MovieChat Forums > Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Discussion > THE 'BIRTHIN' SCENE

THE 'BIRTHIN' SCENE

posted 9 years ago by snsurone
1 reply | jump to latest

When Milly has her baby, all the other girls help deliver it.
Now, these girls were unmarried, and undoubtedly virgins, yet they were able to manage the ordeal of childbirth with no trouble.
Most likely, in the more "civilized" parts of the US, many people would be shocked at young ladies even viewing such a phenomenon, let alone participating in it.
But I suppose attitudes were different in the rugged Oregon Territory of 1850.

BTW, I love the scene where Gideon gasps, "I'm an uncle!" before fainting dead away.

[–] dmnemaine 9 years ago

Any women available would have been perfectly acceptable as midwives in the absence of a doctor. Women helping other women to deliver babies was no big deal. What would have been much more of a shock and horror would be for a man who wasn't a doctor to assist in childbirth.