Chapter VIII: Directions for the Nurses, in ordering Newly-born Children

When the child’s navel-string hath been cut, according to the rules prescribed, let the midwife presently cleanse it from the excrements and filth it brings with it; of which some are within the body, as the urine in the bladder, and the excrements found in the guts; and others without, which are thick, whitish, and clammy, proceeding from the sliminess of the waters. There are children sometimes covered all over with this, that one would think they were rubbed over with soft cheese; and some women are of so easy a belief, that they really think it so, because they had eaten some while they were enceinte. From these excrements let the child be cleansed with wine and water a little warmed, washing every part therewith, but chiefly the head, because of the hair, also on the folds of the groin, arm-pits, and privities; which parts must be gently cleansed with a linen rag, or a soft sponge, dipped in lukewarm wine. If this clammy or viscous excrement stick so close that it will not easily be washed off from those places, it may be fetched off with oil of sweet almonds, or a little fresh butter melted with wine, and afterwards well dried off; also make tents of fine rags, and wetting them in this liquor, clear the ears and nostrils; but for the eyes, wipe them only with a dry soft rag, and dipping it in the wine, lest it should make them smart.

The child being thus washed, and cleansed from the native blood and impurities which attend it into the world, it must in the next place be searched, to see whether all things be right about it, and that there is no fault or dislocation; whether it has suffered any violence by its birth, in any part of its body; and whether all the parts be well and duly shaped; that suitable remedies may be applied, if any thing be found not right. Nor is it enough to see that all be right without, and that the outside of the body be cleansed, but she must chiefly observe whether it dischargeth the excrements contained within, and whether the passage be open; for some have been born without having been perforated. Therefore, let her examine whether the conduits of the urine and stool be clear, for want of which some have died, not being able to void their excrements, because timely care was not taken at first. As to the urine, all children, as well males as females, do make water as soon as they are born, if they can, especially if they feel the heat of the fire, and sometimes also void the excrements, but not so soon as the urine. If the infant does not ordure the first day, then put up into its fundament a small suppository, to stir it up to be discharged, that it may not cause painful gripes by remaining so long in the belly. A sugar almond may be proper for this purpose, anointed over with a little boiled honey; or else a small piece of Castile-soap rubbed over with fresh butter; also give the child for this purpose a little syrup of roses or violets at the mouth, mixed with some oil of sweet almonds drawn without a fire, anointing the belly also with the same oil or fresh butter.

The midwife having thus washed and cleansed the child, according to the before-mentioned directions, let her begin to swaddle it in swathing clothes, and when she dresses the head, let her put small rags behind the ears to dry up the filth which usually engenders there, and so let her do also in the folds of the arm-pits and groin, and so swathe it; then wrap it up warm in a bed with blankets, which there is scarcely any woman so ignorant but knows well enough how to do: only let me give them this caution, that they swathe not the child too strait in its blankets, especially about the breast and stomach, that it may breathe the more freely, and not be forced to vomit up the milk it sucks, because the stomach cannot be sufficiently extended to contain it; therefore let its arms and legs be wrapped in its bed stretched and straight, and swathed to keep them so, viz, the arms along its sides, and its legs equally both together, with a little of the bed between them, that they may not be galled by rubbing each other; then let the head be kept steady and straight, with a stay fastened on each side of the blanket; and then wrap the child up in a mantle and blankets to keep it warm. Let none think this of swathing the infant is needless to set down, for it is necessary it should be thus swaddled, to give its little body a straight figure, which is most decent and proper for a man, and to accustom him to keep upon his feet, who otherwise would go upon all fours, as most other animals do.