The English midwife enlarged containing directions to midwives; wherein is laid down whatever is most requisite for the safe practising her art. Also instructions for women in their conceiving, bearing and nursing of children. With two new treatises, one of the cure of diseases and symptoms happening to women before and after child-birth. And another of the diseases, &c. of little children, and the conditions necessary to be considered in the choice of their nurses and milk. The whole fitted for the meanest capacities. Illustrated with near 40 copper-cuts.

SECT. XXIII. How to help a Woman in her Labor, when the Childs head thrusts the neck of the Womb forth before it.

DR. Now Mrs. Eutrapelia, I have ano∣ther question to ask you, and that is this; suppose you were call'd to deliver a Woman in labor where you find the Childs head to thrust forth the neck of the Womb before it, how would you go to work in such a case, and what art would you use to deliver the Child with safety?

Mid. Why surely Sir, if we only have re∣spect to the Figure the Child comes in in this labor, we may call it a natural one; but if we shall, on the other hand, consider either the disposition of the Womb, which is in danger of coming quite forth of the passage, or the manner of drawing forth of the Infant, we shall find it to be not so altogether: for its head thrusting it forceably before it may ea∣sily cause a falling out of the Womb, if the Woman be not skilfully succoured in time, here may be seen the neck of the Womb

bear forth before in great wrinkles according as the Child advanceth.

Now Women troubled with their bearing down of their Womb before they conceive, and those whose Womb is very moist, are much subject to this accident, because of the looseness of the strings.

The same method must not be observed here, as in the natural birth; for in this case the Woman must neither walk nor stand up∣right; but she must keep her bed with her body equally at least situated, and not raised a little as is requisite in a natural labor. She must by no means use strong or sharp clysters, lest they procure too great throws, neither must her Womb be moistned, because 'tis al∣ready too much loosened; but she must be aided at the moment each pain takes her, when the Child begins to advance its head, and consequently the neck of the Womb, and let the Midwife keep her hands on each side of its head, to thrust back by resisting the Womans pains, the Womb only giving way in the mean time for the Child to advance, doing the like at every throw; continuing therein till the Woman of her self hath for∣ced the Child quite into the World, for we must by no means draw it by the head, as in a natural labor, for fear of causing the Womb to fall out at the same time, to which it is then very apt.

Now if notwithstanding the Infant having the head born, and yet stops there, so long as to endanger its suffocation, then the Midwife must call a second person to her assistance, to draw it gently forth by the head, whilst she keeps back the Womb with both her hands, to prevent its following the Infants body so drawn forth. After the Woman is thus de∣livered, and her. Afterbirth fetch'd away gently; and not shaking or drawing it away too rudely, then let the Womb be placed up in its natural situation if it bears down.