"Twilight Sleep" (Dämmerschlaf) was a method of childbirth involving a combination of morphine and scopolamine, popular in the early 20th century. It effectively placed the mother in a state of semi-consciousness where she felt little pain and, crucially, had no memory of the delivery. The medical community eventually abandoned the practice because the drugs were highly dangerous; scopolamine caused intense hallucinations, disorientation, and physical agitation, often requiring women to be restrained in "labor beds" or padded cribs to prevent self-injury. More importantly, the morphine often crossed the placenta, leading to neonatal respiratory depression (babies born "blue" and struggling to breathe) and increased infant mortality. The move away from Twilight Sleep was also fueled by the emergence of safer, more localized anesthetics like epidurals and a growing feminist movement in the mid-20th century that demanded women remain conscious and "present" during their own birthing experiences.