Pregnancy & childbirth in the 19th century

Despite motherhood being viewed as a fundamental part of a woman’s destiny during the 19th century, pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal experience are often left out of written histories of the period. From Queen Victoria’s birthing room to advice surrounding breastfeeding, Dr Jessica Cox talks to Lauren Good about stories of motherhood that have been overlooked.

Jessica Cox is the author of Confinement: The Hidden History of Maternal Bodies in Nineteenth-Century Britain (The History Press, 2023)