Midwife is one of the oldest women's crafts. It seems that it is even older than prostitution and journalism :)
The Russian word “midwife”, “midwife” is associated with the verb “to twist/tie” the umbilical cord. The modern word "midwife" is of French origin. The verb accoucher is to give birth/to give birth.
The German word "Hebamme" comes from the Old German "Hevianna", where the first part means "heben" (to raise) and the second - "Ahnin" - "ancestor/grandmother". That is, the word midwife originally meant “raising.” According to the ancient custom of the Germanic tribes, the midwife lifted the newborn on a shield and handed it to the father, who recognized (or did not recognize) the child. According to the traditions of those harsh times, the father also had the right to kill the child if he saw that he was weak.
The English word midwife comes from the Old English “mid wife” - “with a woman/wife”. I can guess the German preposition “mit” and the German noun “Weib” (woman), right?) That is, “together with the woman/woman in labor.”
1513 A midwife delivers a baby.
The reason that women do not give birth as easily as female animals is, of course, not the biblical curse on the daughters of Eve at the time of their expulsion from the Garden of Eden." ..and you will give birth to your children in pain...”, and anthropological features of the structure of the female pelvis. In the process of evolution and changes in climatic conditions on the planet, human individuals began to walk on two “back” legs, and the “payment” for upright walking and running was the narrowing of the pelvic bones.
To reduce the fear of childbirth, magic has been called upon to help since pagan times. Amulets and other amulets were attributed with the properties of protection from all kinds of evil spirits, which supposedly lie in wait for the woman in labor and the baby, as well as the properties of reducing pain and “safety net” against possible death. Many midwives used elements of magic in their work. In the room where the birth took place, magic spells were pronounced, bunches of herbs were burned, symbolic fumigation was carried out, and the mineral aetite ("eagle stone") was tied to the thighs of the woman in labor. Various pagan deities were called upon to help.
Birth of twins: 
When the child was born, the midwife cut the umbilical cord to the length of four fingers and tied it up. Then she cleaned the body of blood and mucus and bathed it. The newborn's palate was smeared with honey to stimulate appetite. Those born prematurely were smeared with pork fat until he himself could not maintain body temperature.
With the spread of Christianity, the Virgin Mary, who herself was a mother, began to be considered the patroness of women in labor. By the way, back in the Middle Ages, many midwives questioned the fact of the virginity of Mary who gave birth to Jesus. But, of course, they kept their opinions to themselves, since the all-powerful church in the Middle Ages was not to be trifled with.
The woman in labor and her family should read a prayer “ Quicumque vult" For difficult childbirths in German-speaking regions, the following conspiracy was popular: “O child, living or dead, come into the light, the Lord is calling you!” At least purely psychologically, these measures had a positive effect on the woman in labor.
1505 From a manual for midwives:
The craft of a midwife in the Middle Ages was very honorable and respected. And so it was until the period of the "witch hunt"....
The “dark” era of the Middle Ages was marked by the strengthening of the authority of the church in all aspects of life. And the midwives were also driven into a narrow framework of norms, regulations and “Christian” rules, which they were obliged to strictly follow.
1569 Maternity ward of the hospital:
The Witches' Hammer (1486), an instruction manual for unmasking witches, described in detail how to recognize a witch and why she was dangerous. And midwives were a “risk group” in this terrible massacre.
Given the pathetic state of hygiene of the time, the death of a newborn or a mother in labor was a common occurrence. However, the families of the deceased often looked for someone to blame. If in any village the mortality rate of women in labor or newborns increased, suspicion fell on the local midwife. In addition, theologians claimed that witch-midwives prepared their potions from unbaptized babies.
1471
:
The Church was most concerned that during a difficult birth, when the lives of mother and child hung in the balance, the midwife had time to perform the rite of “emergency” baptism. After all, the most terrible thing was not considered death, but the fact that the “unchrist” would burn forever in fiery hell, and Satan would take possession of his soul!!! While a baptized baby can die peacefully, his soul will immediately go to heaven.
Midwives received “instructions” for conducting “emergency” baptisms. In the 21st century, these instructions sound completely absurd. Even if the child partially came out of the mother’s womb, and things did not go further, the midwife was obliged to concentrate her efforts on the speedy baptism of this “part” of the child that came into the world (be it even a hand or foot), and only then continue to provide further assistance to the mother and baby. Each midwife in her bag, along with her instruments, had a bottle of “holy” water (which, of course, was often teeming with germs).
In some regions, the midwife could administer the last communion, take confession, and absolve the dying person of her sins.
Still from the film "The Midwife", other photos below.
There is certain evidence according to which historians suggest that midwives in the Middle Ages were less susceptible to church obscurantism than other people, did not really adhere to these instructions of the church, and most often acted in the interests of the woman in labor and the child. However, ill-wishers could report her to the church “authorities” that they say she did not have time to baptize the child. And the priest, if he suspected that such and such a midwife “does not keep the faith,” could come and be present at the birth. The midwife could be in trouble. And during periods of “witch hunt” the matter could have ended in a fire for her. After all, women of this particular profession were the very first “candidates” for “witches.” The midwife possessed a lot of secret knowledge - she understood herbs, conspiracies, and the life of the mother and child was in her hands. Sometimes a woman in labor or a newborn died—did she have a hand in this? She constantly dealt with unbaptized babies, which means that, according to theologians, she was most susceptible to the temptations of the devil. The sick brain of the church obscurantists came up with completely crazy scenarios - that the midwife could succumb to the persuasion and temptations of Satan and throw Satan's child to the woman in labor, and kill the unbaptized child of the woman in labor. Such scenarios are found in modern horror films, but back then it was reality. In addition, the Inquisition considered a woman, by default, unclean and sinful. The midwife's craft was associated with women; she touched their genitals, and through them, according to theologians, Satan could enter the body. And the midwife herself was a woman.
1515 
Although this was prohibited by both the church and professional ethics, she, being a herbalist, knew what herb to drink (for example, a decoction of thuja fruits, which are poisonous) so that the pregnant woman would “throw out” the unwanted child, since she was already exhausted seven hungry people shopping. Even if the midwife did not do this, but purely theoretically she COULD. And since she COULD, it means she is guilty. All in all, " If only there was a person, there would be an article"(With). During the witch hunts, hundreds of midwives were tortured and executed. Some, before dying under torture, “confessed” that they had killed dozens of babies (note: under torture, the Pope himself would have admitted that he had committed adultery with Satan)
17th century The midwife came to the woman in labor: 
The midwife had to lead a pious Christian lifestyle. She was also charged with asking the woman in labor to find out the name of the child’s father if she was unmarried. Issues of Christian morality in the Middle Ages were given much more importance than issues of medical and psychological assistance to women in labor. One can only guess how the midwives of those times managed to maintain a balance between professional ethics and the requirements of the church. With all their advanced (for those times) medical knowledge, we must not forget that they were still products of their era, with the same fears and problems as others. And they had to live according to the standards of their time.
Childbirth of a noble woman: 
The medical knowledge of midwives is of interest. Since time immemorial, good midwives have known that ergot speeds up contractions, and henbane, belladonna and poppy have a narcotic analgesic effect. They knew how to stitch a ruptured perineum with silk threads and performed a caesarean section alive (however, many women in labor did not survive). Some of the skills of the midwives of earlier times have been lost - for example, how to turn the fetus in the desired way using knitting needles and ribbons inserted into the uterus.
Family waiting... 
Even in the Old Testament, wise “knowing” women were mentioned who provided assistance to women in labor at the most crucial moment.
For many thousands of years, training in the craft of a midwife among all peoples took place according to the same principle: “learning by doing,” as they would say today. That is, a young novice midwife learned her craft from an old, experienced woman, at first she simply accompanied her mentor, helped her give birth, observed, learned all the secrets, and then she herself began to give birth under the supervision of the elder one. This is how knowledge and experience were passed on from generation to generation.
To be fair, it should be noted that not only women played the role of midwives. In remote rural regions, it was common for poor women in labor to call upon male shepherds to act as midwives. It was believed that if he could give birth to a cow or sheep, then he could also give birth to a woman. But most of the midwives were women.
Among the ancient Roman, ancient Greek and Persian doctors, obstetrics was not considered part of medicine. Some ancient treatises touched upon such “gynecological” topics as conception, pregnancy, infertility, and menstruation. In general, as long as processes took place within the body itself, this was related to medicine. But as soon as the stage of expulsion of the fetus from the mother’s womb began, this was no longer medicine, but the field of knowledge of the midwife. Medical scientists referred to the fact that these were “women’s affairs” or were content with a couple of superficial pieces of advice... For example, “ make a woman in labor sneeze so that the fetus comes out faster».
One of the few known works on obstetrics written by men dates back to 350 AD. The author, physician Theodorus Priscianus, expresses in the preface his gratitude to a certain midwife named Victoria, with whom he consulted on the practical part of the book. " I just want to support you with my knowledge so that you, having the advantage of belonging to the same sex, can use this knowledge to cure women’s ailments.” History has not preserved any information about this Victoria; it is not even known whether she had the literacy to read this book. We only know that she shared her knowledge with the doctor.
Thus, the practical area of obstetrics was entirely in the hands of female midwives. Doctors did not interfere in their affairs for a long time. Women themselves experimentally found methods to help mothers in labor with complications. The first textbooks on obstetrics were written by female midwives, not doctors.
1819 The midwife carries the child to church. Midwives often became godparents to the children they helped into the world. 
One of the first names of such “knowledgeable” women that have come down to us is Trotula from Salerno, who lived in the 11th century. In her book, she described 16 options for complications during childbirth - for example, the head does not pass through the birth canal, transverse presentation, the child walks with his feet, and so on. lips and face. For each complication, Trotula gives detailed instructions to the midwife.
Trotula also describes recipes for ointments, compresses, and potions. To expel frozen fruit, Trotula recommends water or steam baths with certain herbs. If this does not help, then follow the instructions on how to extract the fruit piece by piece.
If the midwife saw that the woman in labor had died, but the fetus was still alive, she was OBLIGED to perform a caesarean section as soon as possible with a sharp razor blade. This was the rule for all midwives, as well as the requirement of the church synod - in order to save the life of the child. If the midwife did not have the courage to perform a caesarean section, she had to call a man for help, for example, the husband of the woman in labor. Otherwise, she was considered guilty of the child’s death and could be punished. Caesarean sections were performed mainly on deceased mothers.
1774 Childbirth in a wealthy family.
If the child walked with his feet, then he should be slightly “push” back and try to turn him head down. If this did not help, particularly skilled midwives knew how to insert two knitting needles through the birth canal, at the ends of which thin ribbons were tied. With the help of knitting needles they in a special way they wrapped ribbons around the legs of the fetus, turned it in the desired direction and pulled it out into the light of day. These knitting needles were the only auxiliary tool that midwives were allowed to use. The use of forceps was an absolute taboo for them; for them one could end up in prison or at least get into serious trouble. Only doctors had the right to apply forceps. The midwife was OBLIGATED, at the first request of the “precinct” doctor, to show him her bag so that he could check for the presence of forceps, abortion devices, as well as “forbidden” herbs.
A midwife consults a pregnant patient:
When contractions began, the midwife knew her job. But as soon as complications occurred, she had few resources in the Middle Ages. Proof of this was the high mortality rate of mothers and newborns literally until the 19th century. After all, every manual intervention (all these knitting needles, hooks...) was associated with the risk of infection or bleeding. Rotating the fetus in the womb carried the danger of detachment of the placenta or compression of the umbilical cord. There were no serious painkillers.
They were very afraid of childbed fever, which was caused by an infection acquired during childbirth. Most often it happened during the first birth.
Data from the archives of the city of Florence for the years 1424, 1425 and 1430 show that 20% of all married women cities died during childbirth or from puerperal fever. In English aristocratic families in the period 1330-1479, 36% of all boys and 29% of all girls died before reaching the age of 5. The mortality rate for English mothers in labor is 25%.
Historical research also sheds light on the topic of infertility. 16-17% of all marriages of ducal families in England in the 14th and 15th centuries were infertile (marriages where both spouses lived to an infertile age were taken into account).
1510. Noble woman in labor:
As for the lower classes, more or less reliable (fragmentary) data on the mortality rate of women in labor from the poor have existed only since the 17th-18th century. But undoubtedly before that they were as tall, if not even taller, than among noble women in labor. The midwives were not sorceresses. But without their help, the mortality rate would have been even higher.
18 century. Male obstetrician in England. It is clear from his clothes that he was not allowed to look at the genitals of the woman in labor; he did his work by touch: 
Midwives were paid in different ways. In most cases, their income was funds received from the families of women in labor. Therefore, some midwives preferred to visit rich patients and occasionally refuse poor ones. To avoid this, the magistrates of some rich cities themselves paid a (fixed) salary to their midwives. For example, in 1381 the city of Nuremberg paid each midwife a guilder every three months. The city of Bruges paid 12 groschen per day for 270 working days a year. The authorities of Ulm passed a law in 1491 where midwives were forbidden to refuse poor patients. But still, the vast majority of midwives lived from the payment of their work by the family of the mother in labor in money or “in kind.”
Until the 20th century, there were persistent rumors about midwives in many regions that they also performed abortions. And even the reputations of those midwives who never did this suffered because of their colleagues who practiced abortions. In German, women who have abortions were called Engelmacherin – « making angels" This could be either a professional midwife or a housewife who simply decided to earn extra money in this way. The latter charged very little for the “service,” but they also had no qualifications. They sometimes performed abortions using the most absurd and dangerous methods.
Childbirth with husband: 
The 18th century (the century of Enlightenment) brought significant changes to science and to the centuries-old way of life. European states began to take control of the training of midwives. Now they had no right to practice without a license. A license can only be obtained after a training course at the hospital. The hospital patients were mostly unmarried and other pregnant women without means of support. In exchange for shelter and board, they agreed to become subjects of study by doctors, students and future midwives.
Noble women always gave birth at home, often under the care of several midwives.
Scene in the hospital (still from the film “The Midwife”):
It was undoubtedly very humiliating. These women were treated unceremoniously, like guinea pigs. But on the other hand, without this experience in hospitals and the mistakes of doctors, it was impossible to move medicine forward. It is to those anonymous women that we owe the fact that in the 21st century the death of a mother or child is extremely rare.
Midwives, especially older and more experienced ones, were very unhappy with the fact that they were required to have a license. They were offended that some young, beardless doctor, yesterday’s student, who had only seen a pregnant woman in a picture, would examine her and tell her how to give birth. And even worse - to have the right to check her bag for “prohibited” items.
Mid 20th century. Rural midwife (Germany):
Gradually, the rights of midwives were curtailed. And not because of the church, but because of the medical authority of male doctors. In case of birth complications, they began to call the doctor more and more often. By the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th centuries, it became simply safer to give birth with doctors, as discoveries were made (by doctors!) in the field of anesthesia, asepsis and antisepsis, which made successful caesarean sections possible. The mortality rate of women giving birth has decreased significantly.
Rural midwife:
It is worth noting that in remote regions, the role of a midwife was often taken on by neighbors or relatives, for whom this was not the main craft, they did it occasionally. After all, there was an acute shortage of professionally trained midwives in rural areas, and many people gave birth there often. And as long as the self-taught people did not charge for their services, they did not come into conflict with the law. Problems only started if they started charging for their services - this was only allowed after attending midwifery school and obtaining a diploma and license.
First bath:
But in rural areas, midwives remained the authorities on obstetrics until the mid-20th century.
Early 20th century. Rural midwife (country?) 
History has preserved the names of some famous midwives.
Marie-Louise Bourgeois presents the newborn Dauphin, the future, to the French court Louis 13th:
Marie-Louise Bourgeois also delivered babies Gabriel d'Estrée, favorites of King Henry IV.
Justina Siegemund(1636-1705), court midwife of the Prussian court, wrote several illustrated manuals.
A page from Justina Siegemund's book:
Below are two films that particularly show the rivalry between doctors and midwives 200 years ago.
"Die Hebamme – Auf Leben und Tod"/"Midwife - not for life, but for death" (2010) with Brigitte Hobmeier in the title role. Tyrol, 1813...About the everyday life of a midwife in a mountain alpine village. Based on real events two hundred years ago, when a midwife lost her license for failing to “ emergency baptism" The film is available in its entirety on YouTube (1.5 hours in German). There, in the first minute of the film, when the midwife is packing her suitcase, you can see knitting needles with tape for turning the fetus.
With full equipment for childbirth - to the woman in labor:
Clarification of the relationship by the husband of a woman in labor:
Problems with the Catholic Church:
Hospital and students:
The “human material” for hospitals were women from the lower classes.
Another movie...
"Die Hebamme"/"The Midwife" (2014) starring Josefina Preuss. Marburg, late 18th century... The film tells the story of a young girl who is studying at a school for midwives.
Midwifery school student shocked by childbirth demonstration in front of medical students:
Students from the school of midwives had to wash the floors in the hospital:
Hood. film "The Midwife" (2014)
Since childhood, Gesa has only one goal: one day she will become as good a midwife as her mother. Her early death forces the girl to move to " maternity hospital» Marburg. It is there, in inhumane conditions, that the respected Professor Kilian teaches the art of midwives. His violent methods quickly inspire a spirit of resistance in Ges. At the same time, she increasingly shows sympathy for the professor of anatomy, Dr. Clemens Heuser. A mysterious series of suicides keeps the city on edge.
Nowadays, medicine promises women the safest possible childbirth, which can lead to death only in isolated cases. However, in ancient times this was not the case. The woman understood that childbirth posed a great danger to her. Many were afraid to give birth, because they knew that almost every second woman in labor dies from blood loss or infections. “MIR 24” tells how in the ancient world and in Rus' they determined pregnancy, responded to infertility and gave birth.
Ancient Greece
Photo: Basalt figure of a woman giving birth Photo: bas-relief depiction of childbirth in ancient Greece
In Ancient Greece, the definition of pregnancy was based on completely objective signs - the presence of nausea, vomiting, weakness, lack of appetite and menstrual flow. The relationship between the cessation of menstruation and the onset of pregnancy was first formulated by the famous ancient Greek healer Hippocrates . It is known that 9 of the doctor’s 72 scientific works were devoted to women’s diseases and obstetrics. However, deep knowledge did not prevent the healer from coming up with another, completely insane by modern standards, way to determine pregnancy. Hippocrates suggested his patients drink a special solution. To prepare it, it was necessary to crush the anise, mix it with honey and dissolve it in water. After drinking this drink, the pregnant woman would certainly feel abdominal cramps. If she didn’t feel them, then she shouldn’t expect a new addition to the family.
To determine the sex of a child, Hippocrates also prudently proposed two methods. The healer believed that the complexion of a woman in labor could indicate not only her well-being, but also the gender of the baby.
The pallor of the face indicated that a girl would be born, and a healthy pink blush indicated the birth of a boy.
Also, the sex of the child could be checked by the direction of the mother's nipples. Nipples pointing downwards confirmed that the woman would have a girl, and upwards - a boy.
Before giving birth to a child, a woman in labor in Ancient Greece was required to kneel. It was believed that this position could ease the woman’s suffering. Obstetric care was provided only for very difficult births. In other cases, the midwife was only required to cut the umbilical cord. Over time, midwives became a separate social class. They passed on valuable knowledge about obstetrics from generation to generation.
Ancient Rome
Photo: Ancient Roman bas-relief image of a midwife (midwife)
What tricks did the Romans go to in ancient times in order to acquire offspring! Thus, pregnant Roman women generously decorated themselves with amber accessories. It was believed that this stone could help a woman safely carry a fetus and endure pregnancy.
If suddenly the wife turned out to be infertile, the Roman patrician could calmly borrow a fertile woman from another family.
To ease the suffering of a woman in labor, midwives in Ancient Rome brought special aromatic substances to her nose and waited for her to start sneezing. The Romans were convinced that the reflex could help push a baby out of the womb. Since anesthesia had not yet been invented, caesarean sections were performed only on women who died during childbirth.
After birth, the first thing the baby was shown was to the Pater Familias - the father of the family, the oldest member of the family. He confirmed the legitimacy of the baby with a special ritual - he took him in his arms and raised him above his head. Since it was important for the father of the family to acquire an heir, he always looked forward to the news of the birth of a boy. Girls could not inherit the throne.
Due to the high mortality rate, the Romans feared that the child might die soon after birth, so the baby was given a name only when they were finally convinced of its viability - a week after birth.
The main opponent of Hippocrates in the vicissitudes of gynecology lived and worked in ancient Rome. Soranus of Ephesus , better known as the founder of pediatrics. Soranus rejected Hippocrates' opinion that a six-month fetus had a better chance of survival than a seven-month fetus. Ripe fruit always turns out to be more viable, Soran believed. He also advocated the abandonment of rough obstetric care and developed rules for breastfeeding newborns. Soran learned his professionalism from midwives. He was not embarrassed that in Ancient Rome, the secrets of obstetrics were taught primarily to women. Having gained experience, he trained more than one generation of midwives in the correct rotation and extraction of the fetus.
Ancient Egypt
Photo: Ancient Egyptian frescoes
The Egyptians, like the Romans, were especially interested in whether the chosen one was barren. The pregnancy test was ordinary cereal seedlings, on which the woman had to urinate. In this exotic way, it was also possible to find out the gender of the unborn child. If wheat sprouted first, then a girl should have been born, and if barley, then a boy. The Egyptians believed that the urine of a pregnant woman contained a special hormone, so in 70% of cases her urine unmistakably demonstrated the presence of pregnancy.
Egyptian women gave birth while squatting. The soles of the feet were to be placed on two maternity bricks, decorated with paintings depicting various deities. The birth process was accompanied magical rituals, the participants of which called upon the gods depicted on the bricks to help the woman in labor. If childbirth was difficult, the woman had to be fumigated with incense.
The Egyptians considered the goddess Taurt to be the main patroness of women in labor and newborns. She was usually depicted as a female hippopotamus or crocodile with lion-like legs, a rounded belly and ample breasts.
The image of Taurt was often found on amulets worn by women in labor, as well as in small chapels that the Egyptians built near their homes in honor of the goddess. During numerous excavations in Ancient Egypt Archaeologists have more than once found Taurt figurines made of ceramics and faience. However, the cult of the fertile goddess did not spread to temples and pyramids.
Rus
Photo: wikipedia.org / “New Family Member”, (1890), “New Acquaintance”, (1885) / Karl Johann Lemoch
In Rus' it was customary to give birth in a bathhouse. It was believed that only there the woman in labor could be provided with a calm environment and cleanliness. Before giving birth, the walls and floor of the bathhouse were necessarily cleaned white.
Midwives (popularly called navel cutters) were irreplaceable companions for women in labor and women suffering from infertility. For stimulation birth process They used medicinal herbs to treat infertility and restore the body after childbirth, so it was very important for them to have healing wisdom.
Commoners could not always afford obstetric services. As a rule, only wealthy nobles could hire a midwife. Court midwives helped princes (and later kings and emperors) find a healthy and chaste bride. All applicants for midwives were subjected to a strict medical examination.
A woman who was weak after childbirth was not allowed to sleep, since, according to popular belief, the newborn could be replaced by devils while the mother was sleeping. If a woman could not give birth for a long time, methods were used that were unlikely to come to the minds of modern obstetricians and gynecologists.
To ease the pain of childbirth, village healers could, for example, sprinkle the birth canal with sugar.
Yes, y Mikhail Bulgakov V "Notes of a Young Doctor" there is a demonstrative monologue by a midwife in which she tells how a village healer tried to “lure out” the baby with the help of refined sugar:
“I feel something incomprehensible under my fingers in the birth canal... Either crumbly, or pieces... It turns out - refined sugar! The healer taught. She says the birth is difficult. The baby does not want to go out into God's light. Therefore, it is necessary to lure him out. So they were luring him out for sweets!”
“They brought us women in labor three times. The poor woman lies and spits. The whole mouth is full of stubble. There is a sign that the birth will be easier.”
Women were able to retrain from home-grown midwives into professional midwives only in 1757. The first courses for training professional midwives opened in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where students, as expected, passed exams and received permission to work.
Nowadays there is a lot of talk about how in the old days the life of a pregnant woman and a woman who had recently given birth was arranged. There is an opinion that pregnant women and those who gave birth rode like cheese in butter. Supporters of so-called natural childbirth, long-term breastfeeding and co-sleeping are especially guilty of inventing all sorts of fables. How were things really?
Alas, none of this happened. Women, as a rule, found out about pregnancy quite late, since the only reliable sign that a woman was pregnant was obvious movement of the fetus. That is, when a woman’s pregnancy stopped, she assumed that she had become “heavy,” but they spoke about the pregnancy only after the fetus began to move.
The fact that pregnant women were supposedly treated with reverence in Rus' is a myth. Pregnancy was often perceived as a hindrance and always as something completely ordinary: just think, I got pregnant, it’s not a bad thing. Pregnancy was not perceived as a sacrament; it was a natural process that cost no more attention than a slight runny nose. In the old days, it was believed that a woman could have a miscarriage only for two reasons: due to sins or “done”, and not from hard work, so the pregnant woman did not receive any concessions, she still worked a lot and hard, fulfilling all her duties around the house. As historians testify, a woman often went to give birth, leaving her laundry in the trough or unmixed dough. As for childbirth in the field, which admirers of the natural way of life love to talk about, this is, of course, an illusion that women put the sickle aside, gave birth, and immediately jumped to their feet to continue working - “and nothing,” and that’s all , they say, were healthy and strong. 
Despite the fact that such births were not uncommon, not a single sane woman wanted to give birth in the field. Yes, there were cases of childbirth right in a haystack, but this was not the norm. If the beginning of her homeland found a woman in the field, then she tried to get home so that the birth could take place in more suitable conditions. It was good if there was a cart, they could take it to the hut, however, it happened that a woman who was shaken in the cart gave birth right in it. In other cases, the woman in labor walked home. Those who did not have time to reach home gave birth in the field. Childbirth also happened on the river bank while rinsing clothes, and it happened that women managed to give birth while “shopping” - at a fair.
The birth was attended by a midwife, also known as a midwife. This is a woman who has mastered the art of obstetrics and provides assistance to women in labor. The midwife controlled the entire process of childbirth, which could last several days, if necessary, took measures to correct the position of the fetus, to speed up the birth, swaddled the born baby - midwife, which, in fact, is where the name of these ancient midwives comes from - midwives. By the way, the obligatory postpartum recovery course also included midwifery for the postpartum woman - after two or three days the grandmother took her to the bathhouse, where the steamed woman’s stomach was “fixed” and then for several hours, and if necessary for several days, she was pulled tightly with fabric bandages - this served as a prevention of hernias and uterine prolapse. But swaddling did not always save from this trouble.
How did the actual birth go?
Realizing that the time had come for a woman to give birth, the mother-in-law, mother or another woman in the family sent someone or went for the midwife herself. Again, for fear that devilry could harm the woman in labor, they walked in a roundabout way and called the grandmother not in direct text, but allegorically: “You should come and see our cow, otherwise you promised, but you don’t go.” The midwife's services were valued at approximately ten kopecks, one bread and one pie. If the mother-in-law was stingy and it was not possible to agree on a price, then the woman had to give birth without more or less qualified help.
“The Reaper”, K. Makovsky
The woman in labor was usually taken to a heated bathhouse - the cleanest room in the courtyard. Those who, due to poverty, did not have a bathhouse, gave birth right in the hut. There, in the company of a midwife, the woman in labor went through a period of labor. There were many techniques to speed up labor. The woman usually endured contractions while standing: she was placed in a doorway and forced to hang on a beam or on a rein thrown over a beam. If the process was delayed, then the woman in labor could be led around the table three times, forced to blow into a bottle, overturned on a board (placed on a wide board and abruptly moved from a head down position to an upside down position), forced to climb a ladder to the hay loft and go back down, suddenly doused with a bucket of ice water, or persuaded other women to rush into the bathhouse shouting “We’re burning! Fire!”, while pounding the troughs with rolling pins.
If things were really bad, they would send a priest to serve a prayer service and open the Royal Doors - the latter was considered especially effective. There was no question of any caesarean section for a simple peasant woman. If after childbirth the placenta did not pass well, then the woman’s fingers or her hair were shoved into the woman’s mouth - it was believed that the urge to vomit that occurred during this process contributed to the separation of the placenta. It is not surprising that with such obstetric care in Russia before the revolution, every seventh birth ended in the death of a woman. So the talk that in the old days it was easy to give birth is also nothing more than fiction.
Men were never present at childbirth. The exception was when it was necessary to carry out some manipulations with the woman in labor, for example, lifting her onto a board. Only then could they call the men for help, who, after providing the necessary assistance, immediately left. No one could even think of such a whim as joint childbirth.
The newborn's umbilical cord was tied with linen thread and cut; in some areas it was customary for the midwife to gnaw the umbilical cord. Only city residents could afford to invite a doctor to the birth, provided that they were solvent. Such luxury as childbirth in a maternity hospital was out of the question. The catch is that the very first maternity hospital appeared in Russia in Moscow in 1764 and it was not intended for the comfort of women in labor and newborns, but in order to reduce the number of “street” births among walking women, who then usually threw their newborn children into the sewer or to a landfill. Giving birth in such a maternity hospital was a disgrace for a respectable woman, so in fact, until the beginning of the twentieth century, people gave birth exclusively at home.
The woman was allowed to lie down for three days, after a difficult birth - up to nine days, then she was raised, and the same midwife “paced” her. However, this was only possible in large families, where there was someone to replace the woman. In rich families, a woman giving birth was freed from work for the entire postpartum period - six weeks. If the family lived alone, in their own home, without relatives, then the mother was forced to get up almost an hour after giving birth and begin ordinary household chores. If the birth took place in the summer, then after three days, a maximum of a week, the woman was already going to the field: it was believed that labor contributed to the fastest recovery. Because of this, many women suffered a lot of postpartum complications in the form of hernias, bleeding, and uterine prolapse. The only help they received came from their fellow villagers: for a week or two they went to the mother in labor to congratulate her on the newborn and without fail brought ready-made food with them, which made it possible to somehow ease her housework.
Contrary to popular belief, the baby was not put to the breast immediately after birth. Colostrum was usually expressed - it was considered “bad”, “witch’s milk”, capable of making the baby sick. Breastfed whenever possible, as the mother's employment allowed. Often a woman would ask a relative or neighbor, who was not so busy with housework, to feed her baby. If conditions allowed, women sought to breastfeed as long as possible, “until the child is ashamed,” but not for the sake of feeding itself, but in order not to become pregnant - according to the results of surveys of peasant women in the 19th century, 80% of women had at least one per day for breastfeeding children, there were no critical days for three to four, and sometimes even seven years. At that time breast-feeding was a fairly reliable method of protection.
Of course, there could be no talk of any kind of culture of sexual relations. According to historians of those times, when, how and how much was always decided by the man. And in this matter, again, the consumer attitude towards women prevailed. Husbands tried to satisfy their lust, completely disregarding the well-being and condition of the woman: neither menstrual periods, nor pregnancy, nor recent childbirth, nor fatigue were a reason to “wait.” He wants - she must. In this situation, marital duty often turned into the most common brutal violence. And there was nothing surprising in the fact that often a woman, having barely given birth, after a month or two found herself “belly” again, and everything was repeated in a circle...
The birth of a child in Rus' was considered a special sacrament that opened doors between worlds. It, like death, marked the transition of the soul from the transcendental world, unknown to man, into the real, physically tangible.
When a woman felt the approach of childbirth, she secretly read the birth prayer or wrote it on a piece of paper (if she was literate) and, wrapped in a hat, handed it to the priest at church. None of the outsiders should have known about this, so that nothing bad would happen.
Preparing for childbirth
Usually, during pregnancy, women in Rus' worked a lot, even at later. Physical activity was not only forced (it was necessary to take care of the family), but also desirable. Experienced midwives, mothers and mothers-in-law advised expectant mothers to move a lot. This was considered the key to an easy birth. A woman in Rus' usually worked until the first contractions. As soon as they began, the older women began to prepare the bath and sent for the midwife.
Even in pre-Christian Rus', there was a widespread tradition of saying goodbye to a woman in labor at this moment, because there was a high probability of a fatal outcome of childbirth. Also, Slavic women often gave birth outside the house, somewhere in a field or grove. This was due to the fact that in moments of severe pain, a woman in labor could swear and use foul language, and this “polluted” the atmosphere of the house. The most optimal place for the birth of a child was considered to be a bathhouse. In addition, it was possible to give birth in it in the most severe frost.
Before giving birth, the walls of the bathhouse were thoroughly washed from the inside until they were white. Be sure to light candles in front of the icon and read a prayer. A belt (sash) was tied to the flaps, which the woman could hold on to while pushing. The bathhouse was heated hotly to keep the expectant mother and newborn warm. A woman’s braids must be undone, and all the knots on her clothes must be undone. This was necessary for the uterus to open and the mother’s body to release the baby. By analogy with the knots in the house, all the locks, chests, and chests were opened.
Birth
A woman could give birth lying down, but more often it happened squatting or even standing, in a bent position. The woman in labor was positioned with her head towards the washstand. She was considered the best midwife elderly woman with extensive experience in this field. It is extremely important that she herself has healthy children. It is best to have more boys, because in Russian families the birth of a son was more desirable.
The future father had to remove the boot from the right foot of his wife in labor. Then he should have brought her a tub of clean spring water, and after that untied the belt on her sundress. The husband could be present during the process itself, but many men tried not to disturb their wives or embarrass them. But they were always somewhere nearby, in the adjacent room.
According to ancient custom, a man was supposed to moan and scream during childbirth, as if taking on some of his wife’s pain. At the same time, he attracted the attention of various evil spirits, which have the custom of approaching a woman in labor or a newborn. The man seemed to take the blow upon himself.
The midwife supervised the entire process. She told the woman in labor how to behave, calmed her down and guided her. When the baby was born, she bit the umbilical cord 3 times and spat it over her left shoulder, while reading a conspiracy against umbilical hernia. The boy's umbilical cord was cut at the ax handle so that he would grow up to be a skilled owner. For a girl - on a spindle, so that she becomes a good spinner and needlewoman.
“Mom needs to be strong. The Spartans believed that only a strong mother will give birth to a strong warrior. By today's standards, if a woman runs at a speed of more than four times her height per second, if she lifts her legs to the horizontal bar from a hang position 5-10 times in a row and can pull herself up to her chin, then this promises an easier, faster and more painless birth.
It is useful for the expectant mother not only to “walk in the fresh air,” but also to run, swim, and do special gymnastics.”
Is every future mom can you do this today? Hardly, considering that today most women have sedentary jobs and lead a sedentary lifestyle.
We consider ourselves advanced and enlightened. Many processes in our lives are almost completely automated and put on stream. We live in an age of technology. And the birth of children is also somewhat similar to assembly line production: from the moment of conception (and in some cases before it), you immediately find yourself in a flow. First, this is a regular visit to the antenatal clinic, courses for expectant mothers, choosing a clinic for childbirth, clothes for pregnant women, yoga for pregnant women, cosmetics for pregnant women, aqua aerobics and gymnastics for pregnant women, then baby yoga, restorative procedures, etc. - why not a conveyor?
It seems that everything is logical, because pregnancy is a special state of a woman, but why then has it become more difficult for us to give birth?
I. Panov "Waiting". 2005
Today, the number of complex and artificial births and premature babies has increased significantly. And this despite the fact that medicine seems to be moving forward.
Perhaps in this issue It’s worth turning to the experience of past generations and taking a step back to understand what’s the matter?
As you know, previously almost every family had many children. And it was not three children, like today, but 7, 9, 12 or more children. C-section has not yet been used, like anesthesia and other “auxiliary” means. Women “worked” almost every year, giving birth to a child. And their work was not always made easier. What can we say about maternity leave, benefits, dairy kitchen and affordable baby food. Was all this necessary before?
Motherhood invites us to remember how our great-grandmothers gave birth.
Pain yesterday and today
“A comprehensive survey of peasant women and women engaged in heavy physical work (in Czechoslovakia) showed that in 14% of women childbirth was completely painless, the majority considered the pain “quite tolerable,” and only a few called it severe. When European doctors went to the Indians of North America, they learned that women there were expecting a child with joy and usually childbirth was easy and painless. If we consider that in animals, the birth of young, as a rule, does not cause suffering to mothers, then the conclusion suggests itself: European women are simply told by talking about pain that childbirth is painful.”
From the book by B. P. and L. A. Nikitin “We, our children and grandchildren” (1978-1988)
They say that the attitude of the woman in labor and her general mood have a decisive influence on the course of labor and the occurrence of pain. The process is also facilitated by the idea that this pain carries good goals. Pain management experts believe that pain that is not considered harmful is easier to bear.
Much has been devoted to the study of pain during childbirth. It is interesting to observe the Indian tribes of North America, where a woman in labor often simply stopped her horse, spread a warm cape right on the snow and calmly gave birth to a child. Then she wrapped the newborn in a rag, mounted her horse again and caught up with her fellow tribesmen, who did not even always notice that she had just given birth. This phenomenon was confirmed during World War II, when women in German forced labor camps came to the doctor's office immediately after work, gave birth quite easily and went back to work a few hours later. Scientists explain it this way: within the framework of difficult living conditions and the need to survive in harsh natural conditions, women do not allow themselves to express birth fears and complexes, which ensures an easy pregnancy and a mostly painless birth.
In the 1940s, childbirth is transferred to the hospital, where the woman in labor becomes “sick,” in need not of human warmth and support, but of the precise assistance of a surgeon and anesthesiologist.
How did you give birth before?
In the old days, the birth of a child, despite its apparent simplicity, was surrounded by a mass of customs, signs and rituals. Many of them today have acquired a scientific explanation and are quite applicable.
Place for childbirth
Many people remember stories about peasant women giving birth right in the field, in a barn or in a bathhouse. Mentions of childbirth at home are much less common. This is due to the belief that the place of birth is considered unclean.
It is also interesting to speculate about the reason for the uncleanliness of the maternity place - it is not only a matter of sanitary conditions, but the fact that women could use foul language during contractions and attempts.
The bathhouse was considered the most suitable for childbirth. Before giving birth, her wooden walls and floor were polished white and steamed in a certain sequence to ensure an easy birth.
18th century birth chair
Childbirth position
Devices and chairs for childbirth were invented by doctors more for their own convenience than for the comfort of the woman in labor.
There were no such structures before. The position for childbirth was recommended by the midwife, who acted as a doctor and midwife rolled into one. They say that simple peasant women often gave birth standing or squatting, often holding a bench or other support with their hands. Whereas ladies from high society gave birth lying down.
Other nations also have “active” positions during childbirth: in Holland, the bride’s dowry included a special chair for childbirth, ancient Egyptian women gave birth squatting on a special sacred stone, in Japan there were also cases of childbirth while sitting, placing a bundle of straw, some nations practiced joint birth - on the husband's lap.
How to make childbirth easier
To make the birth process easier, there was a belief - to open everything so that the child could come into this world easier. For this purpose, they opened doors and windows, drawers, stove dampers, untied every knot on the clothes of the woman in labor, and unbraided her hair.
In China, an umbrella was opened next to the woman in labor, and in India she was given a key.
They tried to inform about the birth only to the midwife, without devoting it to strangers- they were afraid of the “evil eye”. The midwife sneaked into the house through the gardens so as not to attract attention.
During childbirth, wedding candles were lit in front of the icons.
Sometimes, to relieve tension, the mother in labor was given her own hair to chew. There is a mention of this by M. A. Bulgakov in the story “Notes of a Young Doctor”: “They brought us women in labor three times. The poor woman lies and spits. The whole mouth is full of stubble. There is a sign that the birth will be easier.”
Village “grandmothers” sometimes generously sprinkled the birth canal with sugar so that the child, having felt the sweetness, would be born sooner. In the same place, Bulgakov: “...I come to a woman in labor... Well, of course, I explore, I feel something incomprehensible under my fingers in the birth canal: sometimes crumbly, sometimes pieces... It turns out that it’s refined sugar! ...The healer taught. She says the birth is difficult. The baby does not want to go out into God's light. Therefore, it is necessary to lure him out. So they were luring him out for sweets!”
After giving birth, the mother was not allowed to sleep, because they believed that if she fell asleep, the baby could be replaced by devils.
K. V. Lemokh "New Family Member". 1880s
Newborn
The umbilical cord was usually tied with the mother's hair, as if connecting the mother with the baby. Then the umbilical cord, which had stopped pulsating, was cut.
The midwife performed a prototype of today’s popular baby yoga over the baby: she smoothed the arms, legs, tummy, and “ruled” the head.
If a weak child was born, he was sent to be “baked” in the oven. The fact is that the mother's womb was considered a kind of oven. And if the baby was “not baked”, then he was placed on a shovel three times inside the cooling oven, believing that now he would be stronger and stronger.
Then the baby was washed. This was done in special water, prepared in a special way: using salt, a chicken egg and a silver coin: against diseases, to be white and clean, for wealth. At the same time they said: “Grandma did not wash for cunning, not for wisdom, She washed for the sake of good health, She washed away the cleansing place, the tract, the sanctuary ( different types evil eye). The water flows, Anyushka grows, The water goes to the ground, Anyushka goes up.” Afterwards, the water was poured onto the outside of the hut - on the corner where the icons were. They tried to splash higher, because they believed that the baby’s growth depended on this.
Today people turn to osteopaths for help. And before, the grandmother midwife herself did the postpartum massage - she set the spool (in the language of healers this is what the uterus is called), “put it in place” internal organs. It is possible that these manipulations also became the cause of maternal mortality, which, as is known, was high. Modern doctors categorically prohibit any abdominal massage for two months after childbirth.
In various provinces there were traditions of burying it under the wall of a house or under a tree; in some, the father had to bury it and plant a tree in this place. It had to be buried in a special way, observing centuries-old traditions.
Joint birth
They say that joint childbirth is by no means a newfangled novelty. In the old days, if the father was not hunting or on a long journey, he also took part in the process of childbirth: he untied the belt, gave water to his wife, and in case of severe pain, touched her back with his knee. It’s interesting, but today, in order to relieve the load on the spine, they teach the future father in special courses.
A newborn child was wrapped in his father’s shirt - so that “father would love him”, and then in his father’s sheepskin coat - so that he would be rich. At the same time, the shirt was removed directly from the father so that it retained its native smell.
The father himself was treated to porridge with salt and pepper and was told: “It’s salty and bitter to give birth.”
At the same time, the father was not present at births among all ancient peoples. This was not the case, for example, in China and Ancient Rome. There, all household members left the house during the birth.
Baptism
Previously, in Rus', a child was usually born on the ninth day of birth (often earlier). On this day he found his name. If they could not baptize during this period, then they tried not to leave the child unattended for a minute. Until the moment of baptism, all children were called Bogdans. Hence the popular saying: “Born, not baptized, so Bogdashka.”
It was believed that after baptism the baby became healthier. It is also worth mentioning that the baby was dipped into cool water in the font, thereby triggering the body’s protective reactions.
There were their own associated with the sacrament of baptism. For example, it was believed that if a strand of hair floats with a cut off, it means the child will be healthy, if it spins, it’s fortunate, and if it drowns, it’s a bad sign. L.N. Tolstoy mentions this in the novel “War and Peace”: “...The nanny told him that a piece of wax with hairs thrown into the font did not sink, but floated along the font.”
A good sign was the cry of a child when lowered into the font.
The cap was not removed for 12 days after baptism. The baptismal clothes were not used further, but were left for the baptism of other children, so that they would be friendly with each other.
A. Venetsianov "At the harvest. Summer"
After giving birth - immediately to the field?
Of course, according to modern ideas, there was no maternity leave in Rus'. But the idea of what is in the field corresponds rather to the last century, while before the 20th century this was far from the case.
At the beginning of the 12th century, the granddaughter of Vladimir Monomakh, Eupraxia, wrote a treatise on feminine hygiene, which states that a pregnant woman should beware of fatigue, and after the labors of her homeland, it is important for her to rest and keep her body clean - wash in the bathhouse every three days. A nursing mother should be helped in every possible way - freed from hard work and given additional nutrition.
“Failure to comply with this basic hygienic rule can lead to, at the very least, abnormal position of the uterus, causing suffering for the rest of life, not to mention other diseases.” This is a quote from the pre-revolutionary book by V. Zhuk “Mother and Child”.
G. Ploss described in his three-volume book entitled “Woman” approaches to the postpartum period in different nations, where he noted that in the absence of rest for postpartum women “...as a result of leaving bed too early, prolapse and changes in the position of the uterus, vaginal prolapse, etc. develop, which subsequently serve as a constant source of disease and premature frailty.”
Excerpt from V. Berdinsky’s book “Peasant Civilization in Russia”: “...And after giving birth, women in labor are placed on the floor on rye straw, where they lie for a week. During all this time, every day, twice, the bathhouse is warmed up, where she goes in the most tattered clothes with a crutch in her hand, to show that childbirth was not easy for her - to avoid “lessons” that can cause her to get sick. When returning from the bathhouse, you need to lean on the shoulder of the midwife or husband.”
Quote from the brochure “Self-healing and bestial treatment of the Russian old-time population of Siberia”: “For three days, while three baths are given to the woman in labor, she must lie in bed. After three days, depending on the state of her health, her grandmother either leaves her in bed or advises her to “walk around the hut little by little so that the blood does not stagnate.” Others lie in bed until five, even until nine “days”, if there is someone to “walk around the house”... A woman who has given birth for six weeks is considered half dead... That’s how these guys get it! (...) In fact, according to the rule, as the old women used to say, even a cow cannot be milked for six weeks. Only this is done in large families, where there is someone to replace them.”
Postpartum “vacation” is important for a woman’s continued health; it increases the chances of a successful next pregnancy and childbirth.
Women in harsh living conditions, for example during wars, or recently widowed, were forced to go “to the field” almost immediately after giving birth, since someone had to feed the family. Few people know about the consequences of such “early exits.” These women then wore a special sling that passed between the crotch and was tied at the shoulder. This device held the falling internal organs.
In the 80s of the last century, the goal was set in Czechoslovakia to prove the benefits of getting up early after childbirth. The women studied were divided into 2 groups: the first got out of bed 2-4 hours after birth, and the second after 2-3 days. The mothers were looked after by staff. On days 7-9, doctors were surprised to note the fact that in the second group, with longer periods of lying down, women had fewer postpartum complications and felt better physically and emotionally.
But who looked after the young mother after giving birth? Don’t forget about the midwife, who also helped after childbirth: there were a number of traditions according to which a woman was “cleaned and relaxed” and prepared for a new role in her life - mother. Neighbors also helped, coming to help with the housework and bringing ready-made food with them.
As Tatiana Gschwend, a perinatal teacher, writes, everyone tried to pursue a common goal - to help the young woman, support her, and give her resources for a speedy emotional and physical recovery.
In past centuries, the level of provision medical care was significantly lower than now. Lack of hygiene, frequent epidemics and other disasters also had an impact, often leading to increased maternal and child mortality.
But it must be admitted that in general the level of health, physical strength and strength of the mothers was quite high. Constant physical activity, fresh air and natural products contributed to increasing the body's defenses. Alas, many of us today are deprived of all this, which also affects the course of pregnancy and childbirth.
Let's try to take the best from the experience of our ancestors, without at the same time rejecting the achievements of modern medicine, which our great-grandmothers sometimes lacked!
