You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.

Hello, and welcome to Ben Franklin's World Revisited, a series of classic episodes that bring fresh perspective to our latest episodes and had deeper connections to our understanding

of early American history. And I'm your host, Liz Covart. Women's History Month is a time

where we can reflect on the many ways that women have shaped our past and continue to influence

our present. Now, one of the many ways that women influence our past and influence our present

is through

their work and care as mothers. But what did it mean to be a mother in early America?

Was motherhood an empowering role in early America, or was it yet another role defined by

restriction? In episode 237, we spoke with Nora Doyle, who is now an associate professor

of history at Western Carolina

University. Using details from her book, Maternal Bodies, redefining motherhood in early America,

Nora helped us uncover how early Americans thought about mothers and motherhood between the

1750s and 1850s, how early American women experienced pregnancy and childbirth,

and the legacies and impact that early American views on pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood

have had on our own present-day views of pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood.

Okay, are you ready to revisit when Nora Doyle in episode 237?

Well, let's get to it and go rejoin her.

Our guest is an assistant professor of history at Salem College in North Carolina.

Her research focuses on the history of women, gender, and race in early America.

And she's the author of several articles and a book, Maternal Bodies, Redefining Motherhood in Early America.

Welcome to Ben Franklin's world, Nora Doyle.

Hi, thanks for having me. It's our

...