Brought to Bed
Childbearing in America, 1750-1950
Judith Walzer Leavitt
Reviews and Awards
"Certainly the most authoritative medical historical text on the subject in America at this time."--W. R. Penman, M.D. and D. I. Lansing, M.D., Obstetrics Society of Philadelphia
"In this groundbreaking study...Leavitt has given the history of childbirth back to women. An elegant, sensitive, and fascinating book!"--Regina Markell Morantz-Sanchez, University of California, Los Angeles
"A superb book for anyone interested in birthing, obstetrics, or even just the history of women in the United States."--Journal of the American Medical Women's Association
"A strong and sensitive contribution to understanding the (supine) position of today's childbearing woman."--Newsday
"An absorbing, richly-documented and well-argued explanation of how childbirth moved from the home to the hospital....[Its] broad conception, its balance, and its basic commitment to reconstituting the voices of women make it a classic in women's history writing."--The Women's Review of Books
"A book for men as well as women....Clearly written and persuasively documented."--Carl N. Degler, The New Republic
"In this impressive history Judith Walzer Leavitt examines centuries of childbirth experiences and analyzes how and why changes occurred....There can be no question...about the importance of this excellent study."--Isis
"A significant achievement....Certain to become a model for the new medical history, and for feminist scholarship as well."--Medical Humanities Review
"Like a good chocolate dessert, Brought to Bed is rich and filling."--Journal of Nurse-Midwifery
"A masterful examination of the competing medical, social, and intellectual forces that shaped modern obstetric practice....A wonderful book that gives new direction to the history of women and health."--Reviews in American History