Village Mothers Oral History Project

Garifabanu Abdullina, born in 1908, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother and her Tatar customs.

Antonia Abramova, born in 1931, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. Antonia discusses motherhood.

Mariia Abramova, born in 1931, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Nuraniia Badrieva, born in 1932, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Zatiia Bagautdinova, born in 1925 lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Olimpiada Bakhmesterova, born in 1902, lives in Staroe Selo, Moscow Province, Russia. Her father died when she was a baby. Bakhmesterova got married in 1924 and had her first son a year later. She had six children. She stated that she loved her husband and that the births were not difficult. She nursed for a long time and swaddled her babies. In addition, she used a midwife and learned how to make diapers. She also learned how to take care of a child during her days as a nanny. She used some of her own remedies for ailments.

Varvara Baranova, born in 1915, lives in Lepeshki, in the Moscow Province of Russia. She had ten siblings and five children of her own, not all of whom survived. All her children were born in a hospital, but she also practiced traditional customs such as swaddling and the Evil Eye. She used herbs and oils to cure certain ailments, but for serious illnesses she took her family members to the hospital.

Vera Belikova, born in 1909, lives in Nazarovno, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses childbirth and rearing in Russia.

Elena Bobkova, born in 1919, lives in Ezhevitsa, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses motherhood.

Liia Brykina, born in 1931, lives in Inakovka 1, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Lina Buldakova, born in 1907, lives in Vvedenskoe in the Moscow Province in Russia. She discusses traditional child-rearing and bearing practices versus modern practices.

Vasilii Dobrynin, born in 1923, lives in Inakovka Village, Tambov Province, Russia. He discusses his experiences with his mother.

Roza Fakhrutdinova, born in 1933, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences before and after abortion became legal.

Klavdiia Fateeva, born in 1937, lives in Inakovka, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Dar'ia Fedosenkova was born in 1909 and lives in Suglitsa, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother

Nafisa Galeeva, born in 1910, lives in Moscow, Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Ekaterina Gerasimova, born in 1909, lives in Tsarevo, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Aleksandra Gibert, born in 1921, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Mar'iam Gimadeeva, born in 1918, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'iavonovsk Province, Russia. She discusses childbirth, motherhood, and child-rearing. Gimadeeva related stories about trying to toughen up kids through labor and lack of material goods. She also stated that for their own protection, Tatar children were rarely allowed to loiter outside.

Zeinab Gimatdinova, born in 1923, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Nina Gracheva, born in 1926, lives in Lepeshki in the Moscow Province of Russia. She was married in 1949, had two sons and one daughter. She felt she did not have time for more children. Her mother taught her everything she knew about prenatal and postnatal care. She was later divorced and remarried when her daughter was eleven.

Antonina Grafova, born in 1927, lives in Nazarovno, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with motherhood.

Anis'ia Gureeva, born in 1911, lives in Kirasovo Sputinsk raion, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Aleksandra Guseva, born in 1907, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

David Ransel summarizes his recollections of his discussion with Sharifa Ialisheva, born in 1912, about her experiences as a mother. She commented on the traditonal customs of arranged marriage and folk healing. She also talked about abortion, village life, and the changes from traditional to modern methods of child-rearing and child bearing.

Anna Isafieva, born around 1900, lived in Fedorovskoe, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Fina Asrorovna Iurenieva, born in 1941, lives in Leningrad, Russia. She discusses Tatar customs and how these customs changed over time.

Rkiia Kamaletdinova, born in 1922, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Anna Kasiakina, born in 1939, lives in Inakovka, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Kirsanova, born in 1920, lives in Vititni, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Konobievskaia, born in 1922, lives in Zhukovka, the Moscow Province of Russia. She worked for decades at various jobs to support her family. She had two nannies to watch her children. Konobievskaia experienced several troublesome birthing experiences, in which midwives had to intervene. She had a hard life, but she claimed that she was destined by God to a life of labor. She and her husband worked hard to support theirson and daughter.

Praskov Korotchenkova, born in 1920, lives in Elizavetino, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Kosiakova lives in Kosiakova 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Nina Koskiakina, born in 1937, lives in Inakovka, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Aleksandra Krivolapova was born in 1949. She discusses the relationship between traditional child-rearing and childbirthing practices and those of modern medicine.

Praskov'ia Krivolapova, born in 1912, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Fira Krugman, born in 1915, lives in Leningrad, Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing. Krugman also related stories about Jewish customs and how these differed from other common practices.

Tat'iana Kurkova and Praskov'ia Kurkova were born in 1925 and 1899 respectively. They live in Orlovo in the Moscow Province of Russia. They discuss the practice of traditional Russian child-rearing customs in the area, such as chewing bread and sugar to stop a child crying, swaddling children, and giving birth at home with the help of a midwife. They discuss the use of traditional remedies for ailments, such as boiled milk for a sore throat, and specific herbs for general sickness.

Anastasiia Kuzina, born in 1923, lives in Vvedenskoe, in the Moscow Province of Russia. She discusses traditional childbearing and rearing practices.

Antonina Larshina , born in 1923, lives in Orlova in the Moscow Province of Russia. She discusses her experiences with childbirth and child-rearing.

Valentina Lopatkina, born in 1931, lives in Tsarevo, in the Moscow Province of Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Ol'ga Mal'tseva, born in 1913, lives in Chernaia, Batetskii raion, Novgorad Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Marfa Malikova, born in 1910, lives in Inakovka 1, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Mariia Malikova, born in 1913, lives in Inakovka, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with motherhood.

Galina Mamina, born in 1918, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Markova, born in 1918, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Mariia Mikhailovna, born in 1911, lives in Baranovski, Russia. She used a midwife rather than a doctor because she found them to be skillful. She experienced hard labor and lost several children after they were born.

Nina Mikhailovna, born in 1928, lives in Repnino, Leningrad Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother, living in Siberia, working in a mine, and family relationships.

Natal'ia Mikhaleva, born in 1929, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Mikhalevna, born in 1923, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

David Ransel conducted an interview with a group of women he calls simply "mosque women." The primary interviewee among the mosque women is Khatima Nizamoua, but she is accompanied by several other women ranging in age and experience. These women relate how their traditional Tatar child-rearing customs blended with Western modern medical practices over the course of time.

Minzifa Mustafina, born in 1933, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother and how her Tatar customs affected her child-rearing practices.

Elizaveta Nikolaeva, born in 1910, lives in Tsareva, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Pelageia Nikulina, born in 1910, lives in Bulgakovka Province, Russia. She discusses experiences as a mother.

Khatima Nizamova, born in 1903, lives in tatarskii Kalmaiur Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Nina Novozhilova, born in 1916, lives in Nazarovno, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with childbirth and child-rearing.

Iuliia Ortikova, born in 1917, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Panacheva, born in 1928, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russi. She discusses her role as a wife and a mother.

Anna Popova, born in 1914, lives in Vvedenskoe, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother. She discusses the changing relationship between traditional birthing and rearing practices and modern medical practices.

Antonida Popova, born in 1953, lives in Mamskoe Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Zukhra Pozdnikova, born in 1917, lives in Krasnoe Selo, in the Leningrad Province of Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Tamara Privalova, born in 1928, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Antonia Ptichnikova and Zoia Vovoshkina both participated in this interview, but the focus is actually on the life of Ptichnikova. She was born in 1937 and lives in Kablukovo, in Moscow Province, Russia. Ptichnikova had only one child because times were hard. She claimed that she swaddled her child to keep its legs straight. She got pregnant again, but had an abortion. Ptichnikova learned a lot from her mother and other women in the area, who gave birth with the aid of a midwife.

Khana Rabinovich, born in 1906, lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Anna Reutova, born in 1908, lives in Inakovka 2, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother .

Zubarzhat Rezvanova, born in 1917, lives in Tatarskii Kalmaiur, Ul'ianovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Efrosin'ia Ruleva, born in in 1915, lives in Buda, Ugransk raion, Briansk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Evdokiia Sevriukova, born in 1911, lives in Suglitsa, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with motherhood.

Valentina Shapovalova, born in 1933, lives in Korobets, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses the relationship between traditional Russian childbearing and child-rearing practices and more modern practices.

Pelageia Sharav'eva, born in 1911, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with motherhood.

Anastasiia Shishanova, born in 1905, lives in Tsarevo, Moscow Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Vasilli Shumkov, born in 1915, lives in Fedorovskoe, in the Moscow Province of Russia. He discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Zinaida Shumkova, born in 1915, lives in Fedorovskoe, in the Moscow Province of Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Natalia Skovorodina, born in 1902, lives in Cherniakovo, Tarnog raion, Vologda Province, Russia. She discusses motherhood, childbirth, and midwivery.

Elizaveta Smirnova, born in 1917, lives in Staroe Selo, Moscow Province, Russia. She had three children and feared to have another one because she was not even sure she wanted the third. Abortion was illegal, and her mother and husband were very religious and opposed to it. For that reason, she decided not to have an abortion. During wartime everyone helped each other, especially women with children. Smirnova asserted that she picked up her child-rearing knowledge from life. For sickness, like pneumonia,she would consult a doctor rather than use traditional remedies.

Mariia Somova, born in 1905, lives in Pokhotnyi Ugol, Bondarsk raion, Tambov Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Elena Sorokoumova, born in 1915, lives in Nikitino, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences with motherhood.

Anastasiia Spiridonova, born in 1907, lives in Lepeshki in the Moscow Province of Russia. She married in 1928 through a matchmaker. She gave birth to five children--the last being born at home with a village midwife. She made many of the household decisions independently of her husband. She tended to take a more modern approach to childbirth and child-rearing, following the trends of modern medical practices.

Anfisa Sudakova, born in 1923, lives in Baranovski, Vozhegodskii raion, Volgoda Province, Russia. She discusses birthing practices. During her mother's time, women did not often have abortions, but by Anfisa's time it was more common. She used the services of a midwife and continued to nurse for a long time, so she would not get pregnant again for a while. Her second child was born in a hospital.

Rakhmet and Fakhiza Suleimanov are Russian women from Simbirsk. Fakhiza was born in 1930. Rakhmet and Fakhiza focus on Tatar customs and how these customary Russian childbirthing and child-rearing methods changed over time.

Sof'ia Teleshova, born in 1950, lives in Leningrad, Russia. She discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Valentina Tripapina, born in 1902, comes from Laikovo, in the Moscow Province of Russia. The interview focuses on issues of child-rearing and childbirth, as well as how these practices changed over the course of the twentieth century.

Elena Tsygankova, born in 1917, lives in Elizavetino, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

In this interview, David Ransel asked a group of women about childbirth and child rearing. They discuss how traditional Russian birthing and rearing customs have changed as a result of modern medicine.

Anastisiia Vakhromeeva, born in 1907, lives in Kablukovo, in the Moscow Province of Russia. A famine drove her family and her out of her childhood home. Despite this tragedy, she married in 1928. She gave birth to a boy and a girl, but the boy died of disease. She left her children with nannies while she was at work. Vakhromeeva claimed that she followed the old tradition of swaddling her babies. Her husband left her to raise the children on her own. She later remarried, but never had any more children. She did choose to have at least one abortion.

Anna Varfolomeeva, born in 1928, lives in Nikitino, El'ninsk raion, Smolensk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

Tat'iana Varfolomeeva, born in 1911, discusses her experiences as a mother. She talked primarily about childbirth, child-rearing, family, and customs.

Tat'iana Vorob'eva, born in 1954, lives in Maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her experiences as a mother.

Faina Vulakh, born in 1925, lives in Philadelphia, PA. She discusses her role as a mother, her experiences in World War II, abortion, contraception, and her use of Jewish customs in Russia.

Zakiia Zagidullina, born in 1940, lives in maminskoe, Sverdlovsk Province, Russia. She discusses her role as a mother.

V.I. Zaitsev, born in 1913, lives in Fedorovskoe, Moscow Province, Russia. Zaitsev discusses childbirth and child-rearing.

Anna Vasil'evna Zueva, born in 1919, lives in Chernaia, Batetskii raion, Novgorad Province, Russia. She discusses her experience as a mother.