Monty Python -On Hospital birth

In 1983 Monty Python included this 'hospital birth' sketch in their hilariously funny satirical film "The Meaning of Life"! In this short three minute clip they sum up everything that is wrong with high tech medicalised birth. In the thirty years since this film was made, this situation has only become more exaggerated so that the 1983 parody looks more like real life in a modern birthing suite!

The more technology used, the less human the experience!

In this wonderfully predictive sketch, the mother, father and baby are shown as the least important elements of the birthing process. The most important elements being the doctors, the machinery and the money making potential of each procedure!


In their eminently funny way, the Monty Python team demonstrate how modern birthing methods frighten babies, depress mothers and marginalise fathers.  They highlight the insanity of many routine hospital birth procedures and emphasise the inhumanity of 'isolating' babies from mothers!
I find it astonishing that over 30 years ago, they had so accurately observed the growing trend of over medicalising birth in such fine detail, highlighting in case you missed it;

• the accepted superiority of the doctor
• the notion that women are not qualified to birth their own baby
• the inutility of high tech machines
• the power of the hospital administrator
• the administration's concern for profit over quality of care
• the lack of knowledge by all concerned
• the insensitivity of the hospital environment
• the unnecessary number of birth attendants
• the bright lights and loud noises of a birthing suite
• the frightening environment the baby is first born into
• early cord clamping
• rough towel treatment of the baby
• clinical post birth medical checks
• isolating babies
• keeping the mother helpless and powerless
• separating babies from their mothers

This short video perfectly demonstrates what I have been researching and writing about for the last two years in regards to "The Hidden Dictatorship" and Birth!

I urge you to watch and share so that more people can see through the art of comedy, the tragedy that is unfolding everyday in delivery suites around the world!