The Birth House by Ami McKay
Story of Bygone Childbirth Practices of Midwifery and Medicine
Mar 9, 2009
Ami McKay’s beautifully written book, The Birth House is a fictionalized account of midwifery in Scots Bay, Nova Scotia, between 1918 and 1919. This award-winning first novel is the story of Miss.B. and her successor, Dora Rare, and describes the struggle of traditional midwifery with the beginnings of medical intervention in childbirth.
The book captures the power of the male obstetrician, highlighting not only childbirth practices but general issues of women's rights that were being fought for at the time.
Midwifery and Medical Science
More than 90 years later, some of these same childbirth issues are alive today. A grassroots organization called Citizens for Midwifery, like the group of mothers who support Dora Rare in The Birth House, are still working to promote a model of midwife care. In The Birth House, Dora’s supporters win through in the end, but the reality is that in most of the western world, the independent midwife is still fighting for the right to care for women before, during and after birthing.
Medical Intervention in Childbirth
In North America, the incidence of caesarean section has increased dramatically in recent years. Alongside these statistics, there might be hope that medical intervention at childbirth has improved the outlook for mothers and babies, but in the past 6 years the mortality rate for women and babies has not changed at all.
Possibly as a result of medical intervention with forceps, episiotomy and drugs, figures show that a high percentage of women suffer with some form of depression after the birth of their baby, whilst others have post traumatic stress syndrome, and 25% of women have new medical problems following childbirth. Obviously women have a less anxious experience of childbirth if accompanied by a supportive partner or friend, in a comfortable familiar environment, rather than being attended to intermittently by strangers in a sterile setting.
Dora Rare and Miss B.
What would midwife Dora Rare think of these medical interventions? It is heart-warming to read of the loving care both Miss B. and Dora give so generously to the women of Scots Bay in The Birth House. The women are treated with a mixture of herbs,superstition and religious fervour, tempered with calm compassion.
French speaking Miss B. is clearly a law unto herself, following her healing tradition with total conviction. She is portrayed as an isolated woman, called upon for help with everything from period pain , morning sickness and labour, to contraception, but seldom for friendship. The tender relationship that develops between Miss B. and Dora Rare is finely crafted and engaging.
Ami McKay has researched the attitudes of the time thoroughly, and cleverly presents the cold character of the patronising clinical obstetrician within his realm of paid service. Miss B and Dora are adamant that their work should not be paid for although they do accept gifts of essentials such as food and firewood.
Midwife or Doctor
In modern times, in the West, independent midwives are paid and perhaps as a result are only available to a select few women. In some parts of the world home births assisted by a midwife or village woman, are inevitable. Some women have other options available to them such as water births and hypnotherapy. Perhaps the strongest message of The Birth House is that all women should have the right to choose.
The Birth House by Ami McKay
Harper Collins Publishers 2007
ISBN 978-0-00-723330-4
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