work

Galleries and Reading Room

Café

Shop

Library

Our galleries are quietest on weekdays and weekend mornings. At busy times, particularly on Saturdays, you may need to queue for our temporary exhibitions.

We’re undertaking some research with website visitors to learn more about how people find access-related information provided by museums. This survey shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

Help us organize our website content.

Drawings by Heather Spears.

Drawings of an epidural and c-section at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, 4 May 1987.

1 drawing : pencil on paper ; 21 x 29.7 cm

A woman in labour and two health professionals huddled together on a maternity ward.

A woman in labour lying in bed looking down with a midwife standing and smiling next to her.

A woman in labour standing and leaning to the left accompanied by a midwife.

The outline of a woman in labour with a hand on her back.

A woman in labour reclining while being examined by a midwife.

A woman in labour reclining with her knees bent while being examined by a midwife.

A woman in labour lying in bed looking towards the father who is seated and leaning in towards her affectionately with both of his hands around hers.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed while the father who is seated and leaning in towards her affectionately clasps both of his hands around hers.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed being examined by a midwife while the father looks on just out of frame.

A woman in labour lying in bed, her face obscured by the expectant father as they embrace.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her legs raised and eyes closed, holding onto the hand of an unidentified figure.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed, holding onto the hand of an unidentified figure.

Samantha for a girl, + Simon for a boy.

Close up of a woman in labour lying propped up in bed.

A woman in labour lying propped up in bed with her eyes closed, with a partial view of the father's face at her side.

An expectant father sitting at the bedside of a woman in labour, with his hand pressed against his chin.

An expectant father sitting and smiling up from the bedside of a woman in labour.

Keep still, baby Franklin!.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed, holding the hand of another person.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed, accompanied by someone with their arms crossed standing by her side.

Two views of a woman in labour with a male figure standing by her side holding her hand.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed with a woman and a man sitting either side of her, talking to each other.

A woman in labour lying in bed, asleep, with a man lying next to her, also sleeping.

A woman in labour lying in bed, asleep.

A woman in labour holding her partners hand, lying in bed being examined by a midwife.

A woman in labour lying in bed, with a man sat by her side looking caringly at her.

A woman in labour lying in bed being examined by a female healthcare professional and holding the hand of a man stood beside her.

A woman in labour in labour holding the hand of the expectant father and being examined by a healthcare professional.

A woman in labour lying in bed with an unidentified figure standing next to her, touching her pregnany bump.

A woman in labour lying in bed being examined by a female healthcare professional and with the expectant father sitting by her side.

A woman in labour lying in bed being examined by a healthcare professional.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed.

Three views of the face of a woman in labour, all with her eyes closed.

An expectant father strokes the head of his partner who is in labour, lying in bed with a hand raised to her head and pained expression.

An expectant father kisses the face of his partner who is lying in bed with her eyes closed.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed, with an unidentified figure at her side holding her hand.

Outline of a woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed.

Outline of a woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed, with an unidentified figure sitting at her bedside.

Outline of a woman in labour lying in bed with her arm behind her head.

Margaret.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her toes peeking out from under the sheet, her torso and head obscured by a person leaning over beside her.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her arm gripping the mattress with a sitting by her bedside.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed and her arm by her side.

A woman in labour lying in bed with closed eyes and a pained or exhaling expression on her face.

A woman in labour lying in bed with a person looking and leaning in towards her from the foot of the bed.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her eyes closed and knees bent while a midwife assists with the birth.

A woman in labour lying in bed, eyes closed, with someone holding her arm.

A woman in labour, lying on her back with eyes closed, looking tense.

A woman lying on her back, in labour, a midwife at her side.

A woman in labour, resting on her hands and knees.

A woman in labour, on her hands and knees, being supported on both sides.

A woman in labour, on her hands and knees, being supported by a man on her right.

A woman in labour sitting sideways, clutching her partners shoulder.

A woman in labour recieving an epidural, surrounded by healthcare professionals.

A woman in labour lying down being examined.

A woman in labour lying down, her hand across her face, being examined.

A pregnant woman in hospital, lying on her side, holding the neck of the expectant father who is standing beside her.

A woman in labour lying on her side recieving an epidural.

A woman in labour lying on her side holding her belly with one hand and holding a mask to give gas and air pain relief in the other.

A woman in labour lying on her side with a healthcare professional reaching over to examine her belly.

A woman in labour lying on her side with her eyes closed and the father sitting by her side looking at her.

A woman in labour lying on her side.

A woman in labour lying on her side with her eyes closed with a woman standing by her side holding her belly.

A woman in labour lying on her side with a midwife examining her belly.

A woman in labour lying on her side with a woman administering gas and air pain relief.

A woman in labour lying on her side with a woman sitting beside her, stroking her face and holding her hand.

A woman in labour lying on her side holding a mask for gas and air pain relief and someone's hand holding her wrist.

Can you remember all your breathing?.

A woman in labour lying in bed with a woman sitting beside her, holding her hand and a healthcare professional leaning over her.

A woman in labour lying on her side holding the hand of a woman sitting beside her, who has a tear running down her cheek.

A woman in labour lying on her back with her legs apart.

I think we ought to consider an epidural.

The outline of a woman in labour lying on her back and a man standing next to her.

A woman in labour lying on her side being examined by a healthcare professional.

The outline of a woman in labour with a healthcare professional examining her and a woman standing by her head talking to her.

A woman in labour lying on her side being given an epidural.

A woman in labour lying on her side attended to by two healthcare professionals.

A woman in labour lying on her side being given an epidural by a masked doctor.

Sibah.

A healthcare professional attending a woman in labour, after being given an epidural.

A woman in labour being given an epidural.

A healthcare professional attends to a woman in labour.

After all, I sit up watching snooker all night anyway.

A pregant woman, propped up in bed.

A pregnant woman with her legs raised in stirrups being examined by a doctor.

An anaestheist giving an epidural.

An anaestheist holding a syringe giving an epidural.

Dr Barney McCallum.

A doctor assisting the final stages of birth.

A doctor examining a woman in labour.

A doctor with a woman in childbirth.

A doctor caring for a woman in labour.

A woman giving birth lying down, her legs in stirups.

Some babies just love to be awkward.

The back view of a woman giving birth standing, with her birthing partner.

You'll be just fine.

A caesarean section in progress.

Hands reach into the incision of a caesarean section to remove baby from mother's womb.

Hands sewing the incision from a caesarean section.

Hands in the incision during a caesarean section.

Hands removing a baby from the womb during a caesarean section.

A midwife caring for a newborn baby.

A midwife tending a newborn baby.

Doctors in surgical masks performing a caesarean section.

A newborn baby in a hospital cot.

A father holding his swaddled new born baby.

Simon.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her arm behind her head and an exhaling expression on her face with a person looking and leaning in towards her.

Wellcome uses cookies.

A woman in labour lying in bed with her arm behind her head and an exhaling expression on her face with a person looking and leaning in towards her.

Collection contents

About this work

Publication/Creation

Physical description

Contributors

Lettering

Notes

Reference

Ownership note

Type/Technique

Languages

Subjects

Where to find it

Permanent link