Would you choose to give birth in a cold, dark forest, miles from anywhere with a TV camera crew trailing your every move? Is this a trick question?
Just when we thought reality shows had exhausted their ideas (hello Naked and Afraid), here comes Born in the Wild.
21 ways giving birth is different to what you see in the movies.
The show follows women who have decided to shun hospitals, or any help at all, and yep, you guessed it, give birth in the wild.
US production company, Lifetime, has said in a statement that, “Born in the Wild will document the journeys of young, expectant parents who have chosen to give birth ‘in the wild.”
These births will be unassisted by doctors.
Have a look at the trailer, but be warned GRAPHIC CONTENT follows. (Story continues after video).
When announced, the show immediately drew criticism, but producers have assured that a hospital and emergency staff will be nearby and that no first-time mothers are allowed to participate.
Birthzillas: when it’s all about the birth, not the baby.
The show was inspired by a Youtube video last year of a woman giving birth in a creek in the US. Again, this video has GRAPHIC CONTENT. (Story continues after video).
This video has since gone viral with over 30 million views – so we can assume producers think they’re onto a sure thing.
As previously reported in Mamamia, this show could have potentially devastating effects.
In 2013, according to the World Health Organisation, 289,000 women died giving birth. For every one of those deaths, there were another 20 women who suffered injuries during childbirth, became infected, or contracted a disease. 10 million women a year are gravely affected by giving birth.
This TV show is an insult to every single one of them.
Women and girls in developing countries have no choice but to give birth unassisted and ‘in nature’. Yet, here we have a group of privileged American adults volunteering to give birth in squalid conditions, consenting to have it filmed and broadcast on television for the purposes of entertainment. If that’s not the most perverse, repugnant indictment of our crazed desire for televised “reality” I don’t know what it is.
Will you be watching? Let us know in the comments.
Top Comments
See how having a baby is NORMAL and just HAPPENS when women BELIEVE in their bodies, without intervention labour happens on it's own - pregnancy labour and birth is NORMAL it is not MEDICAL!!!! Women are entitled to birth wherever they want, as soon as you start saying things like 'this was a gamble', 'this isn't very responsible' you start guilting and shaming the women who want to birth somewhere other than a hospital, shame on you for making women feel guilt and shame for not succumbing to your FEAR!
Statistics.....
Thing that amazes me about that second video is how she did it all on her own - no words of encouragement from anyone, no one physically holding her. What stamina.
Incredible, isn't it? I just think she's amazing. In awe. What a woman.