The Birthing House by Ami McKay

A wonderful novel that takes place in Nova Scotia.  It starts pre-World War I and ends after World War II. It deals with the conflict that starts to arise between the midwives and science.  In the little town of Scots Bay there has been a midwife that has taken care of them for years and years and who is in the process of turning all of her knowledge to a young woman in the town.  All of a sudden a doctor comes to the next town and sets up a maternity center and totes that he knows what is best for women and can give them much better care.  Some women choose to go to him, but many stay with the midwife or come back to her.  All of the little potions and stories that go along with being a midwife at that time are fascinating.  All of the superstitions, too.  This historical fiction novel did a great job in putting you in that time period, giving you depth in the characters and a story line that made it very hard for me to put down the book.