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The medieval period -

The medieval era in history lasted for around a thousand years, from the late 5th century to the early 15th century. Naturally, the traditions and practices around motherhood varied greatly depending on the exact period in time, the place, and the woman’s social class. The following descriptions were true of many women’s lives at one point or another.

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The dangers of childbirth -

Regardless of how wealthy or poor a woman was, childbirth was an extremely dangerous undertaking. The mortality rates for both babies and mothers were extremely high.

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Home births were the norm -

The majority of women gave birth at home under conditions that were far from sterile, and the risk of infection was high. The reality was such that the survival of both mother and child was an impressive feat.

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The Dark Ages of medicine -

Medical knowledge was famously lacking during the Dark Ages. Doctors were few and far between, and it was rare for them to attend a birth. Based on some of the things we know about medieval medical practices, this was probably for the best…

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Midwives -

Most women relied on neighbors and local midwives to assist in their delivery. Midwives were the conservators of knowledge passed down by generations of women on the subject of childbirth.

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Suspicion of skilled women -

The midwives of Britain had it pretty tough, though. While they were foundational members of every community, they weren’t well paid and were even sometimes suspected of witchcraft. This didn’t stop the local women from calling on their services, however.

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They provided many different services -

The town midwife was also the person an unmarried girl might go to if she wanted to end an unplanned pregnancy, or perhaps to buy a potion that would help her find love.

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Necessary but not trusted -

They were both respected and feared for their perceived magical powers, which in all likelihood was just a good knowledge of herbal medicine.

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Midwives in Europe - In other European countries like France and the Netherlands, being a midwife was a much more reputable and pleasant profession. They were often given formal training and were officially employed by the government of each town. This legitimized them and ensured they were paid better, although not as much as male doctors.

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The method and the madness -

The midwives of the Middle Ages employed some procedures that we still use today, and many that we don’t…

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Call in the saints -

Religion played a huge role in daily life during this period in history. Women would carry amulets and trinkets dedicated to various saints that were believed to support a safe pregnancy and healthy baby.

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The birthing girdle -

Some women wore a “birthing girdle,” which was a long scroll of parchment featuring religious texts and images of the venerated saints that they wrapped around their bellies. Some of the most popular saints were the Virgin Mary, St. Margaret, and the mother and son duo Julitta and Cyricus. They were martyred together, which apparently made their bond even more powerful.

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Induce sneezing -

One tactic used to help the birth along was to induce sneezing. A famous medieval text on women’s health called the ‘Trotula’ advises the following: “And let sneezing be induced with the nose and mouth constricted, so that the greatest part of her strength and spirit tends toward the womb.”

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Lure the baby out with pleasant smells -

It was also believed that the uterus reacted to certain smells. The book declares that the womb “follows sweet-smelling substances and flees foul-smelling ones.” It recommends that pleasant-smelling herbs and spices such as fennel and mint surround the mother while she’s in labor.

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A well-oiled machine -

Another tip was to grease the mother’s nether regions and thighs with chicken fat and chamomile oil, not only during the birth but also for two or three weeks prior to the due date. They believed that this would lubricate her in some way and make the birth easier.

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The birthing stool -

When it came time to push, many different positions could be used depending on the woman’s preferences. A birthing stool, like the one pictured, was often used, as it was believed that gravity would help with the labor.

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The birthing chamber -

Wealthy women would often retire to a room known as the birthing chamber for up to a month before they went into labor. Here, they would rest in bed and were attended to by many women.

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A minefield of disease and danger -

If the child survived the birth, there were still a host of infections that might kill them while they were still in the vulnerable stages of infancy. Without modern medicine, the chances of a child living past the age of five were much lower.

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Loss was expected -

While it’s hard to make generalizations about such a vast period in history, one that does hold true is that most parents were likely to have buried at least one child during their lifetime.

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Producing an heir -

Women were expected to give birth to as many babies as possible so that they could guarantee a surviving heir for the family. The pressure was particularly high for noblewomen.

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Wet nurses -

Many women would employ wet nurses to feed their babies after the birth. This service was used by both wealthy women and peasant women for different reasons.

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Noblewomen -

It was believed that nursing had a contraceptive effect, so given the pressure to get back to procreating ASAP, wealthy women would usually leave breastfeeding to the wet nurse. Aristocratic women may have had more children than working-class women during this period.

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Working women -

Working-class women might also use a wet nurse at times, but so that they could go back to work while their baby was still nursing.

It was common for women to work during this time, particularly if they had a farm or a family-run business. Mothers and older children would usually work alongside their husband/father.

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Choosing a wet nurse -

Women who could afford to be selective were very discerning when it came to choosing a wet nurse. They believed that certain characteristics could be passed to their child through nursing, so they would look for a woman who seemed to hold the virtues valued in medieval society.

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Wrap 'em up tight! -

Babies were often swaddled very tightly and worn in a wrap so the mother could carry them, but this setup had a secondary purpose. Some sources suggest that babies were wrapped almost like Egyptian mummies to encourage them to grow straight.

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Cradles and baskets -

They were kept in baskets and cradles, much like simpler versions of those we still use today. Some were simple whicker baskets lined with blankets, while others were carved from wood and could be rocked like the one pictured here.

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Fire hazard -

However, it was always a challenge to keep the baby warm in a cold medieval home. Putting them close to the fire was standard, although this meant that accidents such as scalding were also common.

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The risks of co-sleeping -

The dangers of co-sleeping were well known back then too, but given the necessity for warmth, many parents would take their babies into bed with them for the night.

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Sweeten the deal -

Unlike today, it was highly recommended that newborn babies be given honey. Unaware of the risks of botulism, medieval mothers believed that feeding honey to a newborn would ensure that they would learn to speak well and at an early age. Honey was fed to the child again when they were a little older and starting to learn to speak.

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Some things are intuitive -

Parents were encouraged to speak around their babies frequently and to repeat simple words often to help them learn to talk. This is on track with modern parenting!

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The instinct to play is timeless -

Although children were put to work as soon as they were old enough to be useful, there’s plenty of evidence that they had toys to play with, too. Dolls, carved animals, balls, and even toy castles have been preserved.

Sources: (HistoryExtra) (Healthyway) (Getty) (Medievalists.net)

See also: The most bizarre pieces of medieval pet advice

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