Birth center – Switzerland

Maison de naissance - Suisse

While doing some research on my project on midwives, I was in contact with a Swiss midwife via her Facebook fan page. Sarah is a midwife, she works in a birth center in Wittinsburg. A municipality of 500 residents located southeast of Basel (Switzerland).

A birth center is a healthcare facility, staffed by midwives for mothers in labor. They are dedicated to natural childbirth.

Birth center Ambra

Ambra is the birth house where Sarah exerts and where I am invited there to make a reportage. My initial desire was to cover just Germany. But after an email I sent to her for inviting to the project. I had a surprising answer. She talked about the project to her midwifery colleagues and were completely happy and motivated to be a part of the project.

They offered me to stay in the birth center for a week with all accomodations and live their lives to not miss anything from it. Aware of the problems of image rights we discussed it and I made her feeling confidend on that, she had already thought about it, she prepared a form for submiting it the pregnant women and their family.

On the other hand, being a man trying to photograph childbirth is a bit tricky, we also talked about it and I reassured her on this point, saying that I was aware and that I will take care of that being respectfull and discreet. I must admit that the project on the German side is not advancing that much, but I tell myself that perhaps with the collaboration of the Switzerland doors will open.

…to be continued.