Midwives have been around since the beginning of time and they saw lots of joy and sorrow. In 1716, New York City was the first to license midwives and try to legitimize and see them as professionals. At the time, few doctors were formally educated so it made sense for midwives handle births since they did have greater knowledge.
In 1925, a nurse named Mary Breckenridge started the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky. The nurses rode horseback all over the Appalachian Mountains delivering babies mostly but also treating all kinds of sickness and injuries. The service received high praise for the invaluable medical care they provided.
As anesthesia came about and began to be used in the late 1800s and early 1900s, more and more women sought doctors and hospitals for deliveries. They wanted something for the pain and I don’t blame them.
In FANCY, Fancy Dalton used a midwife to deliver her baby, trusting the woman to give her excellent care. But the woman took her baby and told her it had died, giving the infant to her sister who was plagued by miscarriages.
Two years passes and Fancy grieves for the child she never got to see. Then one night during a bad storm, the midwife knocks on her door and confesses her crime in order to live with herself. This sets the journey in motion and changes her life forever.
Stolen. The word still brought chills. Fancy set her jaw. She wasn’t going to be a victim anymore. She’d fight and claw and hold on with the last shred of strength until she got back what was hers.
Today, pregnant women are increasingly choosing a midwife over a hospital setting. My niece had a midwife at home with each of her four children. Do you know of someone who opted for a midwife instead if choosing the hospital? I’m giving away three ebook copies of FANCY so leave a comment.
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This sweet historical western romance is #10 of the Love Train series and is on sale now. Only $2.99 for Kindle Unlimited or free to those who have a membership. It’s also available in print for those who prefer that.
I’m on a book blog tour with Lone Star Literary until the 18th. Enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or one of four copies of the book. Click on the image to take you there.
In October, I’ll have a new Christmas novella called HOPE’S ANGEL so you’ll be hearing more about that in the coming days.