Birth Days

Activities

Before viewing

Divide pupils into four groups. Give each group one of the following ages: 16, 24, 36 and 41. Ask them to brainstorm what they think the reaction might be of someone who suddenly finds themselves pregnant at the age they have been given. Don't provide any more information other than the age. If pupils start saying 'it depends on', get them to write down what it depends on.

Ask each group to report back and discuss how the things they have identified might influence the situation one way or another. Is there any consensus or major disagreement? Are there any gender differences? What conclusions have the pupils come to as a result of this exercise?

After viewing

1. Ask pupils to identify things the four women in the programme had in common. List and discuss the implications of each. Then ask them to identify and list their differences and discuss the implications of these differences for the women, and for those around them.

2. The community midwife in the programme believes that men should get more involved during pregnancy and birth. Men can often find themselves on the outside of the whole process, and this can cause a strain in relationships. For each of the following situations, ask pupils to discuss what men could do that would be helpful and allow them to be more involved. How could women help in each situation?

• a girlfriend discovers she's pregnant and it isn't planned
• a woman suffers from morning sickness for the first three months of pregnancy
• six months into the pregnancy, the baby is developing normally and the woman feels great
• in the final weeks leading up to the birth, the woman is breathless, has backache and feels 'like a beached whale'
• during the birth
• when the baby comes home

3. Ask pupils to describe the circumstances under which each woman got pregnant and display these visibly. Through discussion and analysis, ask pupils to describe any conclusions they have come to about conception and contraception and what the implications are for people who are fertile.

4. The women in the programme decided they wanted one or more of the following during labour. Make sure the pupils are clear about what each of the terms mean:

• natural birth
• water birth
• epidural
• gas and air
• pethidine
• elective caesarian section
• emergency caesarian section

Ask the pupils:

• What were the reasons for each of the women wanting these?
• What do you think the reason was for the young woman wanting a natural birth? What did she think afterwards?
• Do you know of any other methods of giving birth and helping to ease pain during childbirth?

5. The provision of information and advice on contraception and pregnancy can vary throughout the UK and there can be differences in how pregnancy and birth are managed within the health service in different parts of the country. Ask pupils to research this for their area and produce a guide, possibly using DTP, for themselves and other pupils.