Our Approach to Global Birthwork
At Wombs of the World, we believe that birth is a universal human experience that reflects the health of our communities and societies. When we step into birth spaces across the globe, we carry both the privilege and the responsibility of honoring the traditions, cultures, and people who invite us in.
What makes our work truly unique is the women and birthworkers who travel with us. They come from all over the world, from many different professional paths, and hold countless identities and lived experiences. Despite our differences, we share a common heartbeat for this work.
Creating a safe and respectful environment within our own groups has proven just as important as the care we extend to the communities we visit. In a world that often feels divided, we are learning how to hold space for one another, to meet each other where we are, and to reflect deeply on our own presence. Sitting in safe circles together holds the power to heal not only generations past, but generations forward.
The following statements outline the principles that guide us in this shared work. They continue to evolve as we evolve, because so much of this journey is about unlearning and relearning, and staying open to the discomfort that comes with growth, accountability, and transformation.
Anti-Racism Birthwork Statement
At Wombs of the World, we recognize that birthwork exists within systems shaped by racism, colonialism, and the erasure of ancestral knowledge. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have endured generations of reproductive injustice, and these realities continue today in disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes and in the devaluing of traditional birth practices.
As a white-led organization, we know that our work carries a particular responsibility. Leading trips into Black and brown countries requires humility, accountability, and respect. We are committed to acknowledging our privilege, to naming the systemic inequities that exist, and to ensuring that our programs honor and value the communities who welcome us.
For us, being actively anti-racist means more than words, it means how we structure our work. We commit to compensating teachers fairly, crediting wisdom where it comes from, creating opportunities for global midwives to share their knowledge on international platforms, and preparing our participants to reflect on their own identities and responsibilities as they step into global birth spaces.
Anti-racism is not a destination but an ongoing practice of learning and unlearning, and we hold it as central to our mission and approach.
Inclusivity Statement
Wombs of the World celebrates the full spectrum of identities present in perinatal spaces. We recognize that birthwork is deeply connected to advocacy and change, and we are committed to creating spaces where all people feel seen and supported.
We acknowledge that society often associates parenting exclusively with cis-gendered, heterosexual women. While women (and those who identify as women) are deeply impacted by the patriarchal systems that shape how we birth and learn about our bodies, we also know that many others are part of this journey. Our LGBTQIAP+ friends and community members have long faced marginalization in reproductive health, and we are committed to ensuring that they are fully included and celebrated in our work.
In referring to perinatal people, we use a variety of words, woman, person, mother, mama, parent, individual, folks, birther, and we remain open to evolving language that fosters belonging and accessibility for all.
We also acknowledge that the word “doula,” with its Greek origin meaning “woman servant” or “woman slave,” carries both gendered and problematic roots. While the word has gained international recognition and remains widely used, we also embrace other terms such as perinatal worker, birthworker, birth keeper, or reproductive specialist to reflect the diversity of those serving in this role.
We recognize that in some of the countries we travel to, laws and cultural norms may not support full expression of identity. While we respect local contexts, within our programs all participants are held in safety and encouraged to be wholly themselves.
We know this is an ongoing journey. We are committed to listening, learning, and evolving as we grow, and we welcome feedback and dialogue as part of our commitment to inclusion.
Rejecting Saviorism, Building Partnerships
"Any western medical institution more than a century old and which claims to stand for peace and justice has to confront a painful truth - that its success was built on the savage legacy of colonialism." - Richard Horton
Wombs of the World programs are not volunteer trips. They are global education experiences designed to transform the hearts, minds, and practices of birthworkers, not to “save” or “fix” communities abroad. The legacy of medical colonialism is alive and well, and the global birth justice movement cannot afford more well-intentioned harm.
Volunteer tourism often misses the mark by centering the traveler’s experience over the needs of the community. While travel can be deeply transformative, we name clearly that it is the participant who gains the most from our programs. This awareness helps us reject saviorism and arrive in global birth spaces with the humility and context required.
Since 2018, we have been building long-term relationships with midwives, clinics, and communities in Tanzania, Ecuador, Mexico, and beyond. It is through these partnerships that projects like the Karatu Vertical Birth Initiative have emerged, community-led efforts designed to benefit families locally, with the potential to ripple outward as replicable models.
Our role is not to lead but to collaborate. We strive to be mindful travelers: investing in local economies, learning with humility, and challenging the hierarchies of knowledge often imposed by Western models in birth spaces. Our partnerships are rooted in trust, curiosity, reciprocity, and cultural humility. We enter with the intention to witness, listen, and support, knowing that true change emerges from relationships, not interventions.
Cultural Appropriation vs Appreciation
At Wombs of the World, we are deeply aware that Westerners traveling abroad to learn from Indigenous midwives carries the potential for both healing and harm. We do not take this lightly.
There is a long and painful history of colonial extraction, where sacred knowledge was taken, repackaged, and profited from by those outside the culture it belonged to. That legacy does not disappear simply because our intentions are good. This is why we have built an intentional framework around how we travel, how we learn, and how we give credit.
Before any participant joins a trip, they complete our Cultural Curiosity, Humility, and Sensitivity course — a pre-departure orientation that invites reflection on motivation, power, privilege, and unconscious assumptions. We do not believe in “cultural competence,” as it is neither possible nor respectful when entering a culture that is not our own. Instead, we emphasize humility over performance, curiosity over certainty, and accountability over comfort.
When we are taught a practice, whether it is a rebozo technique, a postpartum herbal bath, or a birth ritual, we name our teachers. We tell their stories. We compensate them. And we keep their teachings sacred, never presenting them as our own. We ask: Am I invited to share this? And we model restraint and reverence when the answer is no.
We also acknowledge that no work is entirely without impact. Even the act of traveling, while beautiful, relies on extractive systems and carries environmental weight. Our presence in a community is never neutral, but it can be thoughtful. It can be regenerative. It can be rooted in relationship, reciprocity, and respect.
We are always learning. Always adjusting. And we are open to feedback. For us, cultural appreciation is not a box to check, but a lifelong practice of listening, honoring, and stepping back when needed.
Fostering Safe Space
When we gather as a group, we are not only travelers, we are witnesses. Together we step into birth rooms, postpartum homes, and womb centered ceremonies that can stir deep emotions. These experiences are profound, sometimes joyful, sometimes heavy, and always transformative.
Because of this, we place great care on how we hold space for one another. Our groups are intentionally facilitated so participants have the tools to process what they see and feel, and to ensure that no one carries the weight of these experiences alone. Circles, debriefs, and shared rituals create a container where every voice matters and every story is honored.
We are continually humbled by the compassion of our participants. As birthworkers, they are among the most generous and empathetic people we know. Yet with diversity comes difference, and part of our practice is learning how to navigate that with respect, curiosity, and care. Our commitment is that every participant feels safe, seen, and supported.
Our hope is that participants leave nourished and renewed, equipped to return home ready to bring this growth into their own communities, sparking change, offering deeper care, and carrying the ripple forward.
The Wombs of the World Foundation is our 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2023 as the philanthropic sister branch to our immersive travel programs. Its purpose is to deepen impact beyond education by supporting community-led maternal health initiatives and elevating birthworkers globally.
Every project is grounded in local leadership and designed with durability in mind. We fund initiatives like the Karatu Gentle Birth,orchestrated in partnership with Tanzanian midwives and clinics, that blend ancestral wisdom with evidence-based practices to create replicable models of dignified birth.
Check out the WotW Foundation's website to learn more and get involved!!
Transparency & Accountability
Our approach is a living practice. We know we will not always get it right, which is why we remain open to feedback and committed to ongoing reflection. We hold ourselves accountable by naming our values clearly, by compensating teachers fairly, and by reinvesting resources into the communities who guide us.
At its core, this work is about connection, across cultures, across borders, and across generations. It means being a bridge between the politics and the sacredness of birth. We believe that when we come together with humility and respect, birthwork can become a force for justice, healing, and hope. We invite you to be part of that vision.
