GLOSSARY

ACCOUCHEUR A word derived from the French for ‘giving birth’. It was used to refer to men who worked as midwives.

HANDWOMAN An unqualified midwife. ‘Hand’ in this sense is the name used for someone doing unskilled, manual work such as farmhand.

GOSSIPS Women who supported the mother in childbirth, usually relatives and close friends of the mother.

LYING- IN The period of recovery from childbirth. Historically women stayed in bed for around a month after giving birth and this time is also called ‘the women’s month’.

MIDWIFE This word has Germanic roots from ‘mid’ meaning ‘with’ combined with the old- English word for woman. So it simply means the person who is with the women as she gives birth.