“I practice gratitude daily in my life and over the course of the last week after my first DONA Doula Training Workshop in NYC with Debra I continue to give thanks to her and the incredible experience she provided for myself and the women of our group. Every morning since the workshop I wake up inspired to work even harder to spread Debra’s message that a safe, pleasurable birth is possible for all women through education and the continuous support of their birth partner, Doula and care provider. Women empowering other women to support one another in birth and in life is a gift and a blessing that Debra has helped to bring forth from the depth of my heart so that I may serve the women of the world with love and compassion. Thank you Debra, I am eternally grateful for you!” Catalina Glasgow, Workshop Participant NYC 2015
“I feel incredibly honored and thankful to have trained as a doula with Debra. As a pioneer doula, she shares a rare wealth of experience and passion that is absolutely inspirational. Her teaching style is that of a true doula, generous, strong, and humble. I feel I learned just as much from what she said and did as I learned from her way of being. This training will not only prepare you to be an excellent doula; it will help you to honor the mother inside everyone in your life, including your self.” Holly Satvika, Workshop Participant
“Debra is a world visionary and able to bring about sweeping changes and benefits in maternity care and policies. She does it with a glowing inspiration for every participant and in many cultures, continents and among many points of view.” Gail Tully, Spinning Babies
“I have attended many births but I felt that your course gave me so much insight and knowledge to help women more effectively. I really feel enriched! … I have already ordered the certification booklet from DONA and look forward to completing the process.” Rachelle Oserans, Workshop participant
“After Debra’s magical touch, the students attend births during the pre clinical year of their two-year Midwifery Program. Thanks to Debra, the students now enter their Midwifery clinical rotations confident that they can effectively be “with woman” as they learn Midwifery.” Richard Jennings CNM, New York City
“By educating our healthcare team it gave them the knowledge of what a certified doula is, what her scope of practice is and what she can actually do and not do with a laboring woman. This took away a lot of the mystery and empowered the staff to learn techniques that can be incorporated into their practice as well. Rather than being threatened by a non-medical care provider, they learned to work as a cohesive team for the benefit of the couple to provide them with the most optimum birthing experience possible.” Cindy Ferestien, RNC, Parent Education Coordinator, The Valley Hospital, New Jersey
“The doula training offered by Debra congregates the sensibility, the experience and the tenderness that this kind of care demands.” Ricardo Herbert Jones, MD, Brazil
“You are so clearly a gift to women, to the entire birthing community, and to everyone who is lucky enough to be touched by your grace and wisdom.” Sylvia Blaustein CNM, Midwifery of Manhattan
“(Debra) is a rare combination of love, kindness and professional attention to details. She teaches so many varying skills that I recommend all midwives and doulas take her classes. After you take Debra’s classes you are so much better prepared to serve women in birth or be a great and useful activist in promoting optimal birth. Her classes are both fun and packed with information. They are always well reviewed in evaluations. I am frankly quite amazed at how much she packs into her classes as well as giving time for hands on practice where appropriate.” Jan Tritten, Midwifery Today
“First, again I wanted to thank you for the excellent doula training. I truly do believe the training is the beginning of my life’s work. Therefore you will always hold a special place in my life experiences. I personally wanted to let you know that the Warden has approved for me to start providing doula services for our clients immediately!” Danyell Williams, M.S., Program Manager, MOMobile at Riverside Correctional Facility, Philadelphia, PA
“(Debra) really knows the topics she broaches in her classes: history of childbirth care; physiology of childbirth; different techniques to ease pain, or to increase the diameter of the pelvis; how to prepare women to childbirth, either formulating an expectation chart, or discussing evidence-based practices; how to relate to women when during the birth process her demands differ from her previous plan; and other relevant topics that even being a physician, I had not had the opportunity to consider.” Daphne Rattner, MD, MPH, PhD, Sao Paulo, Brazil
About the ORGASMIC BIRTH MOVIE
“It is a miracle, a wonderful way to bring your child into this world! I am a midwife in Greece and unfortunately, we don’t have this opportunity of birthing our children in this way, here. We can only view such births on DVDs or on the internet.” Helen Serpetini, Midwife, Attika, Greece “I believe this is the most well-balanced, truthful, celebration of birth that I have ever viewed. I felt overwhelmed by a desire to spread the word and help women to know what they are capable of achieving. I cannot wait to organize a screening locally and to make sure that every nurse I know is aware of their impact on birthing women. Thank you for this amazing contribution!” Carolyn Rafferty, RNC-OB, BSN Executive Director, Association of Nurse Advocates for Childbirth Solutions; Clinical Coordinator, Cape Coral Hospital Family Birth Suites; Port Charlotte FL
“I heard about this film from my husband and I remember saying to him, “Are you sure its not called Ecstatic Birth?” I was shocked to hear these two words together and so very interested to know what that could mean for me. Even watching the trailer was a huge shift. I had no idea that home birthing and water birthing was a real option, it had always been spoken of as something dangerous, risky, and selfish. The information on your website and the subsequent research that I did helped me understand that birthing is such a sacred act and that idea is displayed so profoundly in the film. I found out two days before the screening that I am pregnant and seeing the film came at the perfect time for me. I so enjoyed meeting Deborah and the discussion forum that ensued. It helped me to see that there is an incredible support community here in Denver for mothers and mothers to be. Thank you for making this film. It is important that we see these positive images of birthing again and again so that we can install these images into our psyches. Birthing belongs to women and couples, not to doctors and hospitals. My hope is that this film travels far and wide throughout the world.” Andrea Naveena Valley, Massage Therapist, Yoga Instructor; Denver, CO
“It was amazing! Thank you so much for opening my eyes to this amazing understanding of birth. This will for ever change me and my views of natural child birth. After having two inductions with epidurals both times, I am happy to say that our last baby will be born in the comfort of our home! I am telling everyone about the film and showing everyone the film!” Jazz Carlson. RN, Minneapolis, MN “The film was so beautiful I just wanted to reach out and touch it, to immerse myself in it. I cried tears of joy as I remembered my own children’s births at home, each one so powerful and unique, and I wept for those many mothers and babies who have been robbed of this experience. Oh, that this film will help to turn the tides!” Jennifer Rian Mendiola, Minneapolis, MN
“What an empowering experience it was to attend the screening of Orgasmic Birth. I really want to thank you so much, Debra, for feeling the need to set the miraculous event of the birth process to film in such a way to truly encourage women to embrace the inherent strength that all moms possess. For our family, in a situation where we feel as if our choices for the upcoming birth of our second are limited, my husband and I really needed the inspiration and empowerment that came from attending this film together. I’m so glad that you’ve had such a great response to the film, as I feel it is crucial for more people to know that birth can be amazing and spiritual… not just a medical emergency waiting to happen.” Brooke Andrewson, Philadelphia PA
“My co-leader Sandy and I previewed the movie before our public screening and we both loved it. After this screening, as well as the 3 other public showings we offered, the audience raved about this movie with positive reviews! A selection of comments: This movie had more providers of midwifery care shown in a much more professional genre which showed that midwifery is a “profession”. Also, there were more couples interviewed, more types of births explored, a more realistic portrayal of how hard labor can be for most women, yet still be a blissful experience in the end. Most people after viewing this film want to plan a home birth. Showing the difficult, hard-to-achieve-normal birth keeps their ideal for an ‘orgasmic’ birth balanced and in perspective with reality. Debra, this is a wonderful birth film. Thank you for doing this work!” Eileen Denomme, CM, Clinton Township, Michigan
“Wow, we had our first private screening last night. It was attended by 45 here at my home. What a success! Everyone was enthusiastic about this film. They especially appreciated how you showed a positive birth at the hospital as well as home. Birth can be ecstatic and women should expect that of their birth.” Gerri Ryan, Birth Resource Network, San Diego, CA
“I am pregnant with my second child and was looking for birthing options without the use of medication. I happened to stumble upon this film at my local library. If I had known the title of the film I probably wouldn’t have seen it, but I am very glad I did. This movie prompted me to take a deeper look at birth and what a natural and life changing experience it truly is. It was reassuring to see birth portrayed in a positive and empowering way. Women need to see more of these kinds of films to take away from the negative images that we come face to face with everyday throughout our pregnancies. I believe that there is a strong mind/body connection in birth and the more positive empowering models I have to look to, the better I will be able to face my own birthing experience without fear. Positive and empowering information and images are what I am looking for to help me create a calm and positive environment to bring new life into.” Katie, Sterling Heights, Michigan
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my labor day! The film was divinely inspired and a perfect combination of strength, surrender, peace, joy and love. It made me laugh, cry and want to have another baby! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Julie Olson, Childbirth Educator (Bradley Method Instructor), Denver, CO
En Portuguese: “O filme mostra, finalmente, tudo o que um casal pode desejar para o parto e talvez nem saiba. As imagens são sedutoras, e a montagem primorosa. Vários participantes ficaram visivelmente emocionados e os casais que estão esperando bebê repensaram algumas de suas escolhas, na discussão que se seguiu à apresentação. Um filme que precisa ser visto por todos os profissionais da assistência ao parto bem como todas as mulheres que desejem ter filhos. Imperdível!!!” English translation: “The film shows, finally, everything that a couple can wish for the birth of their child and maybe they even don’t know they can. The images are seductive and the edition is primorous. Many attendants became visibly touched, and couples that are waiting for their births re-evaluated their choices in the discussion that followed the screening. A “must see” film for all birth professionals and all women that want to have babies as well.” Ana Cristina Duarte, Director, GAMA – Grupo de Apoio à Maternidade Ativa, Sao Paulo, Brasil
“This film is VERY important. Bringing our children into this world in a safe, natural way imprints them for life. Sharing this with mothers is one of the most powerful tools to help assure the strength, wisdom and empowerment of mothers is valued and respected. The strength and self respect to achieve an orgasmic birth will help our future generations understand the power of the circle of life!!! This is women taking back their bodies in the most beautiful way.” Elzabieta Kosmicki, Denver, CO
“After the screening, my mother and I were motivated to discuss our birth stories with each other in a new and meaningful way. We haven’t been close in a long time, but after the film we bonded over our similar experiences of the power of natural childbirth. Thank you for sparking our conversation.” Summer Smith, Philadelphia, PA “I was so moved by the viewing, I have recommended it to everyone I know!” Tina Dean, Sterling Heights, MI
” We are at a crossroads in our society as women take on a more equal role and question, will the feminine, sexual side of ourselves have to be sacrificed if we are to be full participants in the modern world? Are pregnancy and childbirth perilous disorders that need to be managed and controlled by modern medicine? Orgasmic Childbirth, a link to the knowledge of past generations of midwives and childbirth activists, gives us a different path. Childbirth can be a challenging, difficult, joyous sexual experience. This is a movie that gives women courage, resources and inspiration to enable them to actively participate in the life-changing experience of childbirth. Thank you!” Ginny Cassidy-Brinn, ARNP, Director of Well Woman Services, Cedar River Clinics, Seattle, WA
“The movie was very well rounded. Given the title, there were only a couple of parts that would make a person blush. Overall, the movie was good and offered lots of information that would be useful to pregnant women looking for an alternative birthing method.” Brittan, Macomb, Michigan “Your film is breathtaking, brilliant and beautiful. I’m blown away by the whole thing. What a matserful contribution to the birth conversation.” Carrie Contey, Austin, TX
“Orgasmic Birth has the courage to give voice to the sensual and sexual aspects of labor and birth. In an era where technological childbirth is rapidly beoming the standard, where birth does not start, continue, or finish on it’s own, this film fills our lungs with fresh air. It shows us not just physiological birth, but joyous, passionate, ecstatic birth.” Anonymous
“I absolutely loved it! I just wish people who are not comfortable with their sexuality could be reached to see this. I will push on to get this film to ALL who will receive it. It will change their lives.” Tiffani Hoffman, Doula/Childbirth Educator, Seattle, WA
“Orgasmic Birth is the perfect blend of evidence-based information and documentary film making. This blend helps the viewer to understand more thoroughly the normalcy of birth and why, 90% if the time, birth is an uncomplicated event. As a nurse with over 30 years of experience, I can say that every birth consumer and professional should see this documentary film and will come away with renewed faith and trust in the process!” Connie Livingston RN, BS, LCCE, CD(DONA); President, Perinatal Education Associations, Inc. www.birthsource.com
What a lovely film you have made!! Well done and thank you! As a doula, doula course facilitator, ecstatic birth mother, writer, and former midwife, I feel this film is an important tool for teaching and sharing with mothers and care providers alike. I particularly enjoyed the survivor’s story which illustrated so beautifully the power of a gentle birth to heal past abuse trauma. I feel most grateful to this mother for her courage in shaing her story. The strongest message I took away with me was about how important it is for babies to be born in their own time….all this rush, rush to be born could be why the world is in such a spin today!! Adela Stockton, Glasgow, Scotland www.adelastockton.co.uk
What a wonderful, empowering, hopeful film! My hope is that women, men, nurses, doctors and pretty much everybody takes the time to see this film. This could be life changing. Thank you so much! Jennifer Steele, Doula, Portland OR
“Orgasmic Birth takes you on an intimate journey to the sacred places women and their loved ones can travel during labor and birth. Much more than a film about where and how one “should” give birth, this sensitive and empowering movie weaves a story of the power, healing, joy and even ecstasy available when pregnancy and birth giving are supported as healthy, normal events in a family’s life.” Anonymous
The movie is so fabulous, I can’t wait to share it with people. Thank you! Nekole Shapiro, Doula, Seattle, WA Thank you for making this! I don’t think I’ve been so excited about a film in a long time. I work as a Doula, a medical assistant, and a counselor at an OB/GYN office and plan to show this to as many women and families as I can. As I begin graduate work in medical anthropology, I see this film as an inspiring part of the larger discussion of how we relate to our medical institutions, our culture and, ultimately, ourselves. Daniella Santoro, Doula, Brooklyn, NY
“One of the greatest contributions Orgasmic Birth offers is the real life victory of a woman whose birth allows her to triumph over her history of abuse. In one moment, you understand the incredible power women experience in taking on the challenges of their own labor and birth and coming out the other side. This moment in Orgasmic Birth made me feel that if this woman could have such a victory, well then I could surely do anything!” Anonymous
“The film is a powerful testament to the joy that lies within women’s bodies. In high school, my “sex ed” class consisted of a five-minute birth video after which the (male) teacher remarked, “Did you see that kids? That baby’s head was the size of a bowling ball!” It’s a miracle I became a mother myself, let alone a Doula, after that experience. If all high school students could watch your video, a generation would be transformed. Leah Hazard, Author: The Father’s Home Birth Handbook; Glasgow, Scotland www.bestbirth.co.uk
“Less a story about orgasms and sex than a story of love and the power of birth!” Sarah Akers, CNM
“Intimate, intuitive, intentional, energetic and earthy. Christiane Northrup commentaries excellent” Anonymous
“Bravo! The film is beautifully done. I really enjoyed seeing birth portrayed as a pleasurable experience. The film is both educational and inspirational. The families and experts portrayed were excellent. I appreciated all of the personal stories from people with different cultural backgrounds and experiences. The part on sexual abuse was well done. Thank you.” Jessica Hill
“This was a beautiful film with wonderful birth stories. I look forward to showing this film to women. Beautiful.” Sarah Hagen “I really enjoyed it! Especially glad you included such a victorious story from an abuse-survivor. I enjoyed the array of families portrayed” Michelle Lehmer Chiafulio, CM, MS, Jamaica Hospital, Queens, NY
“Loved the ambiance created in the film: warm, intimate, joyous. It really captured the range of emotions in labor and birth: exhaustion, joy, power and exhilaration.” Erin Smith “This film presents all that is good and right about normal childbirth. These beautiful, birthing women teach us that when labor is embraced rather than feared, the result is an ecstatic, empowering birth experience. As a Birth Doula and childbirth educator, this is the message I try to impart to my mothers. What a remarkable film!” Roseanne Ebert, CD(DONA), Ridgewood NJ
“Will be a great film for consumers. Very accessible. Liked your choice of speakers.”
“The movie is beautiful and changed my expectations for birth. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the actual footage of ecstatic births. I also thought the footage of the hospital births provided a remarkable counterpoint. I agree with Robbie Davis-Floyd’s comments at the end about women with empowering birth stories silencing themselves to avoid hurting those with bad experiences. But I think this film does a good job of trying to reach out to many women.” Anonymous
“I enjoyed the film because it’s very empowering and reassuring that natural birth is still possible and the way to go. I am newly married and considering having a baby by next year after my midwifery program. I have already made up my mind that I am going to do it naturally in my house.” Ifeyinwa Obi, Midwifery Student, Newark, NJ
“Great movie. I’m not a midwife and I really enjoyed it. It showed so many perspectives and covered so many topics and I was really impressed. Thank you so much for making this informative film. Great movie.”….”Hospital counterpoint was sensitive and useful…great point about not wanting to attack women who had cesarean or epidural. Make the point that babies always do come out.” Anonymous
“Brava! This was outstanding in so many ways. One thing that really struck me was that the movie not only said ‘you are an animal. You have to be during birth’ but that the interplay of birth experiences/visuals were so honest, so raw…I felt alive in my visceral reactions in the moment of watching. I literally felt encouraged to tap into my inner animal as a viewer. Incredible! As a CNM practicing out of hospital birth, this is the quintessential articulation of the gamut of birth experience. Thank you! This is the most comprehensive, honest and concise birthing video I’ve ever seen. My blessings to you.”, Becca van de Water, CNM, Juneau Family Birth Center, Alaska
“Message to create a safe container in which each woman can discover her own way to birth was powerful….Many beautiful birth sequences helped to show uniqueness and individuality for each…” Leona VandeVusse, CNM, PhD “I loved the film. I bought a copy at the screening. It’s the best feature-length film about birth I have ever seen and I have seen them all!!” Carol Gray, Midwife, Portland OR
“Really lovely antidote to a culture of fear. I really enjoyed it. ” Anonymous
