And so, the birth begins. I’ve never seen birth shown on TV with such intensity.As June gives birth in the mansion, we see her in labor with Hannah and Janine (Madeline Brewer) in labor with her daughter, Charlotte. The interspliced birth scenes are a meditation on fertility and modernity, as is this entire show. Gilead reduces women to a role; June’s role is to have children. Finally, she’s giving birth without an epidural in an “all natural” environment, just like her mother wanted (though this is certainly not how Holly envisioned that). But even though June is giving birth the natural way, like Gilead wants, nothing about Gilead’s family set-up is natural. When June was in the hospital, surrounded by modern technology, motherhood could a source of joy and fulfilment and pride. It still is; but it’s warped. Gilead upsets the natural order of things.