The Birth of a Child. In premodern African culture the birth of a child was greeted with jubilation. Indeed, childbirth was considered the most important event in family life. Older female family members were usually responsible for delivering babies, and the procedure was often less cumbersome and uncomfortable than modern birthing methods. Hardly any medication was used during pregnancy, and most pregnant women continued their usual day-to-day work. When a pregnant woman went into labor, she was secluded in a room with her husband's mother, his aunt, and the senior wife of her husband. By tradition these women were required to witness the labor. When the delivery time came, an experienced midwife was called to take over the birthing process. Through experience, the midwife could determine when the baby would arrive and if there might be complications in...