a few pix from the gorgeous homebirth i filmed a week ago. happy 1 week bday max! born peacefully in the water…surrounded by love…supported by professional midwives…the gold standard of care. at home in lisbon falls, maine! stay tuned for the film later this year…
Finally! Some prime time morning news coverage on homebirth in Maine! “Homebirths”, featured on CBS affiliate WGME in Portland, Maine and reported by host Diana Ichton (who is about to give birth herself any day now!) features midwife and naturopathic doctor Sarah Ackerly of Northern Sun Family Healthcare and Birth Center and Jessie and Ernie Boda, the couple who’s gorgeous homebirth I filmed early this past Monday! The story was broadcast to an audience most likely not familiar with this choice; who will no doubt benefit from this information.
And did ya hear? Homebirth in Maine is up 60% from last year (Maine State Vital Statistics).
Great news all around!
Check out this interview by video documentarian Bill Anderson where I speak about all things homebirthy. Not being one to not have anything to say…grab a cup of tea and settle in ’cause it runs about 45 minutes!
CAMDEN, MAINE. “At Home in Waldo, Maine” will screen at the Camden Public Library on Tuesday, October 11, from 6:30-8pm.
“At Home in Waldo, Maine” presents the homebirth experience of the Weavers–Melinda, Jerry, Ravi and Gideon–a family living in midcoast Maine. The film observes Melinda’s approaching delivery in context of the Weaver’s daily activities and documents the pre-natal planning and support the family receives from their professional midwives.
The Weavers are (semi) homesteaders, home/internet-based entrepreneurs, homeschoolers–and ro…ck and rollers (their band is Odlaw and their song, “Learn to Love” is featured in this film)!
This 46-minute film is both an intimate document of their experience and an exploration into the relationship between how we live and how we birth.
“At Home in Waldo, Maine” is one of the recent releases from “At Home in Maine”, an online film series about homebirth and midwifery care: www.mainehomebirth.wordpress.com The series is the creation of Belfast-based filmmaker Nicolle Littrell of Woman in the Moon Films.
Following the film, there will be a discussion with Nicolle, the Weavers and Morningstar Midwifery, the professional midwives who assisted the family. Refreshments will also be served.
The event is free and open to the public; however, donations will be accepted to support ongoing work on the “At Home in Maine” series.
Click here to visit the event page on Facebook.
this past saturday, i witnessed another miracle: i filmed the birth of a baby born at home to two loving parents, assisted by a team of midwives and friends. two of his brothers met him moments after he emerged from his mother’s womb (the third, a toddler, slept on). it was an intense and challenging labor, but with loving and professional support and care–and a lot of hard work–this mother brought her baby into the world outside the womb.
this summer i had the honor of stepping into this family’s world and filming other facets of their life. our first endeavor: a family excursion where we went on a whale watch. other intimate and joyful events and moments were documented. i did this entirely with out-of-pocket resources. i hope to be able to transform this story into a film. a film that will be a part of the “at home in maine” series. a new film that will help educate women and their families about the choice to have a homebirth and receive midwifery care.
to do that, i need additional resources. funds that will support the time and materials it takes to transform footage into a film. i intend for this one to be the first of four more films that will be produced over this next year.
i’ve got two weeks to go with this kickstarter campaign–and a long way to reach my funding goal. i will not receive any funds unless the entire funding goal is reached. i need some angels here! won’t you please be a part of my miracle and pledge to this project today? miracles do happen. i filmed one early saturday morning…
thanks to all who supported this project in week 4!
nicolle
“At Home in Winthrop, Maine” premieres at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick tonight at 6:30 pm! Discussion with me, the family in the film and the midwives to follow! Lots of great food at the Frontier! Suggested donation: $5 individuals/$10 familys.
For directions, etc. go to: explorefrontier.com
Hope to see you there!
Click here to read a great article about a machias woman’s choice to have a homebirth–and to be a single parent.
kudos to the bangor daily news for covering both! the underlying issue of support for women’s choices in each of these areas are completely interrelated.
it is so wonderful that homebirth is getting so much positive press these days. women are learning about their choices, getting educated and empowered to have the kind of birth they want for themselves and their babies–and to parent in the way they choose. as more women do this, they will be less subject to the obvious posturing of some medical groups who do not support homebirth–and therefore do not support women’s choices.
as more women exercise their rights around birth and receive more support for their choices, it is my hope that outcomes for mama, baby and families will improve.
congrats anna! welcome eamon!
july 1, 2011. belfast, maine. new moon and solar eclipse in cancer. woman in the moon films proudly announces the release of two new films for the “at home in maine” series. click each image to go the film page:
At Home in Waldo, Maine will have it’s Waldo County premiere tonight at the Belfast Free Library, 6:30-8pm. Discussion with the filmmaker, film participants (including Morningstar Midwifery) and snacks will follow the screening. DVDs of the film, Odlaw CDs and books about homebirth will be available for purchase.
The film is one of the latest releases from, “At Home in Maine”, a documentary film series and web resource about the choice to have a homebirth and receive midwifery care in Maine. This film series is for anyone who interested in learning more about this choice. But this film is not just for people exploring their Choices in Childbirth. It’s for anyone who would like a picture of normal, natural family-centered childbirth–unfortunately, an experience that most people in the US do not have. For many women, birthing at home is where this is most possible.
Hope to see you tonight!
Waldo Boy to Celebrate First Birthday
Friday April 8, 2011
WALDO — Gideon Jay Weaver will celebrate his first birthday on Friday, April 8. He was born April 8, 2010, at home to Melinda, Jerry and big brother Ravi.
His birth was attended by Morningstar Midwifery of Belfast.
A documentary on Gideon’s home-birth,“At Home in Waldo,” by Nicolle Littrell, will be screened at Belfast Free Library Abbott Room on April 12, at 6:30 p.m.
womaninthemoonfilms.com 