Giving Birth in the Peruvian Amazon - A

translation of Kom_I’s interview to

I-D Japan

Last year's pregnancy announcement

made big news. Could you tell us what led
you to start thinking about pregnancy and
childbirth?

I imagined raising a child while

adventuring with this person, and it
seemed enjoyable! Up until then, I had a
KOM_I preconception that "having a child means
giving up on oneself," and parenting
seemed psychologically daunting. But
when I talked with my partner, Mitsumi,
we realized that even with a child, we
could continue to travel as before, engage
in challenging activities, and, in fact, it
might be beneficial for the child's life to
see their parents enjoying themselves. This
shifted my mindset to a more open
perspective.

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Translated by @wedcampupdates
 Can you tell us the reasons behind
choosing the Amazon as the birthplace?

Above all, I wanted to give birth in a place I

felt comfortable with. As childbirth
approached, I wanted to immerse myself in
a lifestyle where my animal instincts could
be honed. I felt that a location where the
KOM_I
wisdom of natural childbirth was passed
down and where either Mitsumi or I had a
connection would be ideal. So when
Mitsumi casually asked one of the leaders in
a village in the northern Amazon of Peru,
where he had previously lived for his
anthropology research, if it was possible to
give birth there, we received an enthusiastic
approval. At first, I was a bit uneasy because
it seemed too easy, but after having a video
call and getting to know the people, I was
absolutely determined to go. Knowing that
many families there gave birth at home was
also reassuring. I was also intrigued by the
local midwives using herbal remedies to
support childbirth.

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 What was life like in the village?

It was a two-month stay. Every day felt like a

mille-feuille of emotions and troubles. The
only means of transportation was by boat,
and since almost everyone was distant
relatives, it felt like a paradise where
KOM_I
children could roam freely without worries.
However, looking down, my legs were
covered in mosquito bites, and if I let my
guard down, cockroaches, dogs, cats, and
chickens would steal my food. Parasites
even nested between my toenails, so it was
quite hellish. But extracting those parasite
eggs with a needle was oddly satisfying,
and it gave me a great sense of
accomplishment for the day. Since the
weather was unpredictable and the houses
were open-air, washing clothes in the river
and finally getting them perfectly dry after
several days made me want to dance with
joy. Every day was tough but fulfilling in its
own way.

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 How did you overcome the two-day
childbirth with the local midwife and your
partner?

It was unexpected how difficult it was to

concentrate with so many people chatting
casually around me while I was in a state of
emergency. Despite this, Anita helped me
naturally while monitoring the progress of
labor. She taught me positions that made it
KOM_I
easier for the baby to descend and applied
herbal remedies or egg whites to my
abdomen. It was painful when Anita
touched my belly and the baby descended
sharply. During breaks between
contractions, I found solace in Anita
earnestly praying to God in a corner of the
birthing hut with a delicate voice. Known as
an experienced midwife, Anita was well-
versed in indigenous herbal wisdom, yet she
was also a devout Christian. There seemed
to be no contradiction for her... (answer
continuation)

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 (Continued from page 4)

Mitsumi also provided constant support

during childbirth. He had studied natural
KOM_I
childbirth even more than I had since my
pregnancy, so he was truly a comrade
who worked with me until the very end!
He cleaned the birthing hut meticulously
and prepared everything I needed. When
contractions hit, it was comforting to lean
on Mitsumi's back. I recommend involving
men in childbirth because it makes them
feel like they can handle parenting too!

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 What are your memories of the moment
when the baby was born?

As the baby's skull became touchable with

my fingers as it descended, I was amazed
that my body still had energy despite feeling
tired and dazed without eating anything.
When the baby came out, I was
KOM_I overwhelmed by the brightness of life, even
though I didn't quite understand what was
happening, and I just cried while stroking the
baby's head. It felt like the world had turned
upside down from that moment.

If you were to give birth again, what kind of

environment would you choose?

I would choose to give birth at home again,

with support from my partner and a midwife.
Honestly, it was so challenging that I might
have opted for a cesarean section if asked
halfway through. But Anita and Mitsumi both
assured me, saying, "You can do it!" and
KOM_I "You're making steady progress!" with
everyone's support, I gained confidence that
we could overcome anything, no matter what
lies ahead. Overcoming what you think you
can't do is the essence of life, I believe.
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 How do you feel about your own existence
through parenting?

I had the image that becoming a parent

would change me into a completely different
person, but I remained myself. If anything, I
became even more genuine. So far, being a
parent has been very enjoyable!
KOM_I

Some people have negative perceptions of

parenting due to psychological anxieties or
worsening economic conditions. After
returning home, do you feel anything about
the parenting environment? Economic
support is crucial, but I feel like vague
anxieties won't disappear with just that. In
Peru, there were people breastfeeding
openly even at the airport, and many people
spoke to babies, giving the impression that
the entire city welcomed children from the
bottom of their hearts. In Tokyo, there's a
sense of tension even just on the train, and it
feels like people avoid making eye contact
with each other, making it difficult to raise
children. But cultural norms like these aren't
easy to change, so I'm not sure what to do.
It's also my own challenge.
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 Please tell us about your future plans.

I hope to compile my Amazon childbirth

experience into writing, and I am currently
working on it! This year, I plan to be in both
Japan and Brazil. Brazil will be a new land
and language for me, and I'll enjoy the
KOM_I world with the mindset of a 0-year-old baby
in a new place.

Translated by @wedcampupdates

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