Business of Being born on Netflix

Thanks to CfM Board Member Carolyn Keefe for bringing you the latest information on Ricki Lake's The Business of Being Born! Read below, and feel free to spread the word!

Sincerely,
Susan Hodges, gatekeeper

The Business of Being Born Coming to the Small Screen

The Business of Being Born is now available for rental and online viewing from Netflix starting $4.99 (depending on your Netflix plan). The DVD will contain a half-hour of bonus materials, including follow-up interviews with the filmmakers and their subjects.

Citizens for Midwifery congratulates producer Ricki Lake and director Abby Epstein on the success of The Business of Being Born. Not only have they created a compelling exploration of maternity care in the US, but their promotion of the film in the media has really helped to propel this issue into the mainstream.

The producers have also been incredibly generous in helping grassroots organizations bring the film to local communities and raise funds. While the Netflix rental is meant for private use only, the filmmakers are still helping local groups plan community events for March and April.

CfM's own Susan Hodges appears in the film, and several groups around the country have also directed some of the funds they raised to Citizens for Midwifery. We thank them for their generosity and support of CfM, which helps to cover expenses for networking and brings CfM and birth issues to new audiences.

DVDs will be available for purchase starting May 62008 for around $20 to $30. You can reserve an advance copy or multiple copies on The Business of Being Born website. They will contact you with the exact price and shipping dates as they become available.

This film is a wonderful tool for education and provides a terrific opportunity to discuss the state of maternity care. Having it available for rental, download, or purchase will expand the possible audience even more and help bring even broader awareness the issues around birth.