History of Childbirth

Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth in Early Modern Europe

Jacques Gelis (University of Paris VIII)

$51.95

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

French

Polity Press
08 August 1996

European history; Early modern history: c 1450 to c 1700; Social & cultural history; Sociology: birth; Birthing methods

Highly detailed and clearly written, this book is the first full-length study of the complex system of practices, beliefs and taboos which surrounded conception and childbirth in early modern Europe.

In a rich and scholarly study, Jacques Gélis reconstructs the activities and attitudes of the midwives and mothers, and the sufferings they had to endure. He continues with an examination of the role of the Church, the herbalist and the mineral world (touchstones and talisman) in the explanation of the mysteries of procreation.

By: Jacques Gelis (University of Paris VIII)
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: New edition
Dimensions: Height: 230mm, Width: 154mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9780745618401
ISBN 10: 0745618405
Pages: 344
Publication Date: 08 August 1996
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly , A / AS level , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction. Part I: The Rhythms of the Earth: The Mother of all Things:. 1. Man, the Earth and the Cosmos. 2. Daughter, Wife and Mother. 3. What if No Child Appears?. 4. The Cycle of Life. Part II: Pregnancy: A Time of Hope, Suffering and Anxiety:. 5. The Body in Pregnancy. 6. The Experience of Pregnancy. Part III: The Woman Giving Birth:. 7. The Society of Birth. 8. Hastening the Hour of Deliverance. Part IV: Between Mother and Child:. 9. Birth: A Double Liberation. 10. Suffering to Give Life. 11. Stages in the Delivery. 12. The Placenta: Double of the Child. 13. The Governance of Mother and Child. Part V: The Socialization of the Child:. 14. Welcoming the New Baby. 15. Socializing the Child: Giving a Name. Part VI: The Divagations of Nature:. 16. The Falling of the Flower. 17. The Unripe Fruit. 18. Unnatural Delivery. 19. Death, the Greatest Aberration. 20. Where does the Beast End and Man Begin?. Conclusion. Notes. Further Reading.

Jacques Gélis is Maitre-Assistant in History at the University of Paris VIII.

Reviews for History of Childbirth: Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth in Early Modern Europe

With great erudition and an enviable feeling for the material, Gelis recovers the world of beliefs concerned with fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and infancy ... from medieval times down to modernity ... This book will surely become the standard scholarly text on the history of childbirth in pre-modern time. Roy Porter, Wellcome Institute A moving record of women's lives. Times Literary Supplement It is immensely valuable that Gelis brings back the forgotten importance of symbolic meanings and therefore the awareness of an integration with nature. Times Higher Education Supplement Much fascinating information and many anecdotes ... it is such a good book. History Today The variety and detail make compulsive reading. Medical History A significant work ... it offers a wealth of new material and points to many rich areas for further research. French History A breathtaking view of pre-modern rural and urban life ... this book successfully conjures up the world of our foremothers and their daily lives and beliefs. Medical Women Enjoyable, informative and very readable. Journal of Biosocial Science