050.5 Bonus The Quickening - What 17th & 18th Century Cookbooks have to say about Pregnancy & Women's Bodies

I cannot let the story stand that abortion and management of fertility is only a modern issue in America. It has been part of the landscape before Europeans arrived. But I'm not even close to being qualified to comment on that.

Instead this is a deep dive into the back of cookbooks of the popular and widely available 17th and 18th century cookbooks that were to be found in British Colonial and American Kitchens - and the fact that they contained recipes and instructions for both ending early pregnancies and helping along childbirth.

Fertility and reproductive care was the province of women and unregulated by legislation. Until it was.

In the 20th and 21st century, the legend was, access to fertility regulation in the past had always been treated as A Big Secret. I'm here to tell it wasn't. The how tos were available in the contemporary equivalent of the Julia Child cookbook. Don't believe me - listen in.

Music Credit: Fingerlympics by Doctor Turtle
Show Notes: https://thehistoryofamericanfood.blogspot.com/
Email: TheHistoryofAmericanFood@gmail.com
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