Nurses and constructions of motherhood: 'scientific motherhood' and the rise of child welfare services in Tasmania 1918-1930

Motherhood is a momentous life-change for women. While commonalities of experience exist between women, each woman's experience is unique. Social constructions define motherhood in particular ways and in doing so tend to deny the range and complexity of individual experience. In recent decades a wide body of feminist and other literature has developed which analyses the way motherhood has been historically constructed and what this means for women. This thesis concentrates upon the ways in which early twentieth century Australians, in common with their counterparts in North America, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, constructed 'scientific motherhood'. The perspective and method of history are used in this work to explore the construction of scientific motherhood. In particular, the establishment of the Tasmanian Child Welfare Service is examined, for the origins of this service are closely linked to the requirement that information be disseminated throughout the population about modem 'scientific' mothering. Therefore, this thesis looks at the historical development of this service, at how it grew out of a late 19th century veneration of science as well as concerns regarding population and the position of women in society. It shows the influences lying behind the construction of motherhood as a science and outlines the art played by child health services in bringing this new, as it was perceived at the time, view of rational and efficient mothering to women