Peru — Mum's The Word (Writing) — The Dancing Curtain

Pioneer Women in Childbirth

Maria De Los Ángeles Chero and Ariela Waltzer pictured above are the first doulas of Peru. Dr. Angela Brocker is a doctor and a midwife in Peru who learned about doulas from living in Germany (where she is from originally) and decided to bring this tradition to Peru. In Lima, Peru, of all births in the private sector, the c-section rate is 85-90%, which is much higher than the national average of 35 to 40%. As a doctor in Peru, Dr. Angela Brocker witnessed a lot of obstetric violence and was even encouraged during her training to do practices against women that she did not agree with. In 2005, Dr. Brocker created a doula training program in Lima; Maria and Ariela were some of the first ladies to learn this tradition from Dr. Brocker at her birthing center, Pakarii. Both ladies continue to be doulas today and love it.

Ariela admits that in Peru doulas are not popular (compared to other countries) and that many women still do not know what a doula is, however, over the past fifteen years, more and more women are becoming aware of obstetric violence. She is happy to be one of the pioneers to support women.

Help for Infertile Couples

It is the last day of National Infertility Awareness Week and National Infertility Month. Did you know that one in eight couples experiences the pain of infertility, often in silence? That is a large number. Even though infertility has become common in the U.S. and other parts of the world, many mothers experience shame when it happens. National Infertility Week/Month raises awareness of infertility, helps couples cope with infertility, and encourages couples to “come out” with their friends and family without shame or embarrassment. We heal by expressing our truth, not suppressing it.

When I was in Lima, Peru, I interviewed Dr. Angela Brocker, a well-respected general practitioner and midwife in Peru. I asked her the difficult question, “Why is infertility so common today and how can it be remedied?”

health and wellness, female empowerment, new mothers, self-care, mothersKhristee RichApril 30, 2020National Infertility Awareness Month, National Infertility Awareness Week, Peru, awareness about infertility, help for infertile couplesComment