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. IV. Of the nourishment of the birth in the womb.

VVHile the birth remaines in the womb, it is cherished up with blood, attracted through the navel, which is the reason that the flowers doe cease alwayes in women, as soone as they have conceived.

Now this blood, presently after conception, is distinguished into three parts; the purest part of it is drawn by the child for the nourishment of its selfe; the second, which is less pure and thin, the womb forces upwards to the breast, where it is turned into Milke.

The third and most impure part of the blood

remaines in the matrix, and comes away with the secondines, both in the birth, and after the Birth.

Now the infant being thus formed and per∣fected in the womb, for the first moneth sends forth its Urine through the passages of the na∣vel; but in the last month, that passage being shut up, through the privie members; yet notwith∣standing, while the Infant is in the womb, he voyds nothing out at the fundament, because he hath taken no nourishment in at the mouth. After the fourty fifth day it receives life, and is then called an Infant.

Now though the infant hath by this time ob∣tained sence, 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 dayes, it will move in ninetie, and be born the ninth month after that, and thus much of the for∣mation and nourishment of the child in the womb.