Birth Futures brings birth stories from the year 2100 to the present day, to critically reflect on current birth care and how it could transform in the future. We use insights from scenario development, storytelling and participatory design. On May 11 the first workshop took place. Explore the report here.

Interested in exploring and visualizing birth futures as part of this project? Contact us for more information.

Birth Futures co-creates birth futures for the year 2100 together with birth workers, healthcare professionals, researchers and creative makers, on four continents in the world: Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. The reason for a broad geographical focus is to draw inspiration from a rich palette of customs, ancestral practices, ideas and views on childbirth and perinatal care.

Imagine possible futures

 On May 11 the first workshop Birth Futures took place in Utrecht (the Netherlands). Dutch healthcare professionals, mid-wives, doulas, researchers, artists and cretive makers imagined and explored possible futures for birth care and formulated concrete actions to bring the desired futures closer.

Various trends and developments have been identified in so-called Future Wheels, which have been subdivided into four categories in the post-workshop analysis.

The story of a birth in 2100

Based on the impacts, the participants in duos and trios developed a story based on the “A Day In the Life” scenario. A total of five birth stories from the year 2100 have been developed and visualized using creative materials such as photos, illustrations, colours, self-made sketches and texts.

Pathways to the future

 At the end of the workshop, the stories were shared and the most important visions of the future were written down. Common themes were drawn from the stories and three desired futures were formulated. Subsequently, we brainstormed about possible actions, measures and visions that would lead to the desired futures. The ideas have been placed on a timeline and in the post-workshop analysis these cohesive actions have been aranged into “pathways to the future”.

Future steps for Birth Futures

Platform wondermash has chosen elements from the five zines about birth and perinatal care in the Netherlands in 2100 to develop a multimedia birth story of the future. The Birth Futures Netherlands workshop is one of four workshops that will take place in 2023-2024 on four continents: in the Netherlands, Peru, India and South Africa. The stories will be showcased from 2024 through a digital platform and in physical locations worldwide.

Birth Futures is an initiative of platform wondermash led by futures ecologist Marjolein Pijnappels and madepossible with funding from Stimuleringsfonds. Contact: marjolein@wondermash.eu  

wondermash offers a space for curious and boundless exploration using insights from trans-disciplinarian research, future speculation and design. Reach out for collaborations and enquiries.