Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives

Check out this amazing project that needs our support.  There are two events this week (read about them at the bottom) you can attend to show your support.  But you know what's really important?  Some dollars.  This project is in need of some funding by the 12th - can you pay it forward a dollar or two?

Help us bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern Technology! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/164156992/give-light-stories-from-indigenous-midwives

Check out this intriguing documentary by local director Steph Smith about indigenous midwives. In Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives, hear indigenous midwives discuss a time when birth was a natural event and they assisted women to bring the light of a child into this world.

Meet indigenous midwives from the Himbas tribe in Namibia, Africa; the Yawalapitias of Brazil; the Kogis of Colombia; the Andeans of Peru and elsewhere. Travel to developed countries and the United States to explore what indigenous midwives did before modern medicine denounced them and their practice.

Learn how today, many midwives fear persecution and risk having their practices outlawed; while the medical industry refuses to acknowledge their specific skills and knowledge. This same industry has taken great measures to prevent women from using their midwifery vocation to generate income - while creating a global cesarean epidemic.

Give Light: Stories from Indigenous Midwives seeks to inspire, entertain, and spark dialogue and action regarding the future of maternity health and the role of midwives in contemporary society.

To complete this film, the Kickstarter must reach it's goal by December 12. Please support this wonderful documentary by backing it on Kickstarter!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/164156992/give-light-stories-from-indigenous-midwives

Here are some upcoming events, all proceeds to go support the Kickstarter campaign:

December 9, 2014

7:30 pm Tasseology, 1228 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd Suggested Donation $5-10

Upcoming event! Join the filmmakers for a screening of the short film Give Light at Tasseology, 1228 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Afterwards, Erika Busciglio, founder of Sacred Women apparel, will lead a water ceremony at the P3 Divine Community and Water Alter exhibit. This ceremony, originating in Colombia, is used to bless and honor our sacred waters and waters of the world. Suggested donation, all proceeds will go to the film's Kickstarter campaign. - http://kck.st/1EBonpa Tasseology site - https://www.facebook.com/tasseologynola

December 10, 2014

6:30 - 7:30 pm King and Queen Emporium Int’l, 2500 Bayou Rd Suggested Donation $5-10

Join us at the King and Queen Emporium Int'l, 2500 Bayou Rd, for a screening of the short film Give Light: Indigenous Midwives Lore. Sula will be offering a blessing for the wombs of mothers and the wombs of the earth! Director Steph Smith will be in attendance and will host a Q&A afterwards. All proceeds will go to the film's Kickstarter campaign -- http://kck.st/1EBonpa King n Queen Emporium Site: https://www.facebook.com/KingQueenEmporium.

More New Orleans Birth Options are the Best! (a new midwife in new orleans)

So, here's the big news . . .

there's a new midwife in town!

How exciting is this? It wasn't long ago that hospital midwifery was virtually unheard of in our crescent city, homebirth midwives were only found by carefully listening for the whispers of others and VBACs were rare at best.

We were invited to meet Alison Clark, CNM and chat with her about her new home with Crescent City Physicians at Touro's Family Birthing Center. She has been practicing in Mississippi and is thrilled to be growing some roots in New Orleans. She's looking forward to supporting women in using water to labor and birth, encourages movement during labor and also offers pre-conception care.

Midwifery offers women care that includes a philosophy that

birth is normal.

This is different from the medical model of care ascribed to by physicians (although we are super lucky to have some amazing physicians in our area that have a great perspective of birth). Every woman, baby, pregnancy and birth is different and will have differnet needs. Options are what women need. Women deserve the ability to have a conversation with health care providers and choose what route, what provider, is best for them. In a city that is often (sometimes) endearingly slow, we are rapidly seeing more birth options and this is beautiful progress!

We are thrilled to have Alison Clark's midwifery practice in New Orleans and are looking forward to meeting the other midwives joining her. And we were VERY happy to hear that whether you are planning a natural birth or a medicated birth (epidural) she is available to support you. While cesareans are out of scope for midwives, this midwife will be supporting VBAC moms!!! (can you feel our excitement?) You heard me right ladies, bring on those healing births! She is bringing holistic care to women, is supportive of her clients inviting Nola Nesting Doulas to their births, loves Birth Boot Camp and she's working with some great OBs to offer women the care they need should medical reason arise.

"I look forward to working with Nola Nesting and providing childbirth options and being part of normal healthy birth designed to the mother and baby's natural abilities."

"I look forward to working with Nola Nesting and providing childbirth options and being part of normal healthy birth designed to the mother and baby's natural abilities."

Alison Clark, CNM

3600 Prytania Street, Suite 30 New Orleans, LA 70115

504-897-7700

The Midwife's Hail Mary

There is no man in the moon. She is a dark and quite tomb, a female's mighty womb. Bleeds dark life giving blood. Whispers to me as I walk this quite path. Leads me with her wisdom as I fall amongst the stones. Gives me her strength to rise and meet life. Night after night she bathes me in her beauty. Kisses away my tears, soothes my fears. She quiets my cries.

She tells me this is her way, she has chosen my soul to do her bidding. Uses my hands and breath to do her work. Stands above me as I make mistakes during the sweet delirium she has provided. She guides me, she rises me, she illuminates my darkness.

One dark and quiet night my soul will rise to rest amongst her stars. She will cradle my weary bones. She will speak to me like my true mother. She will tell me why I have been chosen to walk amongst her light, to rise during her mighty hour to witness life. To sometimes be still and watch life enter with no need for my skill or knowledge.

Why she has chosen me to give of my own soul to breathe life in. To watch a mother cry as her child screams his first life's breath. I will thank her for the rise and fall of his tiny chest. I will weep in her arms and my weary soul will truly rest.

Poem by Sally Acosta. Inspiration from a night's beautiful birth.
Baby Joshua was welcomed to this earth weighing 5lbs 10oz.

 

Sally Acosta, of Let it Be Midwifery, is a Louisiana Sate Licensed Midwife (LM) and a NARM Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She lives in Covington, Louisiana, and originally hails from New Orleans. She provides midwifery care to anyone within an hour and half of Covington.