," imaginary or real resulting from the "stranger within the gate" ... that, of course, would be a handy-dandy lawsuit against the hospital for allowing it in the first place.

Sheesh.

So hospitals want to prevent video and pictures because it might catch them making a mistake or doing something wrong, and they will not be able to lie about it and say that it did not happen.

Like the examples in the article, where they caught something that they were doing wrong on tape. So the doctors or nurses could not cover their #@%#@ and say that it never happened. Any reputable and honest doctor would admit their mistake without having to have the video footage.

Jim & Reaves... what do you guys do for a living? hmmmm? I work at something that takes my full concentration. If someone came into my study and started taking pictures of me, I would bop him into left field.

I supposed, at home reclining in your easy chair... your laptop propped in your lap... empathy comes hard to you.

There is room for a happy, middle-ground policy here. Medical staff can simply mandate that birth photos and footage be for private use only. Photographers and videographers should sign an agreement not to publish the material, nor publicly distribute it, without the consent of all staff appearing in the photos or footage. This allows families to film their experiences, without forcing medical staff to perform on Facebook. Does Facebook even allow such graphic material??

As for litigation, I can't imagine any decent judge allowing birth footage to be shown to a jury. Instead, the footage would be shown to qualified medical professionals, summoned by both the defendant(s) and prosecution/plaintiff, who would summarize their impression to the jury by testifying on the witness stand. A lay person cannot interpret what is normal, what is acceptable, and what is unacceptable in medical practice. They also cannot discern whether certain problems were the result of medical malpractice. I mean, bad outcomes can occur even if the medical staff performed perfectly. That's where expert testimony comes into play. Asking a jury to interpret a birth video would be prejudicial.

Instead of suppressing potential evidence altogether, hospitals just need to use common sense to prevent birth footage from becoming YouTube hits, or from being used as shock value to a jury. I mean, when you're charging thousands of dollars for a hospital birth, and people are relatively limited in their choices geographically (who's going to drive an extra 50 miles in labor to a hospital that allows photos?), then I think the patient should have some rights. Midwives are an option, but why should parents have to give up pain relief options and proximity to emergency care just to film a birth?

It might be in the best interests of the hospital to tape births--because then blame can be assigned appropriately when there is blame, and innocence also will be easier to ascertain. Police officers are supposed to do this--and those who refuse probably aren't doing what they should.

But, of course, then it would be the patients complaining about a lack of privacy and wanting to know who has the footage and what it is being used for. It is odd how people can be so self-absorbed as to not realize that a medical professional might be distracted by the camera, and the presence of the camera might have impacted the situation negatively.

I don't think that people should be allowed to take cameras into the delivery room unless the staff all agrees. Still, I do think that ultimately cameras could be in the best interest of the doctors if they want to prove that they didn't do anything wrong. But, the issue is one for hospitals and staff to deal with, really.

SecondSight, the way you dismiss the feelings of the patients in your post -- PLEASE tell me you're not a medical doctor.

I wouldn't like to be videotaped at work and my face, mistakes and my mundane actions put on face book. People have been giving birth for millions of years without the hole birth recorded. Why would a woman want to be taped anyway? It is a painful messy business. It isn't the most glorious of sights. Afterward when the baby and I are cleaned up O.K. I don't think I want my husband in the room either. As I said it isn't the best memory for him to have. Me in stirrups sweating and in pain.

If you want your birthing experience on tape then why not go to a studio instead of a hospital? We need to remember that the reason we go to hospitals to give birth is that although it is a natural process, things can go wrong. Do you really want your OB. distracted when he/she needs to be concentrating on assisting you and your infant during the birth? Use some common sense people!

Giving birth is not a spectator sport. You have the choice of giving birth at home, where you can do what you want; but if you want assistance at a hospital, you have to abide by their rules.

Why is this woman having her eighth child anyway???

Yes lady, you have rights. You have the right to choose another hospital! You also have the right to go it alone, at home.

I work in a profession where everything I do is recorded. I talk to airplanes. Every transmission, every keyboard entry, all of my radar displays, every time I open a door or go on a computer, EVERYTHING is recorded. Just in case an emergency happens, or, I make a mistake. I just don't have a choice. In fact people even listen online. I guess I don't have a problem with the hospital taping things, (for lawsuit purposes) in fact I'm surprised they don't yet. But personal cameras should be at the hospital's, and the medical personnel's discretion. It's not a 'right'.

To whom would you show your birthing film? There's a fine line between a graphic birthing film and pornography. I agree with the hospital staff. If they don't want to be in your movie, then that's their right. Do a re-enactment at home if it's that important.

I remember when my son was born, the doctors weren't even going to let me into the room to watch. My wife was having a C-section. But after slipping the nurse 70 bucks, I was allowed to be there as long as I stood in the back of the room. I was even allowed to take a video.

I looked and felt horrible during labor (really rough one-had septicemia), so I certainly didn't want a video; and I can't imagine wanting a video of the actual event (my husband would have passed out anyway.) They kept him at my head and held a small mirror for us to see the birth, and it really worked out well that way-not overwhelming, but we saw it (I did, anyway.)

Being a medical person myself, I would find a camera very distracting; and it would definitely get in the way if anything went wrong. I've had a patient "code" (Code Blue), and everyone nonessential must be gotten out of the way quickly so that the crash cart can get to the patient. Even though I personally didn't want it, I can understand the desire to videotape the miracle of the birth of one's child; however, I can also understand if the staff wants cameras out of the way for the birth especially. You don't want to have to mow someone down with a camera if there is an emergency in order to do what you have to do. As far as the malpractice, I agree that everyone should tell the truth about what happened; and that includes the lawyers. What can happen is that even if the doctor did nothing wrong, the video can be used to extract sympathy from the jury, resulting in a huge settlement-which can absolutely ruin a doctor, even though he or she did nothing wrong. Of course, the doctor may have messed up. It's just that video can be used manipulatively.

dirtydog200

There's a fine line between a graphic birthing film and pornography.

You cannot be serious. I would agree that sharing a birthing video with anyone beyond mom and dad is in poor taste (because it is highly personal), but the relationship you are positing is absurd, you bluenose.

Actually Atheismo, dirtydog is correct about the fine line...otherwise birthing videos aired on educational programs such as "Special Delivery" wouldn't have intimate areas pictured in film blurred.

Atheismo. Bluenose? Positing? Sir/Mam, you are a wordsmith extraordinaire! By definition you can't really say I'm a bluenose after stating that the little production would only be appropriate for mom and dad. Thats' exactly what I was getting at you bluenose.

Well said! And I have to admit your statement about God made me chuckle, but does capture the ridiculousness of some people. Yes, if a baby is not perfect, then surely someone is to blame. Disease and complications should never happen to my baby...everything should always come together in a perfect way.

Human child birth is a brutal process if you think about it...more so than for most other mammals (think dogs, cats for example). And a multitude of things have to all come together correctly (from conception on to delivery) to birth a happy healthy baby. It is quite awe-inspiring that is does all come together correctly most of the time. Why have more distractions then needed in the birthing room? You can't have it both ways. "I want your undivided attention, but here let me run back and forth around you to get the best shots on my camera +/- camera flashing in your eyes." And I do believe that once lawyers get a hold of video they could very well snip and edit in a misleading way to bolster their case.

But on the contrary, yes it is probably somewhat about being sued, but, really, like Kelcy said....2.3 million??? Keep settling for these high amounts and no one (there is already an exodus of ObGyn out of some states) is gonna want to pursue that specialty in the future...

Umm i am not sure i understand you two ...

So if the midwife uses excessive force, and ends up permanently injuring a baby to the extent that he has a life long hunch back or dislocated shoulder affecting his day to day life ....the parents should just grin and bear it ...like aww shucks ...these things happen ...and why exactly ?

Would you be so understanding and dismissive if it were you son or daughter who was thus crippled ? Not by God but by human error ? How much you, as a parent with a crippled child, think at that time what your restitution should be ? $5000 say ? $50,000 ? do you think Half a mil is good enough compensation for a life time of reduced capacity just because someone was careless enough or in a hurry or tired or whatever to not exercise due caution at the time of delivery ?

No, the arm might not have fallen off, but it CAN cause permanent nerve damage and even loss of use. As someone who had 2 babies with shoulder dystocias, yes in both cases it WAS negligence as there were many many signs that the labor was not progressing normally and the baby was not in the optimal position. And not only can stuck shoulders cause damage to the arm, they can also cause the baby to be deprived of oxygen which can lead to brain damage. In my oldest son's case he suffered oxygen deprivation, a broken clavicle, and severe bruising to his head due to the vacuum they had to use. My last child also ended up with 2 clavicle fractures, bones broken before he was even born. They didn't use forceps/vacuum but he was still very bruised and sore from the ordeal. He weighed 10 lbs 3 oz and even holding him the dr said "oh he's not more than maybe 8.5". I had wanted a c-section but was refused because it 'wasn't medically necessary'. I would much rather go through that and end up with a healthy baby, than a 2 min old baby screaming every time I tried to touch or hold him.

Shoulder dystocia can be a devastating, if fact, on occasion, fatal complication of vaginal birth. Read the wiki for an explanation about this very complicated, serious and relatively common problem.

ps Ruth, since recurrence of this condition is common, you may have been a victim of xxxpractice. See you attrny.

"Americans have become bizarre." Kelcy, don`t blame the people, blame the lawyers, they are the ones who talk the people into going after those amounts of money. The whole system is nothing but a get rich scam by the BAR, and people are the pawns used to make that money. Why do you think the cost of insurance is so high? The system isn`t setup to be fair to you or I, it`s setup to support the livelihood of the lawyers. In the end, it`s all the people whp pay the price for all of this.

For everyone that just can't seem to understand that we are all humans, and that humans do make mistakes...go find some machine to deliver your babies...and while you're at it, figure out some way that you can conceive, carry and deliver a PERFECT baby (you don't want any responsibility for causing any harm because of a mistake, right?)

Better yet, don't even chance it...don't procreate...and if you do, don't seek prenatal care (because doctors are human), delivery rooms (because they're staffed by humans); don't stop there, either. IF you happen to have a healthy baby, put them in a bubble, as they might be injured at some point in their pathetic lives.

Good luck with that.

Ruth-1603062, no need to worry about that " medically necessary" c-section now. There was an article on here a few months ago on how c-sections are the going thing. It seems doctors can "schedule" them and it doesn't interrupt with their golf.

Oh my, Ruth....and just think...if you'd had a video of your children's births, you could be RICH beyond your wildest dreams.

How sad...sounds like sour grapes to me.

I am due with my second child in less than 2 weeks and my hospital does not allow for videotaping until the baby is declared healthy and I am perfectly ok with that. I want the doctor and the nurses to be concentrated on me and my child not worrying about a camera. I don't see how the "rights" of the mother to have videotape of the child birth should trump the medical staff's rights not to be videotaped.

Andrea 825, you sound like a very sensible lady who is focused on what is best for the baby, instead of what kind of video op and photo op you can get out of the moment.
I hope you have a wonderful delivery and that your baby is safe and healthy!
All the best to you!

I think it is amazing that people don't even think about the fact that until the modern era, people were giving birth without the help of anyone or anything.

How long has the human race been around???

Under normal circumstances, how complicated is child birth? What are the doctors really doing?.......Not much.

When there are complications, that is the time that you might not want the camera on. To indiscriminately ban taping all together is wrong.

I'm an engineer and if I make a design error it is very likely that people could be injured if not killed. I understand that we are talking about two different things, but I would expect someone to sue me if I screwed up. Not letting people video tape their childs birth, regardless of whether it is something that you would or would not do, should raise some flags.

If a doctor injures a child during birth then they are going to be sued regardless of the action being taped or not and, in my opinion, a jury will take sides with the parents of an injured baby before they will take sides with the villainous doctor.

Are you really saving yourself anything by not allowing video? Maybe but then again, maybe not.

Decrying someone's settlement from medical malpractice is just obnoxious. Does it ever occur to these snarky disinterested parties that a permanent injury requires many thousands of dollars over a lifetime just to take care of it? And if that injury could have been avoided, then the person who caused the injury has to pay for it. That's how the system works. If you don't like it, I'm sure that there are plenty of nations available that you could live in that do not allow for such remedies.

"Women in resource-poor countries still face a 1 in 16 risk of dying of pregnancy-related causes during their lifetime, in contrast to women in well-resourced countries where the risk is about 1 in 4800."

Go ahead and read the entire paper if you like, and then ask yourself again if you think doctors don't do much (I realize the paper does not specify doctors by name, but it is doctors who implement policy in real life).

never mind

Well that would be a silly and dangerous response. You have to try and see it from their point of few, most people on the jury have no idea how to discern a normal birth from a complicated one, or that some are just naturally harder than others. I've been there twice for my sons, it looked like a bloody murder scene, don't see how anyone viewing that without a proper background could come to any conclusion.

When I was pregnant, I watched some birth videos on YouTube to help prepare me for what to expect. All these birthing mothers were talking about their wonderful homebirth experiences following the footage, but I was left feeling like I had just watched a crime scene. And these were supposedly "perfect" home births! So yes, it would be crazy to show such footage to a jury. But why can't they just present the video to a neutral doctor, who can testify to the jury about what was on the video? I see no reason to prevent the filming in the first place; just don't show it to a jury.

That said, there are so many cute and wonderful things to capture on video when you have babies and young children. Birth is NOT one of them.

There is nothing more disturbing than video footage of a birth. It is not the miracle that people think it is.

These health professionals are trying to provide the best care in probably the least optimal situations. Birth is not an easy process and the doctors and nurses and midwives, etc. have to provide care for both mother and child amidst screams and husbands and other people that the mother wants in the birthing room and often video cameras. Does that sound like a safe and sterile environment?

It's not that the doctors or the nurses want to hide malpractice, it's that when there are babies involved, who would most juries vote towards: the doctor that they perceive to make large sums of money or the baby that was severely injured in a traumatic birth(even if the doctors and nurses, etc. did everything right)?

I didn't scream and there was nobody in they way - in fact it came in handy to have a couple extra people to hold my legs. It was also not a bloody crime sceen as people have said - I didn't see any in my two births. There is absolutely NO WAY in the GIANT hosptial room set up like a 5 star hotel room that I was in that 20 people could have gotten in the way. But then again, I can't imagine my hospital banning videa either.

I think it's great that each hospital can set their own rules because obviously whatever previous posters are describing is not always the case.

Does the child birth film not get showed in high school anymore? I'm not that old, but when I was in ninth grade it was showed to us in health class. The footage was so old it was reel-to-reel. It was a little bloody but what the he!!, it's a child birth. Between the narrator and the teachers comments it was very informative. I think it was even showed in the classes we took at the hospital. If a jury is gonna be allowed in suits like this, they should all doctors or delivery room nurses from top birthing facilities. I'm with the staff though, I wouldn't want to be a star on youtube or Facebook.

I have had all 3 of my kids in a birthing pool at a birthing center the first 2 were perfect and we were home within 3 hours. 10 years later I had my 3rd and it went wonderfully too but I HAD to be admitted to the hospital across the street for an observation period time of 72 hours and if I would have refused to go child protective services would have been called. I was told that if he wasn't observed he could DIE! The problem is the hospital has gotten too much power they tell you no videos, then no cameras, then you have to stay of observation of a healthy birth, what is next? I am not for the whole filming the birth but really when do we say enough is enough? I will NEVER go to the hospital again to have a baby I would have a mid-wife at home.

I don't know when, or why, this fad began. Who in the hell wants to watch? I wonder if they start off the feature presentation with an introduction in CinemaScope of the conception?

Kaelii?? Meliyah?? How about these women stop worrying about who's video-taping their crotches and spend some time choosing names that won't embarrass their children for the rest of their lives?

When you have your 8th kid, you should have the procedure down pat and have the child at home, hire a video and photography crew (you know, the kind they have at weddings) and film away. I thought Spike's suggestion was great too--complete's the whole picture.

Agreed.

EIGHT kids and the other a seventeen-year-old who wanted to put it on youtube.

Where do they find these people?

Why would anyone be embarrassed by the name Kaelli or Meliyah? Not like the women called their children Apple. I can see the consternation on the part of the mothers but I get the doctor's point as well, anything goes wrong even a normal birth looks damning, people can see anything they want to there.

How do you even pronounce those names?? Kaelli, Meliyah??? That's as bad as the women at the hospital where my sister worked in the Neo-natal ICU, that name hers Orangejello and Lemonjello. I would almost bet the first women's parents were "hippie burnouts", and she grew up in Tie-dye diapers in a VW bus full of reefer smoke.

Spike asked when this "fad" began. It started with the Hippie, Baby-Boomer, feminist not wanting to have a "MAN", (i.e. the doctor) tell them how to have a Baby. They wanted to "control" their "birth experience". First it was having "dad" in the delivery room, or alternate birthing site and all the other "new age" BS and the rejection of western "Traditions and Norms", so on and so forth.

Krimanies, that kid has a lot of hair...

Yes I have 8 kids, and why is that wrong, I never said I was not worrried about my child, if something were to go wrong I would not be taking photos, I would be making sure my baby was OK

I give birth at the hosp because if something goes wrong they can take care of me or my baby, 2nd I do not take photos of the DR or nurse.......I just want that moment when I look at my child for the 1st time, whats wrong with that? I am do not video the whole thing either. The photos are of the baby on my chest.

Kaelii is pronounced Kay Lee and I spelled that way for a friend of my who has CF

If this really is "Laurie" then you need to chill. You went public with this issue, so you need to take what is dished out. Not one single person in the entire history of this planet has done or said something that was approved or agreed upon by everyone. You're going to get some people saying it's not a big deal to allow cameras, when you think it is.

Every business can create their own rules for their establishment. Before the state(s) outlawed no smoking in restaurants, some were no smoking anyway. Some convenient stores say "only one student at a time" or "No hats/hoodies" when entering the store (due to security cameras needing to be able to see you). Should I start a petition because it's my "right" to wear a hat?

I'm sure once the baby is on your chest, it's ok to shoot, but some people want to videotape the entire birthing process and, like the little girl in the article that shouldn't even be having a baby, put it on Facebook where honestly, people don't want to see it.

A lot of us just don't understand why you need video of something. When I was born ('84) there are just pictures of me clean, wrapped up, being held by my parents and a portrait of me in the hospital cart. I think they are beautiful pictures because it shows my parents holding me on my first day in the world. That's enough. Who the hell are you going to show bloody pictures/videos to? Are you really going to watch them again? Put them online where anyone anywhere can see no matter how safe you think your connection is? Can't you just keep the internal memories and take pictures later on in that day and be happy with that?

It's not a right to have a camera in a hospital, it's a privilege. Should we all throw a fit because we can't smoke or use a cell phone in a hospital? What about visiting hours, should we try to ban that practice? They make rules for a reason. Deal.

You are off topic. You need to start a revenge blog. This isn't the place.

@Karen, you are just wrong. Everyone is entitled to give their opinions on Newsvine, and that's UHP's opinion. Who are you to judge? They never said they were out for revenge.

Besides, I happen to agree with them. Some hospitals do make severe mistakes, and will unfortuneatly go to these kinds of lengths to cover it up. They don't want the cameras in the delivery room, because if something happens, it's their ass. But they should not even have to be worrying about that, they should be able to do their jobs with a minimun of mistakes as possible. If they could, they wouldn't be going on and on about pictures and video. Besides, it ought to be up to the woman giving birth, not her doctor. I'd have switched doctors if I was told I couldn't take a video or picture.

@ isis... really. You are one of the problems of this world we live in. Always looking for soomeone else to balme and say they are at fault and want to cover something up. How about the right of privacy. How about the right to provide a safe environment to operate in, how about having the right as an institution to make a decision as to what is in their best interests. If you don't like it... tough..get a life... start your own hospital and do whatever you want. What gives you the right to tell a hospital how they are going to conduct business. And where do you draw the line at who can come into the delivery room. Do you also believe you have the right to have 30 people in their and have a party. A line has to be drawn..and the hospital has the right to draw it as long as it does not effect the health of all involved.

The conspiracy theorists are out again. It's all about the hostitals trying to cover up their mistakes. Right ...

Any woman with any dignity at all would break the camera of someone trying to videotape such a private moment. What is so fascinating to look at? If you can't remember the experience or feel you missed out because you couldn't see every detail, you have some serious misconceptions about the whole meaning of giving birth. It's not an "all about me", "show the world' event.

Would these same parents agree to someone filming them UP CLOSE while they are sitting on the toilet emptying their bladders or their bowels? I think not. To me, a birth is a personal, private event with too many intimate details that are totally unnecessary on film or video. Just like sitting on a toilet is.

As someone else has said, there are sooooo many wonderful moments in the life of a baby or child that could be immortalized on film or video. Why is there such a burning need of some parents to turn a hospital delivery room into a movie set and film the baby's birth? Are you video-obsessed parents even enjoying the moment of the birth? Why not stop and think about THE STAR OF THE SHOW.....your baby! Concentrate on the baby and not on your egos!

Pallo, that`s the problem, it`s run as a business to make money. When money making is placed above the health and well being of the people they are suppose to be healing, your going to find trouble everytime. How can one place a monitary value on life itself? Your born into this world without money, and you leave the same way. There is nothing wrong with making a living, as hospitals do, but sometimes it can get way to pricey for the ones who are in need of them.

Pains last line speaks volumes to anyone with half a brain.

"I was a hard core runner and now I have a limp."

His "problems" were likely caused by his own action and failure to follow his doctors instructions. As a "hard core runner", he likely didn't listen when his was told to stay off the ankle for X months after treatment, or No running for X months to give it time to heal properly. I have relatives in the medical profession that have been sued by people just like "Pain" when they didn't follow instructions. It didn't hurt, so I must have been OK, so I tried to run my usual 10 miles two days after surgery, Pain says. But when they go to sue, their lawyer instructs them not to admit that and claim they were following doctor's instructions. Too bad there was that paperwork from that 10K race you tried to run the following weekend.

@Pallo how dare you. HOW DARE YOU. I am not a problem, so stop the judgment this INSTANT! You thinnk that just because I agree with someone's opinion, and that I have my own opinions as well that I'm a problem? YOUR THE PROBLEM, you pompous jerk, telling me that I am! You're the one passing judgement, when I never, ever did any such damn thing! Don't you EVER say anything like that on the Vine to me again, watch your big mouth. You have a lot of nerve, criticizing people like that, for no GOOD reason....so go have your jaw wired shut. Do the rest a favor. I have NEVER placed blame on any hospital for any problems. I have NEVER told a person treating me how to do their job. All I said is that covering their asses MAY be why they don't allow video. It MAY be the reason they have those rules in place. Did you see that MAY in there? MAY does NOT mean absolute! It means it could be this or it could be that! Either, or, genius (and I use that term loosely) That is what I am trying to say, so you need to stop trying to twist my opinions, because it only makes you look (exposes you as) like an @!$%#.

What I would do is try and reach a compromise, because this just isn't fair. This is a memory that will never be relived, and if some women want to keep it with a video, it doesn't mean they don't have dignity. The ones saying they should feel violated and ashamed, are the ones who should be ashamed. Your not the mother giving birth here. As I said, hospitals and expecting mothers should compromise.

That's a lot of rage right there!

Well when one person starts making snap assumptions and judgements, not to mention insulting people who are just agreeing with another's opinion, you can expect that person to get pissed off.

The rule should be universal? How dumb is that? Every business (in this case hospitals) has the right to make the decision that's best for them.

If the video is THAT important, choose a hospital that allows it or have the baby at home. As the father of a 9-week-old, I can tell you that holding a video camera was the LAST thing on my mind during the birth.

When I was pregnant with my first, 27 years ago, my ob-gyn told my husband and me no cameras in the delivery room. He had several reasons. The first was my privacy; as some here said, it is not the prettiest sight. Secondly, the person with the camera (husband) tends to get in the way during the delivery. If there is a problem, the staff needed to be able to provide care immediately (there was no problem during my son's delivery). His last reason was that my husband was supposed to be my LaMaze coach; how could he coach me if he was busy taking pictures? Once the baby was cleaned up, he was allowed to take all the pictures he wanted.

Our hospital has adopted this rule as well. It's increasingly common. We don't allow cameras in the ER, mainly because other patients are too nearby. And yes it is about lawsuits: fear of patients suing us for allowing other people to photograph them in the ER. It is a HIPAA violation.

Hospital staff are worried about their own privacy, because a parent happens to record a glimpse of them when they are filming their own wife and child.

Yet there is no concern for a woman's privacy when she is giving birth and the hospital decides to invite some 20-something year-old medical student or nurse-in-training to witness the ordeal. I sure didn't want any audience besides my husband and hand-picked doctor. But sure enough, I had to have some young male, whom I never met, watch the whole thing (embarrassing) during my first childbirth because he was a med student. During my second childbirth, I had to have some wanna-be nurse practice performing pelvic exams on me. It was painful enough each time the real nurse checked to see how far I was dilated; I sure didn't appreciate having her take turns with the nurse-in-training, for double the pain. I'm the one paying for it after all; no one got my permission or compensated me for the extra pain/humiliation I endured so they could get "training."

JLM - What a great idea! Don't allow them to come in and get a bit of experience, instead, have them practice on plastic dolls. Then I'm sure you would complain about how it was the doctors first delivery and you can't believe you had to be put in such a 'dangerous' situation. So by you're standards, we would eventually have no doctors or nurses. Good luck with your next kid!!

@JLM....if you did not wish to be attended by students, then you should have done your homework and not chosen a teaching hospital to deliver your child. Plain and simple, end of story.

The other side of that is...would you really want the doctor and staff delivering your baby to be 'delivery virgins' so to speak?

Can't have it both ways, you know. Personally, having delivered two of three of my children in teaching hospitals (plus subsequent surgeries over the past 25 years), I wouldn't have it any other way. The care I received there was outstanding...students included. The one delivered at the non teaching hospital? Not so good....not at all. This is simply my opinion, though.

i too gave birth at a teaching hospital, and in fact, we knew early in the pregnancy that my child would be born with half a heart. You had every right to NOT have those students there, all you had to do was tell your doctor (well before the date, would have been best. Had he said then, that you have no choice, you could then have chosen a different hospital). Knowledge is power and no one about to be a parent can make a rational informed choice on the brink of birth. People just think they know what's best hands down regardless... maybe we could spend less time judging and reacting, and more time talking things through and working together. Be proactive, knowledge is power.

Plus, you always, and I mean always, have the right to decline to have a student or resident present during any exam/procedure. I say that as someone who completed a residency, worked in a teaching hospital and was also a patient in a teaching hospital.

I'm in Alaska. My first child was born in the only hospital in the district, and it would have been several hours to the next nearest district. In fact, there are boarding houses for mothers from the rural villages, where they reside during their last month of pregnancy in order to make it to a hospital for their delivery. While midwives are very common here, it would not have been an option in my first childbirth, as my labor had to be medically induced. The fact is, it wasn't a teaching hospital... my doctor just happened to arrive with this med student when I started the pushing phase. I was in excruciating pain and had no idea they were going to spring this on me, several hours into labor.

For my next childbirth, I chose a doctor who was not training any med students. But it turns out the hospital was training a brand new nurse, and I was her first victim - I mean patient. She was really rough, and it took her a really long time to determine how far I was dilated. She insisted I was the full 10 cm (even though I had just arrived). I didn't know she was in training until the other nurse performed a second pelvic exam, corrected her, and mentioned to me that the first nurse was just in training. Gee thanks. After the fifth pelvic exam from the training nurse, I finally had to yell at her and tell her to stop, because it was painful and I just wanted to labor in peace, instead of play guinea pig. I sure didn't want to create any animosity with the staff, but labor is painful enough without being constantly prodded so someone can experience what every stage of dilation feels like. Enough is enough.

I'm not saying that doctors and nurses should never be trained on real people, but I'm sure there are plenty of willing patients with which they can practice. Perhaps give a little discount to the patient as an incentive. I'd pass, but I'm sure there are plenty of patients who'd opt for it. (The option to decline having students or residents was never made known to me beforehand.)

I so agree with you, Karen. I personally didn't want any videotape of either of my children's births but I'm sure that there are plenty of parents who want that kind of thing for their memory books. But if I were a doctor/nurse or some other medical professional, I'm not sure if I'd want to be in the picture. They have rights as much as the patients do. I think that if patients have consent forms to sign why shouldn't medical professionals have the right to opt out without having people wonder if they have something to hide for not doing so?

When I recorded our two births, I simply placed the video camera on a tripod out of the way near the head of the bed and let it run. No crotch-shots and I was still able to focus my attention on my wife. We still have video of the event and now our adult son has a copy of it. Even though there were some problems during our first birth, our son ultimately ended up fine and I never considered using our video against our doctor or the hospital.

With so many people now playing the lawsuit lottery, I can see why doctors and hospitals want to protect themselves. Unfortunately, it denies those of us without a opportunistic agenda from recording these events for our private viewing.

Jim - I'm just curious here. How many times have you watched that video since then? How do you go about watching it - grab some popcorn, chips and dip, a beer, sit down on the couch and watch it on your 50" plasma while snuggled up together?

Probably about as many times as couples have watched their wedding videos that they spent hundreds, if not thousands for. I don't remember how few times we watched the video after the birth, but I was happy to have that to give to our son when he became an adult.

But was he happy to receive it??

Hahaha, sorry, I couldn't help it. Personally I wouldn't want a video of my birth, and I know my husband wouldn't either. But it would be the ultimate white elephant gift! Or maybe the worst graduation present I could ever imagine.

Actually, I made a DVD for him that included his ultrasound, birth and the first year or so of his life. I can't remember, but I don't think that the birth segment was more than 20 minutes long, including several minutes after they brought him back into the birthing room. It wasn't just a two hour childbirth movie.

Whether he ever watched it, I don't know. It may just be one of those things that's nice to have, but may not watch it for some time, just like the Navy graduation DVD that he gave us that's still unopened after 3 years.

That reminds me that I still have a cassette tape of our wedding over 33 years ago that I need to transfer and I don't remember if we've ever listened to the whole thing during those years. However, I'm also glad that we have it.

Paula, giving birth is the most dangerous event in a woman's wife (provided she's not serving a tour in Iraq). I had both children in the hospital, because at the first delivery, after a perfect, no-risk pregnancy, and a quick, easy birth, I almost bled to death and no one knows why. Had I been at home, I would have died in 30 minutes. Period.

You forget how many things can go wrong, even when it's not your first child. Nowadays most hospitals really make you feel at home, but with the additional security of having a quick blood supply ready, and a surgery room if need be. I was with experienced midwives, and my own beloved doctor came within 10 minutes when needed. I don't see why I should have messed up my living room with all that blood.

I'm pretty sure that the ladies giving birth "at home" in Afghanistan would love to have a nice clean hospital to increase their (slim) odds to survive the ordeal.

I love how all these people are saying have the baby at home! I want all the drugs I can get so I don't have to feel a thing!

RedGrll - You have clearly drunk the KoolAid. Giving birth is much less dangerous, statistically speaking, than getting in your car and driving to the grocery store.

I'm sorry you hemorrhaged after birth, which is not abnormal, but was obviously traumatic for you - probably because of the "emergency" environment surrounding you. To suggest that you would have died at home is ridiculous. In a homebirth, you carefully plan your back-up, complete with directions and transfer time to the closest hospital. Complications in birth are rarely surprises that happen suddenly, and when they are suspected, you transfer to a hospital. If you started bleeding at home, most likely your midwife would have given you shots of pitocin to try to slow the bleeding. If it was serious, which a trained midwife would recognize immediately, she would call 911. Unless the response time in your area is absolutely horrible, you would have been fine.

In terms of the "mess", giving birth at home you have the same chux pads or whatever else you need to catch the mess that is available at the hospital. Did your delivery room look like a crime scene? Within minutes of my three homebirths, you would never have suspected that a birth had occurred, except for the pink newborn happily snuggling with mamma.

In terms of infections, you and your baby are much more likely to catch one in a hospital than you are at home. It's a fact.

Jacqueline - I have to disagree. STATISTICALLY, maybe, car deaths are higher but that's counting men and anyone possibly unable to have children. For women as a whole, we are the only ones that have to do this. It's a VERY dangerous thing because yes, many things can go wrong even at last minute. Maybe in Hospitals you are more prone to infection, but at home you are at risk of not having immediate attention should something go wrong. The midwife probably wouldn't be able to operate stat if you started hemorrhaging.

Be nice. Some women don't feel comfortable giving birth at home, and since we don't live in a 3rd world country, we have options, and women can make their own choice. If women want to give birth at home great! If they want to do it in a hospital, great too! To imply that a personal preference for health reasons is sign of cultish behavior is just silly. Mothers in this country are too busy one-upping each other instead of supporting each other.

Jacqueline, I am really really happy that you had 3 perfect home births.

But in my case, yes, the delivery room was a bloody mess afterwards, a crime scene like you say. My husband, who stayed behind while I was in surgery, said it was a butchery (and I thought I was a neat person...). ;-)

You think that trouble comes as no surprise? Really? There was absolutely no indication at all that it would go so wrong: the most boring pregnancy, 3-hour labour, pushing for 15 minutes, and there was the baby screaming with healthy lungs, yeah! So even if I had no anesthesia (my choice), it went wonderfully. Except that I wouldn't stop bleeding. I was under pitocin, as you suggest, and they mopped like crazy, and jumped on my stomach like on a trampoline (I told you childbirth is messy), but in the end they had to take me into surgery after 10 minutes or else. I lost ONE FIFTH OF MY BLOOD in 10 minutes. How much blood do you think I could have lost on my way to the hospital before getting into shock and leaving an orphan behind?

And this, by the way, was in a private clinic in Switzerland, were I could stay like a princess for 7 days, for half the price of a 24-hours stay in a US hospital. (US hospital, by the way, fare dismally for infections, I agree with you Jacqueline). I went to Europe because I thought it was pure barbary to kick a new mom out of the hospital after 24 or 48 hours. I personally could not walk unassisted for 3 days afterwards (try jumping around with only 4/5 of your blood supply).

(So much for privacy: now you all know everything about my delivery, and without a video, how is that for "power of words'?)

So people, instead of fighting for the triviality to videotape the birth, you could start fighting for a more humane treatment of new moms, so that they can stay at least 5 days in the hospital and get some assistance with nursing and parenting and those first crucial days (not to mention jaundice and the threat of blood clots etc). Without getting bankrupt.

Again, I'm extatic about all the moms who make it safely when giving birth at home, but ladies, do make sure the hospital is, say, half a block away?

Our child, my pictures, we pay the bill. Big deal. Have it at home and no problems. Just throwing money doesn't create a right.

This woman needs to shut her mouth and her legs. She is so concerned about her rights, yet has no concern for the rights of others ...meaning their right to privacy. And maybe she should consider the rights of her children... ALL 8 OF THEM... to a decent upbringing and well rounded life. Freakin' political correctness and people thinking they can do whatever they want at the expense of everyone else.

Anthony -- Agree you have the right to have the birth of your child the way you want it to be. But what about the staff? Their privacy, their workplace, their responsibility, their right to do their job unimpeded. They're getting paid to bring your child into this world safely and could be liable if something goes wrong. Do your rights trump theirs? If it's your child, your bill payment, your option for pictures, maybe it should also be in your home if the staff doesn't want to be filmed. Violating their privacy is not part of what you're paying for.

Just because you paid a medical bill doesn't mean you have the right to do whatever you want; you are in a hospital and must abide by their policies, the same as being in any other place of business. If you don't like their policies, you find a different hospital or have the birth at home. People are so self-entitled these days, it's disgusting.

Pallo-2608525 I do give my children a great life! ALl 8 of them, my children are happy to see the photos we have of them, and the photos are NOT nasty......I do not take photos of the staff...........I do consider the rights of the hosp staff that is why we do not take photos of them, just of my child and me, who does that hurt? NO ONE!! I don;t want photos of the staff anymore then they want the photos taken, I wish the paper would have put that in there

So Anthony...let me ask you this. Since you seem to think just because it is your child and you are paying the bill..btw..your insurance pays the bulk of the bill, not you directly... you believe that you have the right to do anything. so you have the right to bring in a band to play music during child birth.. or you can go into a classroom of any school and take video of the class activities. Give me a break. Get the mirror out from in front of your face. The world does not revolve around you. The hospital has the rights to protect their employees and their safety. They are providing a safe and clean environment for the mother to deliver her baby. That is it..all you get.

What do police have to do with doctors? Doctors are not public servants (unless they work for the government). Similarly, unless funded by the government, hospitals are not public servants either.

Is there some relevance to your point? If so, I don't see it. Could you be a bit clearer?

Uh, doctors and nurses are not public servants. A police officer or a firefighter is a public servant, and they still have rights.

Alright, I'll give you the choice they didn't have. Would you rather have $2.3 million or a healthy child without a permanent disability? I guarantee you they would give every nickel back to have a healthy child. Not exactly what I'd call a windfall.

Bob U Boob. Read my post #2.4 above. U are a class A Dufuss

There is no amount of money on earth I would choose to permenantly disable my child for. Let's hope you are sterile.

Have you ever delivered a baby or seen one delivered there is no way shape or form of it being any kind of porn! I have gone through lots of training on delivering babies which includes time in the ob unit and in the field on an ambulance and watching videos! NOT PORN!

sebems- lol, love how offended you are. No, not porn, then people might actually want to see it...

well, at least is good porn lol.

The last thing I would've wanted when I was pushing my kids out is someone hovering around filming my nethers.

Not to mention the fact that even in the nice, spacious birthing suites we have now, things tend to get a little crowded at that end of the bed. I imagine someone taping the event could possibly get in the way of staff.

why would the doctor need a mirror to enjoy the show? lol.

I am with you, I had NO desire to watch, I was just glad when the baby was born healthy....