PACIFIC MOTHER

When freedivers Sachiko Fukumoto and William Trubridge are unable to access the natural water-birth they passionately want for the birth of their first child in Japan, they travel to Aotearoa New Zealand. There they are supported by a world-leading midwifery system to have the birth they dreamed of. Sachiko wonders how many other mothers are fighting for control of their birth journeys and she seeks out ocean-women across the Pacific region. Along the way she meets other prospective mothers–Kimi Werner (Hawai‘i), Rava Ray (Tahiti) and Ioana Turia (Cook Islands)-- they all feel a deep connection to the ocean, and this played a big role in their pregnancy and birthing choices. Sachiko also interviews midwives from across the Pacific including from her native Okinawa, many of whom battle regulations and a lack of resources in order to support parents. Sachiko’s journey reveals that when people are given knowledge and are supported emotionally, physically and culturally, they are more likely to have a positive birth experience, no matter where or how it takes place, whether it's in hospital or at home, on land or in the water.