Prairie Madonna: Home Births — Wyman, Marlena

Many early prairie women gave birth at home, often with help only from her husband or a neighbour. In Margaret Charlotte Falkson Thomson memoir recalling the summer of 1920, Margaret had been awoken in the night by Tony, the father of the baby, who asked her to help with the birth. The labouring mother’s name was Maria, who had emigrated with her family from Italy and spoke very little English

I was conducted into a small bedroom where the patient lay in agony. The clean bed was surrounded by several frustrated women, who were counting their rosary beads while praying loudly and fervently…I recognized a breach presentation; the delivery would indeed be a complicated and difficult one.

Painting inspired by Margaret Charlotte Falkson Thomson’s memoir of the Fort Assiniboine area of Alberta. Provincial Archives of Alberta #PR1984.0156, and photograph ofChristina McKinnell & baby daughter, Teulon Manitoba [1902] Glenbow Archives #NA-5236-1