This is an old post from early 2011, which I am reposting. Early feminists were concerned with many topics surrounding feminine autonomy, political and social stature, and health. One of those topics was pain relief in childbirth…
Written by Melissa
First International Convention of Women in Washington D.C.
Susan B. Anthony is third from the left, front row.
I have read that in the 1920s, women’s movement groups in North America and Europe were singing the praises of laudanum and chloroform used during birth as agents of liberation for women. Eventually, the development of what was termed “Twilight Sleep,” a combination of morphine and scopolamine, became famous as a pain free way to give birth, although its pain relieving properties are questionable. The drugs used in Twilight Sleep have an amnesia effect, so women did not remember what they experienced. Regardless, women remembered no pain. Access to relief from the pain of labour was considered a feminist issue, and its use spread rapidly.
The introduction of anasthesia to treat labour pain resulted in sleepy or unconscious women, whose pushing efforts were ineffective. Which lead to the routine use of forceps. Which resulted in a greater number of severe vaginal tears. Which lead to the routine use of episiotomy. And the anasthetic effects of the laudanum, chloroform, morphine, and scopolamine resulted in sleepy babies with poor breathing patterns. Overestimation of the amount of the drug needed could result in central nervous system depression and, sometimes, death for the baby.
In the 1970s, the feminist movement took up birth as an issue central to its core values. Women had rights! Women could have the births they wanted! Women could give birth naturally, with their partner by their side, and music playing in the background! Their babies could emerge into the world undisturbed, unmedicated, and surrounded by family. Midwives emerged in North America. Breastfeeding rates rose. Women celebrated their bodies’ natural ability to give birth.
Judy Chicago
How about in 2010? Is birth really something that needs to be a part of the feminist realm?
Is feminism relevant anymore?
Is it good?
Can feminism positively affect how we give birth? Didn’t our moms do all that work for us in the ’70s?
Has birth fallen off the feminist agenda?
Gina at TheFeministBreeder.com recently posted an interesting piece on childbearing women and obstetrics, and how they interact with Feminism, called “Independent Women Will Be Cut.” The comments are worth reading and discussing, also. Her post is written from an American perspective as opposed to a Canadian one. Are there any similarities between our birth cultures?
What do you think?
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