Birth Futures of Peru
The Birth Futures workshop held at La Hotel Hacienda in Mala, Peru was a transformative experience in collective imagination. For two immersive days, a diverse group of over thirty midwives and birth workers were guided through a carefully curated journey to envision alternative futures for childbirth in their communities.
“El respeto por la cultura de cada mujer para parir
y reforzar el parto con acompañante en mi hospital.”
~ Respect for the culture of each woman to give birth and reinforce childbirth with a companion in my hospital, quote by one of the participants of Futuros del Parto Peru.
Hosted by futures ecologist Marjolein Pijnappels, teaching expert María José Julia Sánchez Aguilar and midwife/PhD candidate Susana Ku Carbonell, the two-day workshop Futuros del Parto (Birth Futures) was held on 18 and 19 April 2024 in the enclosed oasis of La Hacienda Hotel in Mala, just south of Lima. From the outset, our aim was to envision a future where holistic, human-centered practices are empowered by technology and supported by integrated services.
Planting seeds
Together, we delved deep into the future of birth care, envisioning a world where women have autonomy and agency in childbirth, supported by governmental policies and integrated services. From personal narratives to collaborative artworks, each contribution reflected
a shared commitment to reimagining
the birthing experience. As one of the participating midwives remarked: “You planted a seed, and now it is our job to take these seeds and distribute them, so they can take root.”
Humanity-technology-community
Key outcomes of our workshop included the envisioning of multiple futures where midwives and their services are seamlessly integrated with artificial intelligence, symbolizing a harmonious fusion of human touch and technological advancement. Moreover, our participants highlighted the importance of community involvement and emotional well-being in the birthing process, emphasizing the need for holistic and culturally sensitive approaches to birth care. These ideas were transformed into art and displayed in an impromptu pop-up exhibit. The artwork was also exhibited in Lima during a keynote presentation to the College of Midwives.
“Fue un taller que amplió mi visión y pude dar una mirada hacia el futuro. Todo fue valioso: los testimonios, lasdinámicas.”
~ It was a workshop that broadened my vision, allowing me to look toward the future. Everything was valuable—the testimonies, the dynamics, quote by one of the participants of Futuros del Parto Peru
Laying the groundwork for transformative midwifery-led birth care
Midwives did not only reflect on the possibilities of births in the future, but also reflected and openly analyzed their positionality within the health system, making apparent their desire for recognition and value from a system that is offensive to their practice. Hence the workshop did not only open the platform to transform the vision of birth, but the vision that midwives have for their own profession and their roles within the community systems.
Download the Birth Futures zine to explore results from this workshop and others across the world.