The compleat midwifes practice, in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man. Containing perfect rules for midwifes and nurses, as also for women in their conception, bearing, and nursing of children: from the experience not onely of our English, but also the most accomplisht and absolute practicers among the French, Spanish, Italian, and other nations. A work so plain, that the weakest capacity may easily attain the knowledge of the whole art. With instructions of the midwife to the Queen of France (given to her daughter a little before her death) touching the practice of the said art. / Published with the approbation and good liking of sundry the most knowing professors of midwifery now living in the city of London, and other places. Illustrated with severall cuts in brass. By T.C. I.D. M.S. T.B. practitioners.

CHAP. VI. How women with childe ought to go∣vern themselves.

IN the first place she ought to chuse a tempe∣rate and wholsome air, neither too hot nor too cold, nor in a watry and damp place, nor too subject to fogs or winds, especially the South winde, which is a great enemy to women with childe, causing oft times abortion in them. The North winde is also hurtful, engendring Rhumes and Catarrhs and Coughs, which do of∣ten

force a woman to lie down before her time. Likewise the winds which carry with them evil odours and vapours, for these being sucked with the air into the Lungs, are the cause of divers diseases.

For her diet she ought to chuse meat that breeds good and wholsome nourishment, and which breeds good juice, such are meats that are mode∣rately drie, the quantity ought to be sufficient, both for themselves, and for their children, and therefore they are to fast as little as may be, for abstinence unless upon good occasion renders the child sickly, and tender, and constrains it to be born before its time, to seek for nourishment, as the over-much diet stuffs it up, or renders it so big, that it can hardly keep its place.

All meats too cold, too hot, and too moist, are to be avoided, as also the use of salads and spiced meats; and the too much use of salt meats, are also forbidden, which will make the childe to be born without nails, a sign of short life. Her bread ought to be good wheat, well baked and levened. Her meats ought to be Pigeons, Tur∣tles, Phesants, Larks, Partrige, Veal, and Mutton. For herbs she may use Lettice, Endive, Bugloss, and Burrage, abstaining from raw Salads: for her last course she may be permitted to eat Pears, Marmalad, as also Cherries and Damsons; she must avoid all meats that are diuretick, and provoke urine, or the termes, and such meats as are windy, as Pease, and Beans. Yet because there are some women that have such depraved

stomachs, by reason of a certain salt and sower humor contained in the membranes of the sto∣mach, as that they will eat coles, chalke, ashes, cinders, and such like trash, so that it is impos∣sible to hinder them; to such therefore we can only say thus much, that they ought to forbear as much as in them lies, assuring them that such trash does not only endanger their own health, but the health of the childe. Yet if they cannot command that depraved appetite, let them so provide, though it be by giving some small satis∣faction to their depraved longings, that they do not hasten any further inconvenience; for though those strange meats be very contrary to nature, yet the strange desire that they have to them, does not a little avail to the disgestion of them. For her drink, let it be small Ale, though now and then a cup of pure wine does not amiss, to comfort the stomach and the parts dedicated to generation.

Her time of sleep is best in the night, for the concoction of those meates which she hath eate in the day time: she must avoid, by all meanes, the sleeping after dinner; she may sleep full out nine houres; her sleeping beyond that time is prejudiciall.

She may exercise her self moderately, for vio∣lent exercise loosens the Cotyledons, through which the Infant receives his nourishment: the riding in coaches is forbid especially, for the last three months.

She ought to avoyd great noises, as the noise of Guns, or great bels.

Laughing, crying, if it be immoderate, is ex∣tremely hurtfull, as also immoderate anger.

In the first four moneths she ought not to lye with her husband, for that shakes and moves the fruite of her womb, and causes the flowers to descend; she must also abstain in the sixth and eight; but in the seventh and ninth it is not de∣nyed, and is thought to facilitate the delivery.

She ought also to keep her body soluble, which if it should come of it self, she must take loosing syrups to help nature; Assoon as ever they perceive themselves to be with child, they must lay a side their busks, and not straighten themselves any way, for feare of hurting the fruit of their womb, by not giving it its full liber∣tie of growth.

Notes

• Her Diet.
• Of Long∣ing.
• Her sleep∣ing.
• Her exer∣cise.
• Other pre∣cepts.