Product Details

• Directors: Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova
• Producers: Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova, Cecily Kate Borthwick, MD George C. Denniston
• Format: DVD, Director's Cut, Full Screen, Color, Special Edition, Widescreen, Extra tracks
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 1
• Run Time: 240 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000MX1LIU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,568 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Birth As We Know It is a treat for both the heart and mind. This groundbreaking documentary film delivers spectacular cinematography, soothing vocals and instrumentation alongside a calming narrative. It leads us gently, comfortably on a path toward realizing the miracle of birth. Birth As We Know It introduces future parents to the advantages of conscious conception, pregnancy and birth. Director Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova shares her experiences as a co-creator of the Conscious Birth movement in Russia during the early 1980s. An effective preparation program culminated in Black Sea summer camps where babies were birthed in warm, shallow lagoons. This stunningly beautiful movie features eleven natural births, including home birth, water birth, birth of twins, breech delivery and an astounding self-birth by Tatiana Sargunas - world renowned Spiritual Midwife. The midwife community calls this film the most profound and comprehensive guide to conscious birth in the world. Included are informative interviews on topics rarely discussed, such as the sexuality of childbirth, circumcision and limbic imprinting. Birth As We Know It always conveys its messages in a non-intrusive, wonderfully inspirational way. Dr. Michel Odent, an icon in the world of natural delivery for the past 30 years said, We must pay tribute to Elena for prompting us to re-examine basic features of human nature. Her film explains why millions of women, all over the world, dream of giving birth in the sea, among dolphin. Since 1982 Vladimirova has traveled throughout the U.S. teaching Birth Into Being workshops that incorporate breath work, graceful movements and emotional healing that often lead to ecstatic birth experiences for both parents. The birth itself is the last accord in this fascinating journey of self discovery, says Vladimirova. After all preparation is accomplished, the delivery of the baby unfolds naturally in all its magnificence.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Birthing DVD Ever Made!, January 27, 2007

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birth As We Know It (DVD)

If you are ever planning to birth a baby, or are working as a doula, midwife, or women's health instructor, I HIGHLY recommend getting this DVD. It is now available in a full-length feature film (wonderful!) and a shorter instructor's version for use in classrooms. It is BY FAR the best birthing DVD I have ever seen. If you have been disillusioned by "Baby Story" episodes on television, or horrified at terrible hospital-room birthing stories your mother, friends, or the media tell - get this! It will empower you with real, factual, and beautiful knowledge of birthing and your body's amazing natural power and abilities. There are 11 natural births featured within, as well as many other extras on topics such as lotus birth, diaper freedom, circumcision, etc. It is THEE BEST money I have ever spent on a DVD or Birthing Information.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, amazing glimpse into how birth can be, January 27, 2007

By 

Janice Wolfenberg "Midwyfjan" (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birth As We Know It (DVD)

I'm a homebirth midwife and I see natural births all the time. But when my own daughter-in-law was pregnant with my first grandchild last summer, I brought this video over so we could share it together. She loved it and we watched it more than once. We laughed together when I told her that I would try to remember tell her to "let herself become nice and juicy" as the narrator describes in her lovely Russian accent. And she said she wanted to be reminded to swirl her hips, as some of the women did in the video. Although she went 12 days overdue, she had a very efficient and successful home waterbirth in which she did indeed swirl her hips while pushing! And she told me later that she felt that watching this video really helped her prepare to surrender to her labor.

I have shared it with other moms too, and everyone thinks it's super. I've seen lots of birth videos, and believe me, this one is special.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars absolutely rivetting, January 27, 2007

By 

Estelle Myers "estelle myers" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birth As We Know It (DVD)

As one of the early pioneers of water birth at the Rainbow Dolphin Centre
in New Zealand 25 years ago, I have tried to get important visual material
out there for prospective parents, midwives and doctors to view.
It is a very difficult and delicate task, this DVD has it all, and is an
opportunity to get invaluable information to assist making and informed
choice about using water as a birthing tool. Even if you are not preparing
for birth it is a visually exciting production and well worth having to change your reality forever.
Estelle Myers
MApp.Sc.Hon.Phd
Founder Director
Rainbow Dolphin Centre