Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Dona Ilda has delivered babies for decades, traveling by foot and by canoe across the rivers and trails of the Amazon. Though age has now anchored her closer to home, her wisdom remains vast. People from neighboring villages still seek her guidance. No one ever taught her how to be a midwife—she says the knowledge was a gift from God.
Dona Dorca is one of the women carrying on this sacred calling. She prepares a calming herbal bath made from citronella and cupuaçu leaves—plants whose healing powers she knows intimately. Her daughter-in-law, Nazaré, has been experiencing contractions for days, but active labor has yet to begin. The bath will help ease her pain and calm her spirit. Dona Dorca listens to every sigh, every breath, every contraction. If the bath doesn’t bring relief, it means the baby is near. Her role is not just physical—it’s emotional and spiritual. She comforts women who are often scared, vulnerable, and far from medical care.
Now, a new generation is watching. Andrea, Dona Dorca’s adopted daughter, already knows she wants to follow in her footsteps. She shadows her mother on every visit, absorbing her knowledge, her touch, and her intuition. In Andrea’s eyes, Dona Dorca is more than a healer—she’s the heart of the community.
In the deepest corners of the Amazon, where hospitals are far and roads are rivers, the wisdom of women like Dona Dorca and Dona Ilda is not just precious—it’s life-saving.
Documentary: Baby Catchers of the Amazon
Directed by: Stephanie Pommez
Production: ZED
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#documentary #slice #fulldocumentary #freedocumentary #amazon #rainforest #birth #birthday #medical #medicine #amazing #incredible #tradition #traditional #knowledge #lifesavers #midwifery #midwives
Dona Ilda has delivered babies for decades, traveling by foot and by canoe across the rivers and trails of the Amazon. Though age has now anchored her closer to home, her wisdom remains vast. People from neighboring villages still seek her guidance. No one ever taught her how to be a midwife—she says the knowledge was a gift from God.
Dona Dorca is one of the women carrying on this sacred calling. She prepares a calming herbal bath made from citronella and cupuaçu leaves—plants whose healing powers she knows intimately. Her daughter-in-law, Nazaré, has been experiencing contractions for days, but active labor has yet to begin. The bath will help ease her pain and calm her spirit. Dona Dorca listens to every sigh, every breath, every contraction. If the bath doesn’t bring relief, it means the baby is near. Her role is not just physical—it’s emotional and spiritual. She comforts women who are often scared, vulnerable, and far from medical care.
Now, a new generation is watching. Andrea, Dona Dorca’s adopted daughter, already knows she wants to follow in her footsteps. She shadows her mother on every visit, absorbing her knowledge, her touch, and her intuition. In Andrea’s eyes, Dona Dorca is more than a healer—she’s the heart of the community.
In the deepest corners of the Amazon, where hospitals are far and roads are rivers, the wisdom of women like Dona Dorca and Dona Ilda is not just precious—it’s life-saving.
Documentary: Baby Catchers of the Amazon
Directed by: Stephanie Pommez
Production: ZED
We fully own the rights to the use of the published content.
Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action.
SLICE wants to fill up your curiosity!
Accessible to anyone from anywhere at any time, this channel is your weekly dose of short docs about curious facts, discoveries, astounding info, unusual stories, weird, fun and instructive. Be smart, have a slice!
Subscribe now ►►► youtube.com/channel/UCvziXdVCN7PMdFZEFZ6aEqQ?sub_confirmation=1
Become a fan ! youtube.com/channel/UCvziXdVCN7PMdFZEFZ6aEqQ/join
Follow us 👇
In French: youtube.com/c/SLICEFR
Facebook: facebook.com/slicedocs
Instagram: instagram.com/slicedocs
#documentary #slice #fulldocumentary #freedocumentary #amazon #rainforest #birth #birthday #medical #medicine #amazing #incredible #tradition #traditional #knowledge #lifesavers #midwifery #midwives
