It were good for her to walke up and down the chamber

These fragments come from an early 17th Century manual on childbirth written by a surgeon to the French King. It contains all manner of advice on delivering babies, breastfeeding, wet nurses and infant diseases. The following is advice to midwives on caring for a woman expecting a normal uncomplicated delivery.

What must bee observed, when the woman feeles her selfe, neare her time 

The time of delivery being at hand, the woman is to prepare her selfe in this manner. She must presently send for the Midwife, and her keeper, it being better to have them about her too soon, than too late; for there be some women that are delivered sodainely without the helpe of any one, although they have beene long in their first labour. 

In the meane time, she must have a little bedde provided her, like a pallet, which must bee of a reasonable bigness, strong and firme, and also of an indifferent height (as well for her owne commodity, as the Midwives, and others that shall be present about her, to helpe her, in her labour) and it must be so set & placed, that they may conveniently come and go round about her, it must be placed far from any doore, and somewhat neere the fire. Let it also be conveniently furnished with beds & good store of linnen that they may be often changed, as neede shall require. And likewise there must bee laid crosse the beds feete, a peece of wood, for the woman to rest her feete upon, that so she may have the more strength when she bendeth her legs, as we will shew heereafter. 

As soone as she feeles her selfe stirred and provoked with throwes and paines, which are usuall in this case, it were good for her to walke up and down the chamber, and then lay her selfe down warm in her bed: and then again afterwards to rise & walk, up and downe the chamber, and then lay her down warme in her bed: and then againe afterwards to rise up and walke, expecting till the water bee gathered, and the Matrice be opened: for to keep her selfe so long in her bed, would bee very tedious and painfull. Yet it may chance, that being in bed shee may take some rest and have a little slumber, and so by this meanes the mother may gather more strength, & the child be the better inabled to come at the time which God hath appointed it, and also the waters will be the better prepared & gathered. 

They may give her, if the labour be long, a little broth, or the yolke of an egge with some butter, and bread, and also a little wine and water. It is very certaine, that all women are not delivered after one fashion: for some are delivered in their bed; others sitting in a chaire, some standing being supported and held up by the standers by: or else leaning upon the side of a bed, table or chaire; others kneeling being held up by the armes. But the best and safest way is; to be delivered in their bed, (the which I advise them to) the midwife, and assistants, as her kinsfolkes, friends, and keepers, observing this that followes. 

First the woman must be laid flat upon her back, having her head raised somewhat high, with a pillow under her backe that it bow not: and under her buttocks and os sacrum, let her have another pretty big pillow, that thereby those parts may bee somewhat lifted up: for a woman that sinketh down into the bed can never be well delivered; and therefore the well placing of them is of great consequence. Let her thighs and knees be stretcht forth and laide abroad one from another: and her legs bowed and drawn upward, having her heels & the soles of her feet, leaning hard against the peece of wood, which is laid crosse the bedde for this purpose. 

About some they put a swath foure times doubled under their backe, and hinder parts, which comes round about them: this swath must be a foot broad, and so long that it may be held by two women, standing on each side of the bed, there with to lift up the woman in travail a little, pulling it gently towards them, & chiefly when her throws come upon her. For this raising or lifting up doth much refresh her, and makes her endure her throws with more ease. 

Beside the two women that hold the swath, there must be two more of her friends or kinsfolks, to take her by the hands, thereby to clinsh or crush them when her throws come, and the other hand they must hold on the top of her shoulders, that she rise not upward too much, and that she may the better straine her selfe, for oftentimes as shee thrusts her feete hard against the peece of wood, which is put crosse the bed, she raiseth her selfe upward. Sometime I have bid one of the women that stand by to presse gently with the palme of her hand the upper parts of the belly, stroking the child downward by little and little, the which pressing did hasten the delivery, and made them endure the throws better, and with more ease. 

The woman in travail being thus placed must take a good heart, and straine her selfe as much as she can, when her throws come upon her, making them double and increase, by holding in her breath and stopping her mouth, and forming her selfe, as though she would go to the stoole, which is much fitter for her to doe then to lye crying and lamenting. If she weare about her necke an Eagles stone, loadstone, the skinne of an Urus or wild Oxe or the like, which might keepe backe the child, let them be taken away, and tied to her thighs. But above all things she must be obedient to all that is commanded her, either by her kinsfolks, and friends, or by the Midwife. Likewise she must be patient in her sicknesse, calling uppon God for helpe, since it concernes both her own life, and the childs, and shee must call to mind, that hee hath said with his owne mouth, That the woman should bring forth with labour and paine. For it would bee a rare thing to see a woman delivered without any paine. 

They that write the History of America doe tell of the women in that country, which is; That as soone as they be delivered, (they are so kind to their husbands, which tooke the paines to beget the child) that they presently rise up and lay their husbands in their roome; who are used and attended, like women in childbed. And in this manner they be visited of all their friends, and kinsfolk, who bring them gifts and presents. 

The Woman that is ready to be delivered being thus placed and laid in her bedde, must have the Midwife neere unto her: who ought first to aske of her woman, whether shee hath gone her full time, and bee ready to bee delivered; and at what time shee conceived; then must shee handle her belly, and marking it well, consider diligently whether the upper parts seeme as if they were empty, and fallen, and the nether parts very bigge and full: which sheweth that the child is sunke downe. Beside, shee must aske her, whether shee have any paines, and in what manner they bee, where they begin, and where they end: and whether they bee little or great, and frequent: whether they begin at the backe, running downe all along the belly, without staying at the Navell: and chiefly if they run along the groine, and end in the bottom of the belly inwardly (that is in the inner necke of the womb) then it is a signe that she begins to fall in travail. 

And for the more assurance, let the Midwife thrust up her hand, being first annointed, either with fresh butter, hogs grease, or some other ointment, which heere after shall be set downe. And if she perceive that both the inner, and outward orifice of the wombe, be dilated and opened, it is a signe she begins to be in travail, especially if there flow or come forth by the said passage, any slime, or water: the which doe foreshew, that the birth is at hand, as Hippocrat. saith, which if they be pale, it signifies for the most part, it will be a wench: and if it be reddish that it is a sonne. Now this slime commeth by the dilatation of the inner orifice, and from the membrane, that doth wrap and infold the child, which begins to breake. And also by reason of the vessels, and tyes which are loosened from the sides of the wombe the which may be perceived by the waters which will swell, shewing like a bubble, or rather like a bladder full of water. And when the water begins to be thus gathered, there is no doubt to be made, but that the woman is in travail. 

When the waters are in this sort gathered together, by meanes of the throwes, which come by little and little: then the Midwife must place her selfe conveniently neere unto the woman, sitting in a chaire somewhat lower then the bed: and she must sit in such manner, that she may easily put up her hand (being first annointed) into those parts, when need requires. And by this meanes, she may know, whether the child come naturally, or no, for in feeling gently crosse the membrane, that containes the waters, she shall find, either the roundnesse of the childs head, or else some unevennesse. If in feeling, she perceive that there is any hard and equall roundnesse; it is most likely to be the childs head· and that he comes naturally: but if she feele any unevennesse, the contrarie may be imagined. 

When she perceive, that all comes well, and according to nature, the throwes increasing upon the woman, and that the child doth strive and endevour to come forth, and the wombe doth straine it selfe to be freed of this burthen; Then the Midwife must incourage the woman, entreating her to hold in her breath, by stopping her mouth, and to straine downward, as though she would go to the stoole: Assuring her, that she shall be quickly eased of her paine: and that her child is even ready to come into the world, exhorting her to be patient, and promising, that she shall have, either a goodly sonne, or a faire daughter, according as she knoweth her affection inclined. 

And the Midwives greatest charge must be, that she doe nothing hastily, or rashly, or by force, to inlarge the passage of the child: and much lesse, to let foorth the water, or to breake, and teare the membranes, that containe it: but she must expect till it breake of it selfe. When the water, both by the indevour of the Mother, and likewise of the child, shall be newly broken; then aswell the Midwife, as the rest of the women present, must more and more incourage the woman, especially when her throwes increase; beseeching her in the name of God, that she would farther them, as much as she can possibly. In the meane time, the Midwife must continually annoint the neather parts with butter, or some other fats. 

And when the head doth offer it selfe to come foorth, she must receive it gently with both her hands: which being come soorth, and the womans throwes increasing, she must draw out the shoulders handsomely, sliding downe her finger under the childs arme-pits; taking the oportunitie and time when her throwes come fastest. And it is to be noted, that the throwes cease verie little, or not at all, after the head and shoulders be once come forth: Nevertheless, it will be very fit, to give the poore woman a little breathing, intreating her, that she would be of as good cheare as she can. After this, the Midwife having drawen out the shoulders, may easily draw forth the rest of the body: which must not be done either hastily or rashly. 

But because the child naturally doth come into the world, with the face downward: therefore when he is quite taken foorth, he must be turned upon his backe: for feare lest hee be stifled, or chok't. And if his navell-string be woond about his necke, (as many times it happens) then must it be unwoond. Oftentimes likewise, the child is so feeble, and faint, that there can scarsely be perceived any breath, or life in him: and therefore he must have a little wine spirted into his mouth, nose, and eares, in that quantitie as shall be needfull. When he is come to himselfe, and begins to crie, then the Midwife must follow the string, wagging and shaking it, thereby to draw, and bring foorth gently the after-birth, to which it is tyed: bidding the woman to cough, and likewise to hold some salt in her hands, fast shut together, and then blow in them. 

In the meane time the Midwife, or some other woman, must presse gently with her hand, the top of the womans belly, stroking it lightly downward: the after-burthen being come, it must be laid upon the childs belly: and the child, together with the after-birth, must be wrapp'd up handsomely in a bed, and a blanket, to be carried nearer the fire, covering the head with a linnen cloth five or sixe times double: and yet not exposing him sodainly either to the fire-light, day-light, or candle-light, lest by this sodaine change his sight might be hurt: but his eies must be covered, that by little and little he may open them, and acquaint them with the light. 

As soone as the child is borne, and that the Mother is delivered of her after-birth, the Midwife shall cause her legs to be gently laid downe, taking away the peece of wood, that lay at her feet: and put a fine linnen cloth, or rather a cleane spunge, washed in warme water, and wrung out, betweene her thighs, neare unto her naturall parts, that the cold ayre may not get therein: and then must she take the child, together with the after-burthen, and carrie them to the fire, as hath been said already. The midwife shall first tye, and then cut the childs Navel-string, to seperat him from the after-burthen. 

After after the Midwife hath cut the Navell, she must wipe and make clean the child, not onely his face, but his whole bodie, and the wrinkles and folds of the arme-pits, buttocks, and ioints, either with fresh Butter, or oyle of sweet Almonds. Some do it with oyle of Roses, others with oyle of Nuts, thereby to make the skin more firme, and to stop the pores, that the outward ayre may not hurt him, and likewise to strengthen all his parts. The child being thus shifted and annoynted, and then well dried, and wrap't up by the Midwife, or others: they must presently give him a little wine and Sugar in a spoone, or else the bignesse of a pease, of Mithridate, or Triacle, dissolved in a little wine, if it be Winter, and in Summer (by reason of the heat) with a little Carduus Benedictus, or some other Cordiall water. 

While the Midwife doth cut the childs Navell, and make him cleane, the Nurse, or some other that is present, must have an especiall Care of two things: The first is, To give the woman in child-bed this drinke. 

A Drinke for a woman in child-bed:

Take oyle of sweet Almonds newly drawen, two ounces, Syrup of Maidenhayre, one ounce, white Wine, water of Parietarie of the wall, and Carduus Benedictus, of each halfe an ounce. Mingle them verie well together with much shaking, and so let her drinke it. This medicine will mitigate and lenifie the passage of the throat, and Trachaea Arteria, which have been heated, and stretched with crying, and groning: And likewise it will help to provoke the purgings, and hinder the pangs and gripings from being so violent. 

The second is, to cause a sheep to be fleaed, and to wrap the womans backe and belly in the skin yet warme, thereby to strengthen and comfort, all those parts, which have been as it were disjointed, and pull'd one from another, with much striving in her travail. Then the Midwife (if she be not busied about the Child) or some other that looketh to the woman, shall applie beneath to the entrance of the naturall part: 

A strengthening Medicine: 

Take oyle of Hypericum, Saint Iohns Wart, two ounces, Oyle of Roses, an ounce: Two whole egges, Mingle them well together and let them be applied with fine linnen clothes, or flaxe, likewise there must be laid under her a little pillow doubled, to make her keepe her knees up a little, and that her thighs & legs lie not straight down. Let her neither lye along, nor sit upright but keepe her selfe betweene both, having her heade and body rather a little raised, then laid low, that her purgings may the easier come away. 

Now when the woman shall be thus accommodated, she must be kept from sleeping, though shee bee very desirous thereof, and let her in the meane time be entertained with some discourse. After the woman hath beene kept three or foure houres from sleeping, you may give her some broth made with a knuckle of Veale, or a Chicken, or in stead thereof, a couple of yolkes of egges, and so let her take her rest: and if she have any desire to sleep, shee may, which must bee some three or foure houres after her delivery, the dores and windowes of her chamber, being close shut, not making any noise. 

And so let this suffice, for the naturall travail or delivery; wherein there hath beene no difficulty: the woman beeing neither much troubled, nor having had any greate paines, but those that are ordinary, and such as God hath, which is, that In sorrow a woman should bring forth.