One of my favorite shows is Grey’s Anatomy. I think I might like Private Practice even more.

I’m thrilled that they are talking about alternative medicine and especially that they have a midwifery student at the front desk.

Last night’s episode was very funny. The midwifery student (male) was inviting Naomi to his class to speak. She didn’t want to but Addison did. Addison is trying to prove herself to the midwifery student by listing off all of her technical degrees and knowledge and he just wants away saying that they don’t need her.

What I’m really hoping is that the writers are going to show something positive about birth. Wouldn’t it be great if Addison gets the shock of her life when she finds out that the body is not a lemon and that birth can be very serene instead of a medical emergency.

I’m putting this out there – here is a list of what I’d love to see happen this season:

1. Addison begins to like and have a lot of births!

2. We see positive births using Lamaze, Bradley, Birthing From Within, Hypnosis and other independent childbirth classes.

3. We see a successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean)

4. We hear Addison talk about how she was able to reduce her c-section rate to 5%.

5. We see a waterbirth – again that goes well!

6. We see Ina May Gaskin make a guest appearance and work with a mom to give birth.

7. We see a mom breastfeeding in public.

8. We see a doula at the birth who does a great job and has a great personality (no attitude that causes strife with the doctor and no conflict with the doula and the doctor or patient!)

9. Some patient reading MY book in the waiting room “Journey into Motherhood: Inspirational Stories of Natural Birth by Sheri Menelli”

10. A natural birth with twins that isn’t a medical emergency.

Hmm, I know I’m missing a lot here still. But this is my wish list.

If you know the writers, producers or actors, please pass on my list.

Ok, what does this have to do with the business of birth?

I predict that if this show favorably depicts birth, we will see a major shift in birth in the US in the next 2 years!

If you want to change birth, you have to start with the media.

It is more acceptable to be gay now than it was 20 years ago. Why is that? I believe that it was from the media.

Can you have an impact? Yes, you can write articles for the pregnancy magazines. You can circulate birth stories that aren’t medical emergencies. You can get on TV and talk about the positive birth trends for 2007-8.

By the way, I’d love to get some comments/feedback about this. What do you think will happen on Private Practice with birth?

Until Tomorrow!

Sheri Menelli
www.birthingbusiness.com
Your “business” doula (TM)
760-431-2228