International Day of the Midwife

Today, May 5, is the International Day of the Midwife.

As we honor those who have the calling to help us bring our babies into this world, I want to take a moment and reflect on what they truly do for us.

I have worked with many midwives during my pregnancies. I am honored to know many more that I won't be lucky enough to have as my personal midwife. All of these ladies are very special.

As they run out into the night at a moment's notice to attend a birth, they must make the difficult decision to leave their families. Maybe they have small children of their own, or possibly there was a family celebration planned. They make the sacrifice to set this all aside to ensure that another baby is brought into the world in the gentlest manner possible.

I have studied midwifery myself for a long time. There is a lot to learn. Midwives must learn about everything that can go wrong so they know that what is happening is right. Those who are truly at peace with their calling can attend a birth and know when to sit on their hands and just let things unfold. It is difficult for many to just sit and not do anything, but this skill is invaluable.

At this point I don't know if I will ever be one of these special women... but I certainly know that I will do all that I can to support them and keep them available for birthing women everywhere.

Project Homebirth will show some of these wonderful midwives and you'll be able to hear their voices speak the truth about homebirth.

Join the project.

What This Project Means

Project Homebirth is near and dear to our hearts. Our first homebirth took place in 1999 with our fifth child. Our home burned down in the middle of the pregnancy. Luckily, we all got out safe and sound. Our home, however, was a loss. We moved into an apartment while our house was rebuilt.

Looking forward to our homebirth kept us focused on the future. The other children were involved at all the prenatals, and our youngest at the time (almost 2) loved to try out the midwife's fetoscope.

When our fifth child was born (a girl!) into her daddy's waiting arms, it seemed like we had managed to overcome the adversity the fire had sent our way. It was a magical event that brought us all closer together.

We want to share this feeling with the world. We know that other families have felt the same way about homebirth. To counteract the atmosphere of fear that the media and the medical community insist on spreading about homebirth, we want to make Project Homebirth a true labor of love.

Please consider participating and sharing your story.

What Made You Birth at Home?

What made you decide to birth your baby at home? Did you have a bad experience at a hospital for a previous birth? Did you just have an inner knowing that birthing at home would be best for you?

Was it easy for you to find a midwife? What was challenging for you? What did you like best? Did you find it easier to bond with your baby and recover after the birth?

These and other questions are just a few you could answer on video or audio tape to appear in our film, "Project Homebirth."

Let your voice be heard.

Looking for Participants!

Ever want to be in a movie? Now is your chance! Send us a short video or audio clip of you talking about your homebirth, why you chose to birth at home, or how it made an impact on your family. :) We want YOUR voice to be heard!

We will have a short release for you to sign, and your recording may be used for promotional needs as well as in the film. We want to create a montage of voices speaking out for homebirth.

The AMA issued a statement last year against homebirth as a safe option for women and babies. ACOG has long been against homebirth. They would love for the only choice for birthing women to be the hospitals and affiliated birth centers, with their climbing cesarean rates. At this point in the United States, a woman walking into a hospital to give birth as a one in three chance of having her baby surgically. At some hospitals it is a one in two chance.

The latest homebirth study shows how safe homebirth is in most cases. Please join us in showing the world (especially the United States and Australia... the rest of the world seems to get it for the most part) how safe and beautiful homebirth can be.

Join Project Homebirth!

The Start of a New Project!

Welcome to Project Homebirth!

With all the press that homebirth has been getting lately (both good and bad), we feel very strongly that it is time for someone to compile a collection of homebirth experiences to share with the world at large.

We would like to invite anyone with a homebirth experience to share with us. Mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, midwives, doulas or anyone else who has a story to share are welcome to contact us.

We would love video clips if possible... if you don't, write or record your feelings down and share them with us. Contact us at projecthomebirth @ organic-birth.com (remove the spaces) to find out details on how to send files.

We want to create an amazing collage of homebirth... what it is like, thoughts about it, your fears, your joys... how did it impact your family? Did it bring them closer together? Would you do it again?

Everyone who contributes will be listed in the credits, and anyone who wants to help support the project financially will also be given credit.

Our goal is to create a film that will show what homebirth truly means to so many families. Please join us and be a part of this amazing project.