Historical Overview of Childbirth

Biblical times to late 1800’s

• a natural part of daily living
• women help other women
• home birth was the norm
• midwives were the norm
• pain was managed through natural remedies, physical & emotional support
• risk factors were related to poor nutrition, health, lack of skilled midwife, hygiene and poor conditions

1900’s through the mid 1960’s

• medical training and advancements in childbirth interventions
• increase in male physician’s role in caring for women in childbirth
• medical advances brought pain relief options through anesthesia
• the hospital setting became the norm
• mother is isolated from husband, family support during labor
• the medical model of childbirth was established/defined
• safer births brought fewer childbirth related deaths

The Late 1960’s to 2002

• women’s movement increased awareness of personal choice in health
• natural childbirth came back as an option to women in urban areas
• medical technology continued to advance medical procedures in birth
• women working outside the home became the norm
• the “superwoman” ideal was praised and questioned at the same time
• holistic approaches and mind/body connections are researched in medicine
• birth centers, and birth plans are options now available to mother
• midwives are again an option in childbirth choices
• father’s role, labor support/doula is seen as important and helpful to mother
• health insurance, HMO’s influence the choices mother/partner make about childbirth
• questions about high tech or low tech birth interventions—what is best for baby, mother, family?

Philosophical Models of Childbirth

The Medical Model: Provides medical interventions as needed to induce labor, monitor baby, speed up labor, slow labor down, emergency protocols, pain management through anesthesia of varying forms. Focus is on safety of baby and mother through medical management. Less interested in the birth environment, psycho-social needs of birth.

The Holistic Model: Looks at the “whole picture” of childbirth. A mother’s health, lifestyle, environment, stress and emotions, support system etc. Childbirth is seen as a natural function of a woman’s body. The interplay of environment, nutrition, emotions and physical health will affect the way a woman handles pregnancy, labor and delivery. All areas must be addressed to support a healthy and positive outcome.

Sound Birthing Doula Model of Care: Strives to combine the strengths of both models by assisting the family (mother, baby and father) through pregnancy and birth education, and meeting the bio-psycho-social needs of the family through music therapy assisted methods throughout pregnancy, labor and post-partum support.

  —  dissertation by Mary DiCamillo, MT-BC, Ed.D.

To learn more about the history of childbirth, the following resources are recommended:

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