Barcelona

Installation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

Anabel F. : "Unconditional Love"

Sonia W., Midwife: "On the first day of class I realized I had made the right choice when the director of the midwife school welcomed us and asked us if we were ready “to be with the women”, as the word for midwife in Spanish indicates (comadrona: con madre, with mother). After 5 years, I’ve attended many different types of births. I’ve learned what you should and should not do and what a woman appreciates while she’s giving birth, which is often against the opinion of many. I’ve found a way of working according to my training and my own conviction. I’ve had the opportunity of observing, well, perhaps better to say “living,” these births in their full glory and immensity. I’ve admired the female body, learned about its power, nature and strength. I have learned that every mother and every baby deserves a peaceful birth, accompanied by a friendly midwife."

Cristina F. : "There’s just one thing more beautiful than creating and feeling life growing within you: the first look exchanged between you and your child following the birth."

Elena B., Mother and Midwife: "I’m a mother and a midwife. My job as a midwife is mostly comprised of postpartum visits. I believe that the birth of a child is a unique moment in a woman’s life, and I feel very lucky to be able to participate and help in both the birth and the postnatal period. Especially in the postnatal period because we often forget how important it is to support a mother after giving birth. This period is one in which women most need help with breastfeeding, lactation, etc."

Elisabet G. : "Motherhood comes with a path of no return: it gives the mother the possibility of listening in a new and distinct way. It is a gateway to re-discovering myself each day.”

Begoña C. : "Being a mother is, without doubt, the most important and intense experience in my life. It’s the first time I felt as much connected with another human being as I felt with myself and with whom I discovered the true sense of altruism. Not a long time ago, my daughter asked me if I had learned anything from her. It took me months to find a true answer, without any clichés. Now I can see two ways to answer her question—what I’ve already learned from her (openness, happiness, thrills, etc) and what I’m still learning from her. On the one hand, living and enjoying the present moment to the maximum, being 100% in her conversations and games, in her kisses and cuddles. Making the maximum effort to be well with myself, to the point where it shows on the outside. Seeing and recognizing aspects of me which I didn’t previously see and also put them into question. Being coherent and consistent with my ideas and reasoning. And finally, being more in touch with my inner Self."

Hermanita B. : "BEING A WOMAN, BEING A MOTHER, BEING A GODDESS. The path of the woman is like a rose. It is born in the depths of the earth and grows up closed and bursting with beauty. It is strong in its stem, creating thorns to break out and find its way up through the tough, dry earth in the places where it grows. And when it receives the delicious, watery nectar of dew at daybreak it opens victoriously to offer itself in all its splendour. BE FREE, women of light and strength. When giving birth, each of our children comes from the power of OUR nature, IT RELEASES US. PROFOUND LOVE TO BE AND FEEL LIFE IN ITS FULLNESS, SAT NAM."

Isabel H. : "Being a grandmother is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It makes you feel alive again. Grandchildren are a blessing from heaven."

Ana G.: "When you become a mother, you experience an internal transformation that lets you feel, think and contemplate life differently. Motherhood is a self-being renewal, and to contemplate one’s own child is to witness the everyday miracle of life. New vital parameters of love, devotion and self-improvement are activated. As a mother, I realize that a child gives you back the ability to smile and encourages you to become a better person. Being a mother has bound me spiritually to all the mothers of the world."

Diana Z.

Vanessa I. : "I am one of the founders of MARA, a mothers’ group. For us it is a pleasure to be able to be near the mothers and share, as much as learn, during such powerful moments of Motherhood. It is incredible how much parenting, mothers or nursing groups are needed. The Woman is very lonely when she becomes a mother. The nuclear family, which we encounter in the home, the individuality that we tend to, can all push the woman adrift for the first months. And if your environment does not respect you and only the people around you only tell what you should do, instead of what you need or what you want or how you want to do it, family confrontations may increase. Women’s groups help women to empower their own motherhood and encourage them to look for their own answers by taking into account different experiences that other mothers have had. They are places free of judgments and prejudices."

Lucia A. : "I would like midwives or doulas to be recognized as professional references in regards to sexual and reproductive health. I learn from each woman that I accompany and that learning continues to motivate me to explore and in turn allows me to better help women. It is a spiral in which I learn from myself as well. I hope that we women will take hold of the reins of our health and that we will recuperate the confidence in our own capabilities, especially in regards to pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding, the wonderful capability to feed our children. Although science heavily demonstrates the miracles of human milk, it is still is undervalued, questioned, criticized and ignored without hardly any support from neither professionals in the field nor the governmental administrators of Health. For mothers, I hope that they trust in their own instinct to breastfeed and raise their children and that they create support systems with other mothers in their cities and towns."

Krishinda P.: "After my third child, I realized that the job of midwife was much more than just delivering a baby. The love and attention I received from my midwives made me understand how important birth can be in a woman’s life and this realization helped me to decide to give my life to midwifery. After my experience I began to understand how the way we are born and the way we truly live are closely related. Midwife means to be with women, and this is what we do. We are with women through pregnancy, birth and after. Our job is to be not only the birth professional but in many ways we are mothers, sisters and friends to our clients. This can be a very spiritual bond. My wish is that women are given a real choice in the care they are offered and that obstetric professionals begin to realize how unnecessary interventions can actually harm mothers and babies."

Laura V.

Maria C., Midwife : "Always in life there is something that comes from the deepest of our selves, from our roots, from our innate essence. It is from this essence that I became a midwife. The feminine force of my two grandmothers, who I admire so much, accompanies me through each birth.I studied to become a midwife in England, where the combination of theoretical and practical education was the basis that provided me the solid foundation to interlace science and institution. During this period, I also had my first experience with a home birth. My job was to support, be present, provide affection and emotional support, and share the joy of living the experience. It is a pleasure to enjoy my profession together with other professionals and families that make what I do possible. I am very grateful to each of them."

Merce P.

Noemi M.

Xenia G. :"I miss and feel the lack of time that I am able to dedicate to myself, but I love to dedicate it to Julieta. I wish that Julieta will learn from her pain and her joy. I gave birth in the public hospital of Vendrell, where there is a natural childbirth unit. Although I prepared myself for dilatation with my partner, a midwife accompanied me during the entire delivery. Giving birth was the most exciting experience of my life. I was lucky that everything went well. Julieta was born healthy and she was quickly in search of my chest. When she was born, I was full of vitality and love, I wanted to do somersaults. I couldn’t stop looking at her. That night I didn’t sleep, even though I was in labor for 10 hours."

Sylvia B. : "Motherhood has changed everything, or at least almost everything; my priorities and concerns, time, order, routine, work-life, my relationship with my parents, with my partner, with my friends…even with myself. I guess it is me who has actually changed. I try to be well and to set a good example for my children so they can be healthy and happy, full of love, and with a desire to discover things. I want them to feel understood and valued. Teach them about education, values and the world in which we live in. My first birthing experience was beautiful, instinctive, intense and conscious. My second time was pure meditation."

Purificacion G. : "Giving birth is the greatest thing I have done as a woman. I feel fulfilled. I hope that my daughters continue to be healthy and stable. I gave birth in a clinic, accompanied by a doctor and a midwife. I felt pain until the baby was crowned. After that I went to sleep with the Pentothal. Once I woke up, I wanted to see my baby. I raised my daughters at home until scholar age and I fought for them. At that time, I took courses to prepare for motherhood and to learn how to make baby clothes."

Ester M. : "When I was giving birth I thought I was dying to be reborn as a MOTHER, especially when I saw my daughter in my arms. Day by day, you are filled with a love that grows and grows. But many, many times it is difficult, especially in Barcelona. We have too many gaps, like little financial support, little understanding by companies, commuting, the impossibility of choosing the school and the doctors...It is HARD, but tell me.... When and where it is not difficult to have a child? Motherhood means many words, not just one: fulfillment, repletion, unimaginable beauty, living up to the soul, infinite and unconditional love and having a lot of patience! I share this experience especially with my friends, who I love and appreciate. With them I share the joys and sadness, advice and concerns, good and not so good times. Motherhood is something to live, to take care of, and above all to ENJOY!"

Silvia V.

Delfina E.

Zaida G. "We have ceased to be a couple and now we are a family. I hope that our baby will be healthy and grow up happy. In the hospital I was accompanied by a midwife. The labor was rather long, but was worth the pain. When they give you the baby and put it in you’re arms, you forget everything. I would like that my son will live in a calm and tranquil place. Maternity is the ultimate expression of a woman's unconditional love."

Carmen C.

Eva P.

Pilar T.

Noelia D. : "My labor was wonderful and intense. I remember connecting with an inner force that I didn’t know and I had. I had never felt so present, so strong and so happy. If I have another child, I also wish he or she could born at home. I cannot imagine a better place for birth. Aura was born by candlelight in the warmth of our home. And only three hours after her birth, my partner, my baby and I found each other in the intimacy of our home. For me, motherhood is the biggest act of love and commitment that a woman can perform. I feel a deep gratitude to my daughter for being here, and for everything that I learn from her each day."

Montserrat C. : "My wish is to see child-friendly towns and cities grow."

Juliana M.

Neva A.

Cristina L.

Ana J.

Marta C. : "The best part of giving birth was when it was over, and I saw my little girl’s head. In Barcelona, I needed fresh air and greens areas. The city is very aggressive for kids. Every time I am in the city, I notice more and more the noises and contamination that exist there."

Maria H.

Araygua M.

Laia V.: "Motherhood has given me roots that I didn’t have: responsibility, schedules, financial concerns. It is helping me to relearn from my past and above all, to forgive it, to look into the future with the greatest positivity as possible. To grow with my daughter by recovering the girl I used to be, and that somehow was never let out. I hope my daughter grows in a way that benefits her personality and skills as the unique person she is. I hope I can offer this to her as the single mother I am, and be a good mother. Although sometimes I lose my nerves and I can’t find ways to work with her in a non-stressful manner. I also hope that I am able to find the best way to provide for her basic needs and have time to spend with her, quality time."

Maribel M. : "Being a mother is to accept the miracle of life, and surrender body and soul to an unconditional love. Being a mother is to understand one’s mother and to be part of the human tribe. It is the most sacred and deep experience of being."

Ana C. : "Motherhood has changed my life in many ways. Now I have put myself second. My son comes first for everything. I am worried too much about his education and his future, as things are nowadays. I had my son in the Maternity Ward, and I would do it again without thinking twice. I had the nurses helping me the whole time. The experience of childbirth was hard and after several attempts it ended in a cesarean section. But now I don’t remember it being so hard."

Amaia C.: "We begin a new life with the hope of creating a new home: with your energy, with your vitality, with your love, you fill life with hopes and dreams. You are my inspiration. Upon cutting the umbilical cord, we did not cut our union…we forged it. Loving you is easy. I wish for you a paradise."

Helene F. : "You illuminate my life."

Carolina N.

Installation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

Maria C. with her image at the installation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

Marta C. with her image at the i nstallation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

Montserrat C. with her image at the installation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

Installation of Making Mothers Visible, Barcelona. May 13, 2012.

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Making Mothers Visible Barcelona

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The International Museum of Women’s Making Mothers Visible Barcelona global pop-up photography project in Barcelona, Spain took place on Sunday May 13!

Mothers, midwives, and community members witnessed the public art installation in process as volunteers installed more than 40 large-scale photographs of mothers and midwives outside of 8 Marc Plaza in Barcelona. The images installed are included in the above slideshow, along with quotes from each woman about her experience of motherhood and pictures documenting the installation. The day included fun activities for kids and remarks from Eva Vela, President of the Catalan Association of Midwives, who read the Midwife Manifesto.

Credits for Barcelona >>

Barcelona

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