Birth, Death and Sexuality

Through the act of controlling birth, we disassociate ourselves with its raw power. Disassociation makes it easier to identify with our "civilized" nature, deny our "savage" roots and connection with indigenous cultures. Birth simultaneously encompasses the three events that civilized societies fear--birth, death, and sexuality.

--Holly Richards, "Cultural Messages of Childbirth: The Perpetration of Fear," ICEA Journal 7(3):28, May 1993.

As a Brazilian-American, I lived most of my life in the United States and bi-culturalism has shaped my life. I´ve also had the opportunity to experience birth in two cultures, my daughter was born in Dallas and my son in Belo Horizonte. The first time I had a waterbirth in a birthcenter in a midwife-friendly and strong natural birth culture. The second time, I chose a homebirth, in a city where 8 in 10 women have c-sections, many of them scheduled before the first sign of labor. I was baffled at times by just how violent and nasty people could be when I told them I chose a natural birth. I was many times afraid to mention it would be at home.

As a doula and childbirth educator in Brazil I´ve also had the opportunity to help other women have positive experiences. Some of these women were from other countries and much like I had been, were lost in trying to understand Brazilian birth and culture. It can all be so overwhelming when for a moment we forget just how resilient and powerful we women are.