Comments on: Midwives and Witches http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html A Community for Curious Minds who love History, its Odd Stories, and Good Reads Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:31:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html/comment-page-1#comment-356 Anonymous Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:50:52 +0000 http://www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/http:/www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html#comment-356 Check out a new edition of WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES, with new introduction by the Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English, coming out in Spring 2010 from the Feminist Press. Check out a new edition of WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES, with new introduction by the Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English, coming out in Spring 2010 from the Feminist Press.

]]> By: iwriteinbooks http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html/comment-page-1#comment-354 iwriteinbooks Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:49:53 +0000 http://www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/http:/www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html#comment-354 I almost made a comment about midwifery while listening to Katherine Howe’s interview, yesterday. (I think she mentioned The Midwife’s Tale.) I have done an incredible amount of research on the midwife side (I am a child birth educator in training) and this is the beginning to quite an interesting look at the witch accusation component in the field!<br /><br />Sadly, midwives, male and female, are still suffering the consequences of such antiquated superstitions, hundreds of years later. While the historically male practice of Obstetrics is slowly becoming more female run (in research and in practice) and the field of midwifery has always housed a small contingency of men, the dividing issue between the two practices is still seen as largely male against female. <br /><br />I think the idea that midwifery is derivative of dark (or even good) magic still nestles in behind modern thought when we pick our birthing options. It pleases me, though, that New Hampshire (so close to Salem, MA) was among several states to pass recent legislation requiring big name insurance to cover midwives as they would cover OB/GYNs. <br /><br />The WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES title looks great. I’ll have to take a look at it. <br /><br />(P.S. I think I’ve already entered my email for the book drawing, but if I haven’t, I would love to be entered!) I almost made a comment about midwifery while listening to Katherine Howe’s interview, yesterday. (I think she mentioned The Midwife’s Tale.) I have done an incredible amount of research on the midwife side (I am a child birth educator in training) and this is the beginning to quite an interesting look at the witch accusation component in the field!

Sadly, midwives, male and female, are still suffering the consequences of such antiquated superstitions, hundreds of years later. While the historically male practice of Obstetrics is slowly becoming more female run (in research and in practice) and the field of midwifery has always housed a small contingency of men, the dividing issue between the two practices is still seen as largely male against female.

I think the idea that midwifery is derivative of dark (or even good) magic still nestles in behind modern thought when we pick our birthing options. It pleases me, though, that New Hampshire (so close to Salem, MA) was among several states to pass recent legislation requiring big name insurance to cover midwives as they would cover OB/GYNs.

The WITCHES, MIDWIVES AND NURSES title looks great. I’ll have to take a look at it.

(P.S. I think I’ve already entered my email for the book drawing, but if I haven’t, I would love to be entered!)

]]> By: Pamela K. Kinney http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html/comment-page-1#comment-352 Pamela K. Kinney Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:46:19 +0000 http://www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/http:/www.wondersandmarvels.org/tmp/2009/06/midwives-and-witches.html#comment-352 Men, too, were accused as witches in history. Men, too, were accused as witches in history.

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