This must be held by two persons who must raise her up a
little every time her pains come on, with steady hands and in even time,
but if they be not exact in their movements, they had better leave her
alone. At the same time two women must hold her shoulders so that she
may strain out the foetus more easily; and to facilitate this let one
stroke or press the upper part of her stomach gently and by degrees. The
woman herself must not be nervous or downhearted, but courageous, and
forcing herself by straining and holding her breath.
When delivery is near, the midwife must wait patiently until the child's
head, or some limb, bursts the membranes, for if the midwife through
ignorance, or through haste to go to some other woman, as some have
done, tears the membrane with her nails, she endangers both the woman
and the child; for by lying dry and lacking that slipperiness which
should make it easy, it comes forth with severe pains.
When the head appears, the midwife must hold it gently between her
hands, and draw the child, whenever the woman's pains are upon her, but
at no other times; slipping her forefingers under its armpits by
degrees, and not using a rough hand in drawing it out, lest the tender
infant might become deformed by such means. As soon as the child is
taken out, which is usually with its face downwards,--it should be laid
upon its back, that it may receive external respiration more freely;
then cut the navel string about three inches from the body, tying the
end which adheres to it with a silk string, as closely as you can; then
cover the child's head and stomach well, allowing nothing to touch its
face.
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