When I first began my journey into birth work, I discovered how much men were being pushed out of their lover's sacred birth space. I immediately went to work teaching couples the significance of his presence. I work to give to each father his rightful place inside her sacred birth space and have watched relationships and marriages heal because of doing so. When I heard there was a funding opportunity to get this document made and out into the world, I happily participated. My business is listed in the credits as Taylor Birthing as that was the name of my business at that time.

The Other Side of the Glass started the conversation about a man’s experience at his baby’s birth and his need to be seen as having his own experience as the father, a partner, and a witness. Men across the US shared their experiences of birthing their babies as “like being in a war zone” and being powerless - on “the other side of the glass” even if present.

The film features David Chamberlain, PhD founder of pre and perinatal psychology and others in the field, as well as nurses, midwives, doctors (Michel Odent MD, Stuart Fischbein MD, Sarah Buckley MD, and others), doulas, and grandmothers.

The overall theme of the film is the foundation established by the mother-baby connection at birth is neurologically critical for creating a humanity that is in thriving (love) mode, rather than in survival (fear) mode. The neural understanding of the mother-baby development and connection is introduced; and the film focuses on the needs of newborns at birth and the impact on family and society for not understanding this and for not meeting those needs.

The film implores caregivers (midwives, nurses, doctors) to be the ones to protect the mother-baby dyad and father in the hospital and home settings, and to be the ones to protect skin-to-skin at birth.

The film asks men to become aware of the critical need to see birth as a vital experience and to protect birth for all humans. The film supports men to realize they cannot protect their child and partner in the modern patriarchal-based maternity system; but, men can engage in protecting all women and babies by addressing their local hospitals, county, and state policymakers.

The Director, videographer, and editor of this documentary is Janel Mirendah. The Executive Producer of this documentary is Mariah Miranda. I am forever grateful to have this documentary to share with my students.

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