Reply To: Midwifery in The Frozen River
I haven’t had any experience with midwifery. I think each laboring mother actually made me feel more connected to Martha. They each provided new perspectives on Martha’s compassion, her skills, and the complications that she encountered around birth – not just medical ones but the social ones from family members, doctors, and neighbors. But if I were to pick one of the expectant mothers, I liked Eliza Robbins, as brief as her appearance is. It wasn’t that her labor was overly dramatic or that she had much of an impact on the story. But I liked that she took charge of her own health, seemed quite independent, and told the men to “butt out” of her business when they got in her way. And I like that she got the truth about Dr. Page thanks to Grace Sewell and acted on it. I was pleased to see Eliza choose the safe option and use good judgement for herself.
