Abstract
In this article, I examine the emotions present in birth narratives of two generations of middle class women in Rio de Janeiro. The way in which each group of women recount their births points at marked changes in relations with the Brazilian health system and suggest different perceptions of motherhood and subjectivity. At the same time, the analysis of the emotions expressed in these narratives reveal a similar emotional dynamics, stressing how they overcame difficulties, thus emphasizing their agency. These issues are discussed with reference to material from interviews conducted with middle class women in Rio de Janeiro, of two age groups: between 60 and 69 years old and between 37 and 46 years old. I argue that emotional discourses and, more broadly, narratives of experience recreate how births were lived and articulate various cultural themes and values.
Keywords:
narratives; emotions; birth; gender