Birth Futures of the Netherlands
In May 11th 2023, multifaceted perspectives emerged from the first ever Birth Futures workshop taking place in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Dutch healthcare professionals, midwives, doulas, researchers, artists and creative visionaries convened to reimagine birth care in the Netherlands all the way out to the year 2100.
Before they could dream up the future, they first had to step outside the boundaries of the present day. The venue itself, the circular-built “de Loods” at Hof van Cartesius, cultivated an open and slightly unruly atmosphere ripe for unfettered creativity.
Meditate to kick-start futures thinking
The journey began by expanding minds through the “Human Layers” meditation created by Ella Saltmarshe and Hannah Smith, inspired by deep ecologist Joanna Macy. With a time-transcending mindset unlocked, participants brainstormed
the key trends and macro forces shaping the future of Dutch birth care - societal, technological, environmental, economic and political.
Futures webs and narratives
From there, the group delved into an innovative “Futures Webs” methodology, spinning out the potential cascading impacts of these trends. What if a certain development became the new normal in 2100? How might that reshape reality? With each “what if” question, fresh possibilities bloomed. Immersed in these speculative future scenarios, participants broke into smaller trios to craft vivid “day in the life” narratives. One envisioned AI seamlessly integrating with compassionate midwifery care. Another imagined a renaissance of ancestral traditions harmonizing with ethical innovations. Across the different tales, common themes emerged around bodily autonomy, community empowerment and environmental stewardship.
Zine creation and back casting
These stories materialized into vibrant zines through a kaleidoscope of creative media - collages, illustrations, sketches and more. Together, the zines composed an eclectic exhibition of potential 2100 realities.
But the real magic happened when participants backcasted, mapping the pathways to actually manifest their visions. They placed strategies and ideas along a timeline and brainstormed the necessary actions, policies and social movements to make those dreams tangible, categorizing them into short, medium and long-term measures. In the end, three primary futures crystallized: “Human Tech and Caring AI,” “Normalizing Birth through Shared Experiences,” and “Communities of Caring.” The pathways leading to each were richly mapped, illuminating the steps we can take today to revolutionize how we approach birth tomorrow.
Pathways to the Future depicting actions, strategies and ideas
The Utrecht workshop may have been just a half-day exploration, but the seeds planted will likely bear fruit for years to come. By creating a true space for unfettered imagination, Birth Futures empowered this diverse group to tap into their collective creativity and vision in a profound way.
Download the Birth Futures zine to explore results from this workshop and others across the world.