“At Home in Maine, Part 3” is the third in a series of films that looks at a 2008 campaign to license Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in Maine. I produced this film in 2009. The film highlights “other views” on licensure, including opponents of the bill, namely the Maine Medical Association (MMA) and also diverse perspectives from members of Maine’s professional homebirth midwifery community.
The narrative features another homebirth story, the first homebirth of Valerie and Todd, a couple who live in Orland, Maine. Their second homebirth (with their third child) is featured in “At home in Orland #2.” Their first homebirth is also featured in the film short “At Home in Orland.”
As “At Home in Maine, Part 3” details, though the bill for licensure was not passed, unprecedented legislation legalizing CPM’s use of a short list of meds at birth was signed into law. The film offers a unique look into the complex dynamics surrounding the licensure process and underscores the safety of homebirth, the professionalism and training of CPMs–and the importance of these practitioners having legal access to anti-hemorrhagics, such as pitocin and methergine (the new bill did not grant access to the latter) and other meds at births.
This film is available for rental ($4/14) or purchase as a digital download ($14) and runs 45 minutes. Click here to go to the film page.
On November 19, “At Home in Maine, Part 3” will screen at the Frontier Cafe’ in Brunswick, as part of the film festival “Celebrate Midwives and Birth: A View Across Cultures”, sponsored by Birthwise Midwifery School, based out of Bridgton, Maine. Birthwise is one of 10 or so accredited institution-based direct-entry midwifery programs in the United States. “At Home in Northeast Harbor, Maine” and several other popular films such as “The Business of Being Born”, “No Woman, No Cry” and “Home Delivery” will be also be screened as part of the program.
Stay tuned for more details!
womaninthemoonfilms.com 