SECT. VI.
CHAP. I.
Of the DIET and REGIMEN of the Puerperial or Child-Bed-Woman.
THE Good Woman being now delivered, and laid in Child-Bed, may rightly be compared to a Ship, which, after a dangerous nine or ten Months Voyage, rides at Anchor in her Port; where, tho’ arriv’d with great Security, yet if not well moor’d against sudden Winds and Storms, she may perhaps at last drive from her Anchors and suffer Shipwreck: So in like manner if both the Mother and the Child be not duly taken Care of after the BIRTH, Both may be still expos’d to the Danger of DEATH. Wherefore, to prevent all such melancholy Accidents, I shall first point out the proper REGIMEN of the One, and then successively direct That of the Other, in the following Manner; viz.——
I. THEN, immediately after the BIRTH, a soft gentle Closure may be apply’d to the Womb for repelling of the cold Air; of which we must be now very cautious, if we will avert the fatal Consequences that may thereby happen: As also a small Plaister of Galbanum with a little Civet in its Center, may be applied to the NAVEL for attracting, or rather retaining the Womb in its proper Place, where the MIDWIFE’s careful Hand has fixed it after the DELIVERY.
II. THE Patient having her Body wrap’d about with a warm Cloth, and her Hips girt round with the same, is to be placed conveniently in a warm Bed; that is, directly upon her Back-Bone, with her Head and Body a little elevated, for her breathing and cleansing the Better; as her Thighs and Legs also are to be stretched down close together: Whereupon now, if not before, she ought to have a little good Chicken or Pullet-Broth for her Refreshment; which being done, all Doors and Windows are to be shut, and the Bed-Curtains drawn close, that she may rest and sleep quietly.
III. IN the next place, the Closures are to be remov’d, and the clotted Blood taken away; which being diligently done, the BELLY, LOINS, and PRIVITIES are to be anointed with the Oil of sweet Almonds, or white Lillies, mixed with a little warm Wine, which may be repeated at pleasure, for allaying the PAINS of these Parts: And as the Woman is to be carefully kept always very warm, as well as disposed to Rest and Sleep; so every now and then, she is to be comforted with some small Matter of any convenient Food; abstaining however chiefly from strong Meats, as well as from all hot or strong Liquors.
IV. A Decoction of Barley, Linseed, and Chervil, or Marsh-Mallows and Violet-Leaves, with a little Honey of Roses, may be afterwards used Milk-warm three or four times a Day, by way of Fomentation for the first five or six Days of CHILD-BED: Or, instead of these Things, fresh warm Milk, or Barley-Water only may be properly used; always remembring that the Parts be duly cleansed from the clotted Blood, &c.
V. IN the mean time, the Woman’s Breasts are all along to be kept very close and warm-cover’d with soft Cloaths, that the MILK may not curdle; which however is no ways yet in the beginning fit for the CHILD’s Nourishment, until the Conflux of the MILK and the Humours is over; which, upon the first days after DELIVERY, run in abundance to the Breasts.
VI. SPECIAL Care also must be taken, when the Woman is resolv’d not to Nurse the CHILD herself, that the Lochia or Child-Bed-Evacuations flow-off plentifully, in order that thereby the Shock of the BLOOD may be averted from the BREASTS; which if not sufficient to prevent that Inconveniency, they may be properly anointed with the Oil of ROSES and a little Vinegar beat-up together; or a CATAPLASM of the Meal of Beans and Vetches mixed with Oxymel may be applied to the BREASTS; or they may be fomented with a Decoction of the Leaves of Mint, Dill, or Parsley.
VII. IN the time of Cleansing, all Noise and Clamour about the Woman ought to be suppressed; and as she herself ought not to talk much, or aloud, neither ought any Person about her to be obstreperous: Because her Repose is not only thereby disturb’d, but also her Spirits exagitated; which violent Commotion of Humours may readily stop the natural Course. And as for the same Reason, all Passions of the Mind are to be suppressed; so the Woman is to keep herself as much as she conveniently can upon her Back, carefully avoiding frequent TURNINGS to either Side.
VIII. AFTER ten or twelve Days, proper Measures may be taken to fortify and strengthen the Members; and after she has fully done cleansing (which may be about the 20th Day, sooner or later after DELIVERY, according to the Patient’s Constitution, or her way of Living) some proper Astringent Medicines may be discreetly made use of, for corroborating and reconsolidating the Parts.
IX. AS to her DIET, during this Time, she ought to be very regular, and live abstemiously (especially the first Days) as if she had a Fever, using only good Broths, Jellies, fresh-laid Eggs, Ale-soup made with fresh Butter, or the like; after which, she may begin by degrees to eat a little Chicken, Pullet, Capon, Veal, Mutton, or any thing else of good Nutrition and easy Concoction.
AS to her DRINK, if she has no Fever, she may use besides her Cawdles, small White-Wine and Water for Variety’s sake; but in case of a Fever, Water boil’d with a little Cinnamon, or Coriander-Seed; or a Ptisan of Liquorish, Figs, and Aniseeds boil’d in Water; or small Ale a little butter’d, as the Woman pleases, are far more convenient; observing always carefully that her DRINK, of whatsoever sort, be at all times a little warmed.
X. FINALLY, as the Child-Bed-Woman’s Body is always to be kept open, if not otherways naturally so, by a proper gentle CLYSTER, repeated as often as Necessity requires, until the Course of the Lochia is quite over; so afterwards she ought to take one or more proper gentle Purges, for cleansing the Stomach and the Bowels of such vitious Humours, as Nature could not otherways evacuate: Upon which, a repeated Strengthening BATH may be most pertinently used, as also, in order that she may again the more successfully begin upon a new Score, other proper Measures may be prudently taken.
THUS we suppose that all things have succeeded well with our Puerperial Woman; in which Condition the above-mention’d is her only requisite REGIMEN: But in Case of any Preternatural Accident, we must come to her Assistance, according as the Nature of Circumstances does require: Of all which in their Order, as they most commonly happen to the Woman in her present Condition; and FIRST——