The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. IV. Of the nourishment of the Birth in the Womb.

WHilst the Birth remains in the Womb, it is che∣rished up with blood attracted through the Na∣vel, which is the reason that the flowers do cease al∣wayes in Women, as soon as they have conceived.

Now this blood, presently after conception, is distin∣guished into three parts; the purest of it drawn by the Child for the nourishment of it self; the second, which is less pure and thin, the Womb forces upwards to the breast, where it is turned into milk. The third and most impure part of the blood remains in the Matrix, and comes away with the Secondines, both in the Birth, and after the Birth,

Now the Infant being thus formed and perfected in the womb for the first month sends forth its Urine thro' the passages of the navel; but in the last month that pas∣sage being shut up through the privy-members; yet notwithstanding, while the child is in the Womb, he voids nothing out at the Fundament, because he hath taken no nourishment in at the Mouth. After the for∣ty fifth day it receives life, and is then called an Infant.

Now, though the Infant hath by this time obtained sense, yet doth he not move: He most commonly moves in twice the time that he was formed, and in thrice the space after he began his motion, he hastens into the world; as for example, if the infant were formed in forty five days, it will move in ninety, and be born the ninth month after that.