Cross Disciplinary Investigations into Birth, Midwifery and Childhood
Dr Jason Whitt co-hosted the interdisciplinary 'Born Yesterday' conference with Anna Greenwood (History), Kim Russell (Midwifery) and Julia Allison (Honorary Professor of Midwifery and former President of the Royal College of Midwives).
The conference featured nearly 70 delegates representing 10 countries and brought together a diverse range of scholars, midwives and activists interested in sociocultural and historical aspects of childbirth and midwifery. It covered all historic and contemporary aspects of childbearing and child rearing and was held in conjunction with De Partu, History of Childbirth and Midwifery Research Group.
Topic covered included:
History: investigations into witchcraft; bastardy; contraception; the framing of childbirth in the hospital and the home; free-birthing; parenthood; the changing role of doctors, midwives and carers; the history of birth in local, national and international contexts
Medicine: insights into birth trends, the rise of obstetrics, fertility, infertility, assisted fertility, miscarriage, abnormalities, still-birth
Art History: the varied depiction of childbirth, parenting and reproduction across the ages
Literature and Anthropology: literary representations of midwives, births, babies, mothers and fathers in different socio-cultural spheres, as well as within different historical periods
Linguistics and Discourse Analysis: analysis of texts and discourses surrounding childbirth, maternity and midwifery
Social Policy: analysis of maternity services and policy and its impact on women's choice; the changing role of the midwife and obstetricians; suggestions for new ways forward; issues surrounding criminality and punishment as they relate to childbirth and maternity care
Sociology and Feminist Studies: social constructs of motherhood across the ages; attitudes to unlawful pregnancy, parenthood and surrogacy; debates surrounding single and same-sex parenthood; the exploration of BME and mixed race birth and parenting experiences
Midwifery: the role and reputation of midwives across the ages, and in different cultural spheres; analysis of regulation and professionalization; solutions to infant mortality; ideas of acceptable risk; fluctuating concepts of ‘normal’ birth; the importance of choice
Keynote speakers:
Julia Allison, Honorary Professor of Midwifery and Vice President of the Royal College of Midwives (The University of Nottingham)
Laura King, Associate Professor of History (The University of Leeds)
Tania McIntosh, Principal Lecturer of Midwifery (The University of Brighton)
Organisers:
Kim Russell (Chair), Associate Professor of Midwifery
Anna Greenwood, Associate Professor of History and Co-Director of Health Humanities
Richard J. Whitt, Assistant Professor of Linguistics
Julia Allison, Honorary Professor of Midwifery and Vice President of the Royal College of Midwives
Huge thanks to Nicky Grace and Haonan Yang, who also participated in the conference.