Birthing in (Northeast) Brazil

I started writing this series about three years ago. Never has it seemed like the right time to post it, until now. This series explains some of what is happening in Brazil. It is why Mercia and I want to go to these classes. I know that I need more education, more training, more prayer, more partnerships, more seeking God’s will, and more patience. Well, anyway, this is where we are.

Background, Introduction, Part 1

Have you ever had so much to say that you just didn’t know where to start?  Yeah, I don’t often have that problem either, but recently I do. So, I’m going to do a little series on my thoughts about birth.

Specifically, the state of obstetric care in Northeast Brazil.

I know a lot of you have seen me blab about this over the past three years or so on facebook. We don’t really blog much, so I know to suddenly start going on and on about birth is a little weird, but well, that’s just where I am right now. Obviously this is an issue near to my heart.

A little disclaimer before we get into it. How a woman chooses to birth or what happens to her in the course of childbirth is a very personal experience. Ladies, no matter how you gave birth you did your best to have the best for your child and yourself in your unique situation. I am not writing this series to insult c-section moms or champion natural birth.  We all love and care for our children and try to make the best decisions.

While I am writing this from a perspective that elective c-sections are not ideal; I know that other well researched women have come to other conclusions. I respect that. The purpose of this series is to provide an understanding of birth in Brazil from the perspective of a foreigner. I am going to talk a lot about the risks of elective c-sections, but ultimately I love and respect my sisters who make other decisions.  I will also talk about obstetric violence. Ultimately, it is most important that I am showing the love of Christ to those around me. I hope that this clear in what I share.

This isn’t really a series for everyone, like for example, if you’re not interested in talking about birth!

Hey, if you’re still here, I have a few articles to get you started understanding birth in Brazil.

1. http://www.ravishly.com/2015/04/09/whats-behind-dangerous-c-section-epidemic-brazil
2. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/why-most-brazilian-women-get-c-sections/360589/  
3. http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-05-14/brazil-half-all-mothers-have-c-sections-whether-they-want-it-or-not
4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ricki-lake/birth-in-brazil_b_1495875.html
5. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/16/c-section-rates_n_5161162.html  
6. http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/153097/brazil-fights-epidemic-of-cesarean-births
7. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/mother-tongue/11342757/Sex-after-giving-birth-A-caesarean-could-ruin-your-sex-life.html  

This one is great to just know the facts about maternal mortality in my state.

http://www.rhm-elsevier.com/article/S0968-8080(07)30326-1/fulltext

Part 2 coming soon…

-Lindsay

PS A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE DONATED TO OUR GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN SO FAR!! LET'S KEEP GOING! gofundme.com/LnMgo

Lindsay and Mercia go...fundme + BONUS Birthing in Brazil Because it's my Birthday!

(Lindsay here)



First of all,
did you see that serious alliteration in the title?

Yeah, that's reason enough to talk about birth on your birthday.



Anyway, You might have noticed that I have been spamming social media with my pleas for help with a special gofundme project! I am super excited (really, very, very excited!) to be taking an amazing class with a dear friend, Mercia (Pastor Flavio's wife), but we can't do it without your help! This short video has some info!







About the course: CEFAPP EDUCADORAS PERINATAL (in Portuguese)
About the gofundme thing: Lindsay and Mercia go to class!


BONUS (Birthing in Brazil Because it's my Birthday!)

During the next few weeks, I will be doing a series here with my take on Birthing in (Northeast) Brazil. I have been sitting on some stuff I have written for... um, years. It finally seems like a good time to talk about things that are deep down and precious to my heart.



 It's fascinating stuff, if you're into that sort of thing. If not, feel free to ignore the next 4-5 posts. Seriously. We aren't going to turn this blog into some crazy (awesome) birth blog. If I need to do that I'll start a new blog. Ha!



So, I know that this is more posts than we do most YEARS, but since this topic is so dear to my heart, Jeff and I feel like this is a better platform for discussion than Facebook, Twitter, etc.



Finally,

Check out that awesome graphic our friend, Diana Deli made me for this (with like one day's notice!!). She is a new missionary through World Renewal Brazil! She teaches English and art at the school, saves our lives making amazing DIY decorations for school/church events, and is an amazing person with whom to get coffee! She is back home in Hungary right now raising funds to come back! Support her, too! 

by Lindsay Turner (not Jeff, like it says below)