From Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE,
Your Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth.
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Once pregnant or intrigued with the idea of being pregnant it seems that we are drawn to pregnant women and their families like magnets. We may read every book on pregnancy that we can find, or secretly quiz our neighbors and coworkers about the details of the miraculous time. The fact is, we love to hear birth and pregnancy stories.

"My favorite thing about it is just seeing the miracle of birth - I never fail to cry!"

This doesn't make us voyeurs. This doesn't make us weird. We simply want to know the facts of a very mysterious and shrouded event.

In fact, learning in this manner can provide many benefits for both the person telling the story and the person listening or watching:

• Makes it seem not as frightening or scary.
• Helps you learn what choices might be right for you and your birth.
• Enables you to see different scenarios for birth.
• Provides reassurance.
• Allows us to share in the miracle.

"If I see enough labor and birth it won't be so scary when it's my turn."

Birth TV

Birth on television has grown up quite a bit from the first showings of a pregnant woman, Lucy, pregnant with Baby Ricky in the 1950s. Today television shows most if not all of the glory and the gory.

One of the more popular shows on television is Baby Story on The Learning Channel. You can also find other shows on television, with big audiences.

Birth Stories

"My favorite part is when the dads cry. That really gets to me!"

Birth stories are another way to take part in the fun. The Internet has a vast collection of birth stories, some with photos, audio or even video portions. There have even been live births cast via the Internet, both vaginal and by cesarean. When asked why they participate, most women reply that they want to share the joy and magic that they felt while giving birth.