Ask me about midwifery, childbirth, childrearing and herbal remedies

[squishybug87]

If you need to know anything relating to the above topics, feel free to ask me I've done a lot of reading up about midwifery and I have a traditional midwife in my family. I've given birth 'naturally' twice and I have a bunch of books about the topic, especially dealing with ancient traditions and customs from various cultures. My husband and I are amateur herbalists and use herbal remedies in our day to day lives. I don't know everything, but I'm more than happy to research it if necessary; I need the knowledge for my WIP and they happen to be interests of mine.

 

[Cleio]

What an interesting topic!

I do have a question, something I've been wondering about since my daughter was born earlier this year and have been meaning to investigate.

Currently, childbirth is quite medicalised. Even if you have a natural birth, you more than likely end up in hospital. In this part of the world, you're usually attended by midwifes only, though I believe in a lot of places it's mostly doctors. Evidently, this is quite a recent change; previously, children were born at home. My question, and I suppose I am mostly curious about European societies, was there such a thing as a dedicated midwife. With that I mean a woman, who was experienced at delivering babies, even having gone through something of an apprenticeship. Or was it really just the older women in society?

 

[artisticrainey]

With that I mean a woman, who was experienced at delivering babies, even having gone through something of an apprenticeship. Or was it really just the older women in society?

Sorry to sort-of jump in here, but in Britain and Ireland at least (not sure about anywhere else) often nuns acted as midwives. There's recently been a TV show based on the idea in London's East End. Here's an article about the nuns who inspired the show (which was based on a nun's memoirs):

We're the Call the Midwife nuns! Real-life sisters who inspired popular BBC show reveal their story | Mail Online

Apart from that, I'm not sure!

 

[FatCat]

Odd question, but I have some Georgian (not the state, the country ) neighbors that swear to all that is holy that tobacco helps stop bleeding and keeps a wound from infecting. Have you heard of this, or are they pulling one over on a naive American?

 

[CupofJoe]

Odd question, but I have some Georgian (not the state, the country ) neighbors that swear to all that is holy that tobacco helps stop bleeding and keeps a wound from infecting. Have you heard of this, or are they pulling one over on a naive American?

I've read that tobacco leave were used by the native Americans as dressing and bandage because it promoted healing [it was explained why - but I have forgotten that bit...]. And I'm fairly sure that I heard on GQT that tobacco is planted with tomato to ward off insects...
so there may be some old Caucasus' truth in the tails...

 

[FatCat]

Thanks Joe! I never know with these guys, we get into drunken arguments and wild claims are made. I had to argue with them for two hours over who landed the first man on the moon.

 

[Cleio]

Nuns, of course! That makes perfect sense, actually, thanks.

On the notion of odd remedies, here in Ireland women used to be recommended to drink a pint of stout (guinness) after childbirth. Modern medicine put a stop to that, but it was later found that it was actually not bad advice. Plenty of iron in black beer, which is what you need if you've lost blood. Not sure if the alcohol would be beneficial, but I imagine if you stuck to one pint only...

Even quite recently (certainly until the early eighties, or so I'm told), midwifes still advised women to drink as much of a pint of stout a day while pregnant. My mother-in-law was certainly advised this when they found her iron levels were low when she was pregnant with my husband. Must be why he loves his pints, I suppose

 

[SeverinR]

Not sure of alcohol content, but a little alcohol after a painful experience seems to be common in history. Relaxes and numbs the pain a little.
Didn't know about the iron, but that would help also.

Bite the bullet, then drink some whiskey in the old west, when getting a bullet removed.

 

[Cleio]

Good point about the alcohol being used to relax and numb the pain.

Of course, in Ireland, poitín was (is?) regarded the miracle cure, and not just for humans. I've heard it being mentioned for curing cows as well. (But perhaps this is going a bit of-topic.)