My hot take on OBEM and how it’s your quickfire way to sabotaging your own birth.

Now, I might be late to the party here, but here is my hot take on the return of one born every minute.

This may be controversial, but that’s the point. I’m not here to sugar coat things, and be vanilla. Because if you’re pregnant right now, then ultimately you deserve to know the truth, because it’s not fair to be blindsided during the most important season of yours and your baby’s lives.

Now, the return of OBEM might be considered great. You know, some people will say you can watch people give birth, you can get your brain ready for what’s to come. Which in theory, makes sense. Afterall that’s what hypnobirthing leans into. Because if you feel scared or anxious about something, these feelings become less when the thing you are scared of becomes familiar.

However, what you’re going to see on OBEM is not what birth can and should look like. Therefore you are not preparing your brain for what your body can do.

The reality is, and it’s the saddest thing about it, is that most, if not all of the births are going to be on the labour ward. The facts are, none of the episodes are going to show birth outside of the hospital setting.

The births that will be shown, are births that have been interfered with.

Vaginal examinations, sweeps, inductions, CTG monitoring… all those fun things.

The families who have agreed to their birth being filmed for a TV show, have likely not got the same values as you. They probably either don’t know, or value, the importance of physiology and the magic that is physiological birth. They think birth is something to be managed, and something that is done to them.

But you know different.

You know that physiological birth should not be messed with.

You know that it is something that should be left to unfold in the way it needs, individually to each mother and baby dyad. It is not something that can be planned for or have a time stamp put on it. And you know what? The camera crews don’t like that. The producers of the show don’t like that. Because it’s unpredictable.

Being really real here, a production team is not going to be paid to be on call and follow a group of midwives, or hospital maternity staff around, on the off chance a baby will be born. They need to have guaranteed action, guaranteed drama, guaranteed births. So how do they do that? They plan around the ones that are being managed... inductions and elective c-sections.

So think realistically here, is that what you want to see?

Because I’m pretty sure that if you’re here, in my little corner of the internet, then the return of One Born Every Minute, is not for you. It’s not going to help your subconscious feel confident to have the birth you have been dreaming about, it’s not going to aid all the hard mindset work you have been doing to prepare for your birth.

I’m also wondering, if you’ve found me, then chances are you’re local to me. Which means you’re local to where OBEM has been filmed. You might even be under the same trust’s care.

I believe you’re here, and the internet gave you this blog post because you are looking for something different. Something outside the mainstream, to help you quieten the noise of the ‘norm’ that you don’t feel aligned with.

So what do I suggest you do?

Mute any chat of OBEM on social media.

Leave conversations about the return of OBEM.

Find videos on youtube of nice, serene home videos of home birth.

And if you want more, you know where I am.

Book a quick chat to see how we can deep dive into the medical propaganda, and how you can avoid it sabotaging your birth.

I can’t wait to hear from you.

With love, as always.

Lucy xox