The Other Side of the Glass

The Other Side of the Glass - Buy the film

I am grateful for and overwhelmed (in a good way) with the response to the trailer and the requests to purchase the film.

The intro is short so that fathers and professional caregivers can get the overview of the information now. Fathers/Partners will be inspired about how to advocate for the mother and baby -- whether with a doctor or midwife, or at home or the hospital.

Thanks again for your support for the film. My heart soars with gratitude.


Janel Mirendah

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

This is the temporary site of www.BABYKEEPER.org.

I will be posting info here about my film for fathers, The Other Side of the Glass, as well information about my birth trauma therapy and birth videography.

Thank you for your patience.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am looking forward to seeing this film and for this information to become more pervasive. Not enough people realize what routine intervention such as suctioning or separation of baby from mom and dad does to babies and families. Please keep us posted as to where/when the film can be seen!

Janel Baby Keeper said...

I am grateful for and overwhelmed (in a good way) with the response to the trailer and the requests to purchase the film.

The short version of the film will be available in 2-3 weeks. It will cost $15 US. It is short so that fathers and professional caregivers can get the overview of the information. Fathers/Partners will be inspired about how to advocate for the mother and baby -- whether with a doctor or midwife, or at home or the hospital. Couples and caregivers will be moved to see the information about how to integrate and heal their experiences.

The final version that looks at the science will feature OBs, RNs, CNMs, LM, CPM, Doulas, childbirth educators, pre and perinatal psychologists and trauma healing therapists, physiologists, neurologists, speech therapists and lots and lots of fathers ... will hopefully be done in early 2009.

So far, this film has been totally self-funded. I am a one-woman crew -- lighting, filming, editing, driving. I have a few more road trips to make out east this month before I head back to California to finish the final film.

I need a website built if someone wants to do that.

Thank you,
Janel

gillberk said...

The makers of the BabyKeeper were thinking as well and have now alleviated us of our labors & concerns. The BabyKeeper has a harness that secures directly to stall doors where he will be safe & secure.
------------
gillberk

CONNECTOR

Anonymous said...

Hello, we would be happy to take on your project, please check out our website at http://www.directconnectcommunications.com

Anonymous said...

Thank you for doing this - my wife and I birthed at home with our first baby and plan to do so for the second-- but if we have to transfer to a hospital even the short bit of information from your trailer has been helpful in educating me in how to protect my wife and newborn-- don't cut the cord- it's such a simple mantra- but it's exactly what we need to do.

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Thank you for doing this - my wife and I birthed at home with our first baby and plan to do so for the second-- but if we have to transfer to a hospital even the short bit of information from your trailer has been helpful in educating me in how to protect my wife and newborn-- don't cut the cord- it's such a simple mantra- but it's exactly what we need to do.

Thank you

Anonymous said...

Thank you for doing this - my wife and I birthed at home with our first baby and plan to do so for the second-- but if we have to transfer to a hospital even the short bit of information from your trailer has been helpful in educating me in how to protect my wife and newborn-- don't cut the cord- it's such a simple mantra- but it's exactly what we need to do.

Thank you

Janel Baby Keeper said...

You are so very welcome. I am touched that it has helped you ... and very pleased that it has given you information you need.

I will tell baby Andrew and his father and mother, too. His father did not know what will be shown in the film, that I can tell you now. If he had Andrew would not have been suctioned extremely roughly and he would not have held him down for them, believing it was necessary. It wasn't. Can you tell that the nurse is teaching the resident to suction a baby -- a baby who does not need to be resuscitated.

Yes, keeping baby and mother connected would have prevented it. He did not know when the doctor proceeded against their birth plan/wishes and when the mama was crying, "noooooo" that ALL HE HAD TO SAY WAS, "I do not give my consent for you to cut the cord." LEGALLY, they have to stop. This is information from Dr. George Malcom Morley, MD, OB of 40 years.

His website is www.cordclamp.com and on his second site is a form to copy to present to your caregiver. YES, if you keep the baby and mother attached, baby gets his or her FULL blood volume and it is much harder to do unnecessary interventions. He says there is only one very rare reason for cutting the cord. The film will also advocate for the caregiver(s) to be HANDS OFF and allow mother and baby to "have a moment." A baby with cord intact, in mother's arms does not need to be stimulated roughly to breath. The first minute is to be protected; the first five and the first hour if possible.

Part 1 will advocate for caregivers to watch the mother for her cues. A homebirth physician will describe this, how to watch for her cues about when she wants, to support her to come back to her thinking brain from her primal brain that knows how to give birth. In that interim, baby and mother are both in a place of rest, pause, and integration, as is father. I advocate that the father can protect this moment ... support the mother and baby and follow the mother's cues as to when SHE feels she and baby are ready to be separated. I think it is an artificial and damaging situation created by hospitals "to include fathers" to "allow" them to cut the cord. It is the moment of separation for the mother and baby; and too often is done prematurely, without consciousness and respect. Father is often pushed to do so when HE is ALSO in moment of transition.

There appears to be a trend of suctioning for "in case of" meconium aspiration, that is actually very rare. It is done routinely, as are most interventions, because if they don't and it is that one exception, they are at risk of being sued.

Recent research in 2006 shows there is NO benefit of any of the methods of preventing meconium aspiration, so it is logical that it is safe to allow baby to breath on his or her own and then watch for the symptoms ... flaring nostrils and grunting.
IF they insist and a father doesn't feel comfortable in telling them to stop, the father can still ask that they slow down, speak to the baby, tell the baby what they'll be doing, and WHY. ALL of us know when he get rushed and panicked and try to do something important we go slower and are less effective; however, when we pause to breathe and slow down and proceed intentionally, we actually can do better and go faster.

I am sure your midwife is wonderful, but I find that many of them are also practicing these routine interventions, more often in the hospital, but also at home. Many still believe it is necessary to rub and stimulate baby instead of letting mother's instincts guide. Men and women being prepared, being clear, and be willing to take responsibility is the key.

Ask your midwife if she bulbs --- many midwives are now throwing them out as we know they are ineffective and damaging to the baby and to breastfeeding.

Best of luck with upcoming birth and THANK YOU for taking time to share your comment.

Review of the film

Most of us were born surrounded by people who had no clue about how aware and feeling we were. This trailer triggers a lot of emotions for people if they have not considered the baby's needs and were not considered as a baby. Most of us born in the US were not. The final film will include detailed and profound information about the science-based, cutting-edge therapies for healing birth trauma.

The full film will have the interviews of a wider spectrum of professionals and fathers, and will include a third birth, at home, where the caregivers do a necessary intervention, suctioning, while being conscious of the baby.

The final version will feature OBs, RNs, CNMs, LM, CPM, Doulas, childbirth educators, pre and perinatal psychologists and trauma healing therapists, physiologists, neurologists, speech therapists and lots and lots of fathers -- will hopefully be done in early 2009.

The final version will include the science needed to advocated for delayed cord clamping, and the science that shows when a baby needs to be suctioned and addresses other interventions. Experts in conscious parenting will teach how to be present with a sentient newborn in a conscious, gentle way -- especially when administering life-saving techniques.

The goal is to keep the baby in the mother's arms so that the baby gets all of his or her placental blood and to avoid unnecessary, violating, and abusive touch and interactions. When we do that, whether at home or hospital, with doctor or midwife, the birth is safe for the father. The "trick" for birthing men and women is how to make it happen in the hospital.