Preview: Born in the Wild docuseries showcases alternative birthing practices

Today at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour the new series that left most critics asking “why?” was Lifetime’s Born in the Wild, debuting Tuesday, March 3 at 10pmET/PT. Just as the title suggests, the six-episode docuseries takes a graphic look at a subset of families who set out to create their own birthing experience by packing up their gear and pushing out a babe in the wild.

Born in the Wild premieres on LifetimeEach episode follows a different woman as she prepares and actually gives birth in the outdoors — free of beds, doctors and most modern medicines. As with all non-traditional ways of life, criticism is expected.

“The conversation about birth, in America is one that is ongoing, and, you know, there are heated debates, and there are people on all sides of it,” says executive producer Yoshi Stone. “But I think at end of the day, what’s important is that everyone be allowed to make their own choices when it comes to birth, whether it be in a hospital or in the home or anywhere in between. We are documenting people who are making a particular choice. That doesn’t mean that it’s always the right choice for everyone.”

One of the couples making that alternative choice, and who are part of the docuseries is Audrey and Peter Bird, who moved from San Diego to a remote part of Alaska last year.

“One of the reasons I agreed to have this televised is that I wanted to show, ‘look it’s your choice you don’t have to do what main steam society tells you you have to do — it’s your choice,’” Audrey says.

While her original water birthing plan didn’t turn out as expected, cameras vividly documented Audrey giving birth to her daughter Piper on July 5, 2014 under a tree in Alaska.

Born in the Wild

“If we have another child, I’d plan a little bit better for a water birth that’s not so dependent on the weather,” Audrey says. “I love water births and I intended a water birth for Piper and it just didn’t happen because of the weather.”

Piper was Peter and Audrey’s third child. Their first child was born in the hospital and their middle child was born at home via a water birth. “Our hospital birth was difficult because I didn’t have the options that I wanted to have. I didn’t feel as respected as I should have been with my birth,” she shares. “With my second it was very healing to me and it bonded us closer along with our children and it was a very beautiful, peaceful experience. With our third I loved being outside, she was my very first summer baby.

“It was probably one of my most difficult labors, just because I expected it to go one way and she flipped on me, which third babies do. My experiences as a midwife is that third babies tend to be wildcards,” Audrey says. That I can attest to, as my third child flipped on me too, but I was nowhere near a wooded forest when that took place (but I don’t judge, just not for me).

Despite the pain (and you’ll hear all of it, as she’s pretty vocal in her delivery), Audrey still considers her last two births as the most ideal. “They just felt right to me. They felt like that’s how birth should be versus a medical version.” She fully acknowledges and understands that traditional birthing is in most people’s comfort zone.

Whatever your opinion on the matter, there’s no denying that the birthing process continues to fascinate, and Lifetime’s Born in the Wild looks to show just that. So what do you think? Let us know below.