The Painful Legacy of Childbirth

You might want to give your mother a hug right now…

A home birth, Karl Hagedorn | Public Domain

On November 1, 1661, Spanish musicians serenaded Queen Marie Theresa beneath her window with a sweet lullaby. However, her husband, Louis XIV, and his entourage found it hard to enjoy the music amidst her cries of agony, as she lamented, "I don't want to give birth; I wish to die!" Many women across history shared similar sentiments, as they faced childbirth with little to alleviate their suffering. Midwives and physicians throughout the ages resorted to a range of bizarre and sometimes fatal remedies to dull the pain of labor. Here are a few noteworthy examples…

Opium: The Ancient Anesthetic

The ancient Egyptians favored opium, known as the "plant of joy," derived from the soothing poppy plant. With the right dosage, a physician could effectively sedate a pregnant horse. In the sixteenth century, physician Paracelsus combined opium with crushed pearls, henbane, and frogspawn to create laudanum. By the nineteenth century, laudanum was readily available in pharmacies, elegantly bottled for delicate ladies to sip alongside their brandy. Today, while opium may be given to those experiencing severe pain, it is rarely administered to women in labor, as it could lead to newborn addiction.

Myrrh: A Biblical Remedy

You may recall the tale of the three wise men who presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus. The purpose of myrrh—whether intended for Jesus or Mary—remains debated. However, its analgesic properties are well-documented. The reddish sap has been employed for centuries as a pain reliever, soothing inflamed tissues and combating harmful microbes. One study revealed that burning essential oils of frankincense and myrrh diminished airborne bacterial levels by 68%. Therefore, if you know someone about to give birth, consider gifting them this biblical remedy instead of typical baby items.

Medieval Midwives and Their Remedies

Medieval midwives often utilized unconventional methods for pain relief, employing greasy substances like duck or hen fat to ease labor and facilitate delivery. In some instances, they even injected olive oil into the mother’s rectum. If these techniques failed, they resorted to shouting into the woman's vagina to encourage the baby’s arrival.

The Veil of Pain

By the sixteenth century, the practice of midwifery had become perilous, as women attempting to alleviate pain were frequently accused of witchcraft. In 1591, King James VI ordered the execution of a new mother and her midwife for administering a pain-relieving potion that contained human remains. At the time, the Church taught that childbirth was a punishment for Eve's sin, pressuring women to endure the pain as part of their "womanly duty." This attitude led the stoic Isabella I to give birth under a veil, hiding her suffering from the midwife. If you've ever been in labor, you know that by the end, modesty is the last thing on your mind.

Chloroform in the 19th Century

In the 1800s, James Young Simpson pioneered the use of diethyl ether, or chloroform, during childbirth. He discovered that sedating women completely was an effective way to manage pain. Mothers inhaled the vapors, drifted into unconsciousness, and awoke to their newborns. While this may have seemed beneficial for the mothers, it often resulted in sleepy babies, as the chloroform passed through to them. Queen Victoria famously endorsed chloroform-assisted births, making it fashionable among the upper classes, leading to its moniker "chloroform à la Reine."

The Misunderstanding of Childbirth Pain

While Victorians sought to stifle the cries of laboring women, doctors in the 1930s adopted a gaslighting approach, suggesting that only unfit mothers experienced pain during childbirth. Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, a prominent figure in this belief, asserted that "normal" women could give birth painlessly, attributing pain to psychological issues rather than physical ones. He labeled women who complained as "pampered princesses," a notion that persists among certain modern feminist circles.

It's noteworthy that men were prohibited from entering delivery rooms until the 1970s, yet they authored most medical literature on childbirth. In fact, a sixteenth-century German doctor faced execution for disguising himself as a woman to observe a birth. Thankfully, contemporary physicians can learn about childbirth firsthand. Nevertheless, many women still opt for home births, experiencing the same intense pain as women of yesteryear. (I, for one, chose the option of being blissfully unaware during my own labor.)

This leads to a curious question: What methods will we employ a century from now to alleviate childbirth pain? Will we look back on epidurals as outdated? Perhaps one day, men will also share the experience of giving birth.

This content is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only. Always seek professional medical advice regarding childbirth and avoid unconventional practices.

Sources and further reading:

• Wolf, Jacqueline H. Deliver Me from Pain: Anesthesia and Birth in America. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009.
• Epstein, Randi Hutter. Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank. W. W. Norton, 2011.
• www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/02/000228103624.htm

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