Chapter VIII: A Protuberancy or Swelling of the VEINS, and BREASTS; their

growing _Hard_, and giving _Pain_: As the NIPPLES become firm, large, and dark-colour’d, with a _livid Circle_ around them.

THESE and many other _Signs_ often occur upon _CONCEPTION_; but except a _Plurality_ of them meet in _one Person_, they are not absolutely to be rely’d on: It being a _Vulgar Error_ among _Women_, to calculate precisely from the Time of _missing_ their MONTHS; for as _These_ are often suppress’d, without any such manifest _Cause_; so I have known some _Plethorick_ Persons, who have had them several repeated times after Conception.

YEA, I was once given to understand by a LADY of Distinction, in the City of _Berlin_, that she never had _Them_, till she first _conceiv’d_ in the 19th Year of her Age; and then they came in _regular Course_, without any _Detriment_, during the whole FOETURA, or time of _Gestation_: After which, she had _Them_ no more, till she _conceiv’d_ again, when _They_ return’d, and continued as formerly; and thus it constantly happen’d to her, till she had done _Child-bearing_.

THERE are _other_ more certain _Signs_ of _CONCEPTION_; touching which, let it suffice, that the _Physician_ knows them, from the _Relation_ of the PATIENT: And to these may be added the _Symptoms_ of the _MONTHS_.

BUT notwithstanding all the positive _Diagnosticks_, which most Men have been, hitherto, guided by; I have met with so many _Fallibilities_ in this Point, that I shou’d readily have come into the Opinion of[55] _Paulus Sacchias_, and deny’d the _Certainty_ of _PREGNANCY_, even at an _advanc’d Time_, had I not been better instructed by Those most excellent _Physicians_ and MEN-MIDWIVES, Sig. _Garofanzzo_ of _Padua_, and _Pfizerus_ of _Wittenberg_; who agree in certain _infallible Signs_, which put an end to all my _Doubts_, as well as to the grand _Controversy_, touching _CONCEPTION_.

AS to those common _Signs_, which discover the _CONCEPTION_ of a _Boy_ from a _Girl_, or _Vice Versa_; finding _them_ tend only to _Curiosity_, and to no real _Advantage_, I cannot think it worth while to allow them any Place _Here_.

CHAP. III.
_Of the DIET and REGIMEN of the Pregnant Woman._

I Come now, agreeable to my Promise, in the _First Chapter_ of this SECTION, to direct and prescribe to the _Woman conceiv’d_ her due COURSE: Whom I would have to consider, _First_, that she is in a very narrow and dangerous SEA; and, _Secondly_, that, as the PILOT cannot be always upon the _Watch_; so the Safety of SHIP and CARGO depends entirely upon the _Care_, _Conduct_, and _Steady Hand_ of the skilful STEERSMAN.

WHEREFORE the _Woman_ being now satisfy’d of her _CONCEPTION_, she is to observe a quite different _Oeconomy_ in her _Way of Living_, from what she formerly practis’d: Since a _double Mischief_ may be the Result of one _single Fault_ in this Case; the _INFANT_ always participating of what affects the _MOTHER_. And therefore she is now not only to take Care of _Herself_, but also of her _Embryo_, or the _Fruit_ of her WOMB; especially in the _First Months_, when it may be justly compared to the tender BLOSSOMS of _Trees_, which are easily _blasted_, or _shaken-off_ by the least Accident of _Wind_ or _Rain_.

THIS _Regimen_, which I am about to speak of, is _Two-fold_; the _One_ for such _Women_ as find themselves in a good _State of Health_, by way of _Prevention_: The _Other_ for those of the _tenderer Sort_ of Constitutions, who begin to suffer immediately under the common _Symptoms_: Upon which Affair I shall give a few necessary _Precautions_ adapted to _Both_, with all possible Discretion and Judgment.

I. THE _Conceiv’d Woman_ then is to observe a good, wholesome, and regular _DIET_; since _Errors_ committed that way, with respect either to _Quantity_ or _Quality_, may be of _double Damage_; I mean, both to the MOTHER and the INFANT. She should therefore eat rather _Often_, than _Much_ at a _Meal_; especially at _Nights_, without fasting too long at any Time.

II. SHE is discreetly to avoid all unwholesome, or intemperate _Air_, and not expose herself to any EXCESS of _Heat_ or _Cold_.

III. SHE must not desire rashly to walk much abroad in _Moon-Shine_, nor to _wash_ her Head in _Sun-Shine_.

IV. SHE ought not to frequent _Gardens_; and that for the following _Two-fold Reason_: FIRST, lest perchance she happen to sit or tread upon some _Herb_ of a pernicious _Quality_; as divers are, in provoking _Abortion_: SECONDLY, lest she covet some _Fruit_ or _Herbs_, which may be of Damage or Inconveniency if _allow’d_, and the same if _deny’d_ Her.

V. SHE is prudently to avoid all _Odoriferous_ or _Perfum_’d, as well as _Stinking Nauseous_ SMELLS.

VI. SHE must carefully shun _sitting_ or _lying hard_, and also _lifting_ any heavy _Weight_, or her _Arms_ above her _Head_.

VII. SHE ought purposely to forbear all _hard Labour_, and _violent Emotions_ of Body.

VIII. SHE is prudently to avoid all Apprehensions of _Fears_ and _Frights_, and not to be _surpriz’d_ at any thing she hears or sees.

IX. SHE is cautiously to decline _Watchings_, and sitting up late at _Nights_; but must indulge _moderate Sleep_.

X. SHE must not _lace_ herself (as _before_) with _Whalebone-Stays_, nor use _Busks_; which may not only spoil her _Breasts_ and _Belly_, but also _mis-shape_ the INFANT, if _Abortion_ does not immediately follow.

XI. SHE ought discreetly to suppress all _Anger_, _Passion_, and other _Perturbations_ of Mind, and avoid entertaining too _serious_ or _melancholick Thoughts_; since all _such_ tend to impress a _Depravity_ of Nature upon the INFANT’S _Mind_, and _Deformity_ on its _Body_.