Although many yarb doctors were men, it was the local Granny Woman that was called in when it was time for an Ozark Mountain woman to have her baby.Granny women, yarb (herb) doctors in their own right, served as local midwives. Their skills and secrets were handed down from generation to generation, each generation revising and improving the 'recipes' as they learned new skills. They used a variety of herbs (yarbs) in their work. A Granny Woman often gave the mother-to-be slippery elm bark tea to speed delivery, blackberry tea to prevent hemorrhaging, and raspberry to relax uterine muscles.
Folk Beliefs that Granny Women used included letting the woman hold her husband's hat to symbolize her husband in the room, opening all the doors and windows (if there were any windows in the cabin) to 'open' to birth canal, and of course, putting an ax or large knife under the bed to 'cut' the pain.
Granny women were prevalent in mountain communities up until about WWII. Do any of you know any stories about Granny Women?
I don't know any Granny Women stories, but this was very interesting. Funny that the woman was allowed to hold husband's hat, to symbolize him being in the room. :o)
ReplyDeleteI don't know any stories personally, but I have read several fiction books that have included the Yarb woman and the Granny woman. I find it all highly interesting
ReplyDelete~C~
No I don't really know any stories, but I bet my grandma could have told me some. She was very superstitious. When I was pregnant Mom tied my wedding ring on a string and held it over my belly, if I remember correctly, if it went around and around you were to have a girl, if it swung back and forth it would be a boy.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of them, sounds interesting though! Kind of glad I didn't have an ax or knife handy when I was in labor, no telling who I might have swung at, LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
ReplyDeleteI love to read about Granny Women. I'm sure they were heros to most folks back in the day. As a young mother-you know you'd appreciate her being with you-even if some of the traditions were kooky : )
ReplyDeleteThat sounds intrestering. Its amazing how they did things back then.
ReplyDeleteWonder if the women tore the hat up when they were going through transistion? :o)
ReplyDeleteGlad I didn't have a granny woman, just a regular doctor!
Well, I don't know any stories and I am glad I didn't live then. Just like reading about it.
ReplyDeleteI am on the verge of going to the secretary in our room and pulling out my Foxfire books. You are inspiring me to read them again. I love them, especially this time of year. What is it about Fall, that makes the world feel like old timey times...at least to me it does.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and I have heard about the knife under the bed, to cut the pain.
Happy Weekend,Rose Mary!
That was very interesting, Rose Mary! I had never heard of a yarb doctor!
ReplyDelete