Healthy and Free. Motherhood in the Marche Tradition (17th–20th Centuries)

Through careful research into bibliographic sources and direct interviews, the author has reconstructed the mother's experience in a time now distant from the present, yet still subconsciously present in the collective memory. Gestures, customs, practices, and beliefs that have all but vanished come back to life in the book's pages, reawakening memories in some and arousing wonder in others. Their rediscovery could contribute to a greater awareness of the maternal experience, today partially removed from its physiological connection with Nature and clothed in modern, often alienating and unsettling, garments. The study therefore aims to document the customs, beliefs, and superstitions related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare in the folk tradition of the Marche region.
A narrative halfway between essay and short story, it makes use of dialect and considers a wide range of aspects related to motherhood through past experiences: the inseparable bond between woman and mother, the relationship between official and popular medicine, the connection between birth and nature, breastfeeding and weaning, maternal and infant mortality, major fears and superstitions, the reconciliation of motherhood with daily work, and even early childhood care between the 17th and 20th centuries.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LUISA GIANFELICI

Silvia Alessandrini Calisti holds a four-year degree in Modern Literature and a Master's degree in Archives and Library Science. She worked for several years as a freelance library professional, also collaborating with the University of Macerata and Rome 3. In 2010, she moved into digital communications and regional web marketing; she later founded mammemarchigiane.it, a regional portal aimed at families (Golden Media Marche 2015; Premio Impresa Donna 2016). She collaborates with the Osservatorio di Genere association, where she focuses on communications and issues related to women in the Marche tradition. She also writes for "Vitamine Vaganti," the official magazine of the Toponomastica Femminile association. She is passionate about local folklore and microhistory.