I recently read this posting on another doula group about a new
birth television series on the Discovery Channel focusing on midwife-
assisted births. Being aired in our area October 10th. Hope it's
good!

Melissa Creighton
____________________________________________________________________

"Dear Friends,

If you haven't heard yet, Discovery Health Channel is now airing a
Reality Show set in Shari Daniels' Miami Maternity Center. Read on.

From Miami Herald, October 1st, 2005
TELEVISION: MIAMI MIDWIVES GET REALITY SHOW

Miami plastic surgeons and tattoo artists have been featured on the
small screen. Now you can add midwives to the list.

Discovery Health Channel is launching previews of its new 26-episode
series House of Babies this month and next. Filmed at the Miami
Maternity Center, the series will depict the joys and drama of
midwife-assisted natural childbirth.

''Our hope is that the series will prompt more areas to set up birth
centers and that doctors will look at midwifery as a normal option,''
said Shari Daniels, director of the center.

Tamara Taitt, recently graduated Student Midwife in Miami, wrote to
me:
"I don't have to tell you all what implications this has on a local
and national level and how much this can do for midwifery. We all
know many pregnant women are obssessed with TV shows about labor and
birth. As a student I loved watching them too (until I knew better).
Of course it's Discovery Health and it's a birth related show, so of
course some things if not many things are going to be dramatized,
but how many women all over the country will see this show and
think - where can I have a birth like that? The show has already
started airing and it airs in the PERFECT spot, right after Birth
Day early in the morning, at midday and then early afternoon (yes 6
times in the same day, 2 different episodes). Topics already covered
or scheduled to be covered - VBACs, Waterbirth, The Moon & Its
Impact on birthing. . I've got to say whatever ones feelings are
about reality TV ... this is an amazing thing."

This show airs on Discovery Health Channel. Go to
http://health.discovery.com/ and search for "House of Babies" to
find out just when each show is airing."

Sincerely,
Susan Hodges "gatekeeper"