Catching Babies: Celebrating the Power of Birth, Mothers and Midwives

Filmed at the El Paso, TX, Maternidad La Luz birth center, director Barni A. Qaasim's Catching Babies takes a look at childbirth from the perspective of four midwives-in-training who are enrolled in a midwifery program that offers in one year the equivalent of a three-year course schedule elsewhere. Serving low-income Mexican and Mexican-American women, La Luz has a reputation for empowering mothers and families—building relationships with patients while also providing care that goes beyond the merely clinical. This is in contrast to conventional obstetric care, where physicians may spend little time getting to know a patient, be indifferent to her emotional state, wind up making decisions for her, and/or focus on what might go wrong during pregnancy and birth. A La Luz student notes that occasionally women in labor must be referred to a hospital, which can be rough on the midwives who have encouraged women to have a natural birth. Some time is also devoted to a traditional Mexican sweat lodge ritual that an expectant mom's family performs to celebrate her pregnancy and anticipate her baby's birth. An inspiring documentary about an individual-centered, community-based birthing clinic, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Puffer-Rothenberg)