From the Amazon to Quito: A little bit about Humanized Births

Well, after a long hiatus from the blogosphere, it's time I do a little updating about some of the exciting work I/we have been up to with Jungle Mamas. We are on our second round of birth apprenticeships with three Jungle Mamas participants at the fabulous Clinica la Primavera (the first round of participants are pictured above with Dr. Diego Alarcon, founder of the clinic). 


First, I would like to provide some contextual information about Clinica la Primavera. It was founded by Dr. Diego Alarcon and his wife (and an incredible doula), Lili Ruales.  They started the clinic because the existing westernized birth model is one that disempowers the lived experience of the mother, baby, and father, medicalizing a very natural process by placing all power into the hands of doctors and hospitals (who are so often bogged down by protocols and procedures that they forget the human element).  They work with mothers and fathers-to-be from early on in the pregnancy in establishing an emotional and loving connection among all individuals involved, with the primary goal to eliminate the mother's fear so that the birth process is safe and removes the possibility of trauma in the experience. Their approach is called "el parto humanizado" or the "humanized birth," and has garnered international attention from people as famous and revolutionary as Robbie Davis-Floyd. She has published an excellent and useful book known as _Birth Models that Work_ and will soon be following up with a second volume that includes a chapter featuring Clinica la Primavera. If I were to ever find myself pregnant in Ecuador (and may that not happen for a *very long* time), I would most certainly put my faith and birth experience in the hands of the doctors and doulas of Clinica la Primavera. I would most certainly (and have) recommend it to friends and colleagues who are/will be/have been pregnant here in Ecuador. 


So, having such a wonderful reputation both recognized at the local and global levels, the alliance between Clinica la Primavera and Jungle Mamas seems a perfect fit. One of the goals in the program I work for is to empower both Achuar men and women with the birth experience and to provide them with the information necessary to assure a safe birth and an informed response in the case of a birth emergency.  From the Safe Birth and Family Health workshops we have conducted in the Achuar communities, there have been a handfull of people who have stepped up to the plate and are actively attending to the births of the people in their communities. These people have shown commitment and an ability to attend births, hence we have been collaborating with Clinica la Primavera by sending these people to do birth apprenticeships (and to get more hands-on experience).