SECT. XXIV. How to deliver a Woman when the Child presents the side of the Head, to the birth, or its Face.
Therefore as soon as 'tis known the woman must be lay'd with all speed, lest the child ad∣vancing farther in this vicious posture, it prove more difficult to thrust it back; which Page 96 must be done when we would place the head right in the passage as it truely and naturally should be.
Now to effect this I must place the woman that her hips be a little higher than her head and shoulders, causing her to lean a little upon the opposite side to the childs ill posture; then I must slide up my hand being well anointed with oil, by the side of the child's head, for to bring it right gently with my fingers be∣tween the head and the womb: but if the head be so engaged that it cannot be easily done that way, I must then put my hand up to its shoulders, that so by thrusting them back in the womb, sometimes on the one side, and sometimes on the other; as I see occasion, so shall I give it a natural and convenient po∣sition.
And here it were to be wished that the midwife could put back the Infant by the shoulders with both her hands in this man∣ner; but the head doth take up so much room that she hath much ado to introduce one only with which she must do her operation, with the half of the fingers ends of the other hand put up as far as necessary, afterwards let her excite and procure the childs birth, as direc∣ted before.
Then sometimes the child comes with its face first, having its head turn'd back; in Page 97 which posture it is very difficult it should be born; and if it long remain so, the face will be so black and blew, and swell'd that at first sight it will appear monstrous, which comes as well by the compression of it in that place as by the Midwives fingers handling it too rudely, when she endeavor'd to place it in a better posture.
There was a certain Woman whose Child came with its Face so black and mishapen as soon as it was born, as is usual in such cases, that it looked like a black Moor; as soon as the Mother saw it, she said she alwaies fear'd her Child would be so monstrous, because when she was young with Child of it she fixt her looks very much upon a black moor; wherefore she wished or at least wise car'd not though it dyed, rather than she said she should behold a Child so monstrously disfigu∣red, as it then appear'd; but she soon chang'd her mind when she was made sensible, that this blackness was occasion'd only by reason that it came into the World with its face forwards, and that assuredly in three or four days it would wear away; as accordingly it happen'd; having often anointed it with oyl of sweet Almonds, as she was order'd; and when the Child came to be about a 12 month old, you could have scarcely seen a fairer. Now to deliver this birth the Midwife must Page 98 observe the same manner, as in that whe•… the Child comes with the side of the head▪ being careful to work gently to avoid bruising the Face.
But here note that if it should chance tha• the Childs hand or hands should come with either of these births, which for the mos• part happens, rather than any other part, i• will hinder the birth by reason it takes up part of the passage, and for the most par• cause the head to lean on one side.
To remedy this as soon as 'tis preceived that one hand presents together with the head, it must be prevented from coming down more, or ingaging farther in the passage▪ wherefore the Midwife having plac'd the Woman on the bed, with her head a little lower than her hips, must in the next place, put and guide back the Childs head with her own, as much as may be; or both hands i• they came both down for to give way to the Childs head, which done she must proceed a• before.
