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Of Natural Labour;
What it is and what the Midwife is to do in
such Labour.
SECTION I.—What Natural Labour is.
There are four things which denominate a woman’s
natural labour; the first is, that it be at the full
time, for if a woman comes before her time, it cannot
be termed natural labour, neither will it be so easy
as though she had completed her nine months.
The second thing is, that it be speedy, and without
any ill accident; for when the time of her birth come,
nature is not dilatory in the bringing it forth, without
some ill accident intervene, which renders it unnatural.
The third is, that the child be alive; for all will
grant, that the being delivered of a dead child is
very unnatural. The fourth is, that the child
come right, for if the position of the child in the
womb be contrary to that which is natural, the event
will prove it so, by making that which should be a
time of life, the death both of the mother and the
child.
Having thus told you what I mean by natural labour,
I shall next show how the midwife is to proceed therein,
in order to the woman’s delivery. When
all the foregoing requisites concur, and after the
waters be broken of themselves, let there rather a
quilt be laid upon the pallet bedstead than a feather
bed, having there-on linen and cloths in many folds,
with such other things as are necessary, and that may
be changed according to the exigency requiring it,
so that the woman may not be incommoded with the blood,
waters and other filth which are voided in labour.
The bed ought to be ordered, that the woman being
ready to be delivered, should lie on her back upon
it, having her body in a convenient posture; this
is, her head and breast a little raised, so that she
may be between lying and sitting, for being so placed,
she is best capable of breathing, and, likewise, will
have more strength to bear her pains than if she lay
otherwise, or sunk down in her bed. Being so
placed, she must spread her thighs abroad, folding
her legs a little towards her buttocks, somewhat raised
by a little pillow underneath, to the end that her
rumps should have more liberty to retire back; and
let her feet be stayed against some firm thing; besides
this, let her take firm hold of some of the good women
attending her, with her hands, that she may the better
stay herself during her pains. She being thus
placed at her bed, having her midwife at hand, the
better to assist as nature may require, let her take
courage, and help her pains as best she can, bearing
them down when they take her, which she must do by
holding her breath, and forcing them as much as possible,
in like manner as when she goes to stool, for by such
straining, the diaphragm, or midriff, being strongly
thrust downward, necessarily forces down the womb and
the child in it. In the meantime, let the midwife
