How Do We Manage Understanding The Power of Motherhood?

Motherhood has created social and political change for centuries, so why has the act of growing, birthing and nurturing children been so overlooked as something that women just ‘do’? Elinor Cleghorn is a historian and author, whose first book ‘Unwell Women’ documented the ways in which women’s health has been treated throughout the ages. Her latest book ‘A Woman’s Work: Reclaiming The Radical History of Mothering’ looks at how the documentation of motherhood in history has largely been stories of domesticity told by men, rather than the incredible impact that the role of the mother has had on everything from social reform to medicine. In this episode Elinor will explain how the very basis of women’s healthcare in history stemmed from them being vessels for carrying children, and little else; the incredible women of the past who documented the realities of mothering; and the patterns in history that we can learn from today while navigating parenthood alongside the image of the ‘perfect mother’ on social media. Resources & Links Buy Elinor’s books: ‘A Woman’s Work: Reclaiming The Radical History of Mothering’ and ‘Unwell Women’ Follow Elinor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elinorcleghorn/ Host: Stephanie von Bismarck Guest: Elinor Cleghorn Producer: Holly Fisher Production Manager: Angela Crago Executive Producer: Ellie Di Martino The series was recorded and edited at PodShop studios