What Was It Like to Be a Midwife in Medieval Scotland?
Podcast:History For Sleep with the Drowsy Historian Published On: Mon Feb 02 2026 Description: Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorianIn medieval Scotland, birth rarely happened in silence — but it rarely happened with certainty either.Tonight, you step into the life of a village midwife. You walk muddy paths before dawn, carry herbs and quiet prayers, and enter drafty cottages where fear, hope, and whispered superstition share the same air. Some days end with a first cry and exhausted relief. Others end in stillness that no one names aloud.This is not a story of triumph or tragedy, but of endurance. Of long waits by the hearth, careful hands in half-light, and a woman who moves between joy and danger without ceremony. Through seasons, storms, suspicion, and loss, you learn what it truly meant to guide new life into the world — and what it cost to do so quietly.Lie back, get comfortable, and let this slow, immersive journey carry you into a forgotten corner of everyday medieval life.🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep ToolsLooking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend:• Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/47ccNqV• Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f• Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE• Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn• Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu• White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTwThese are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy.#medievalhistory #drowsyhistorian #historyforsleep #medievalscotland #forgottenhistory #womenshistory #midwife #calmhistories #asleepwithhistory #quietstories #historicalimmersion