INlike manner again, it often happens, that theCHILDoffers itsFEET foremost; which next to aNaturalBIRTHis the most easy and safePosition, however I have been oblig’d to postpone it to therest, for Method’s sake: In thisCase, theMIDWIFE, observingone FOOTpresenting itself in thePassageafterFLOODING, ought to stop and retain itthere, that it may not slide through, untilshemeets with theother. In order to which Performance,shemust immediately seek forit, with eitherHand, according as she perceives theINFANT’s greatToesituated, since it is only to be sought for along itsSide; and being found, it is to be gentlydrawn down, and placed near itsFellowin thePassage.
BUTit falls out sometimes, that theMIDWIFEcomes too late, and findsone LEGso far through, that theButtocksare strictly confin’d: In thisCondition, I would advise to lay theWomanconveniently upon herBack, with herHeadlow, that both theWomband theChildmayretreata little; then taking hold of therightLEGwith myRight Hand, I would thrust theINFANTback, till the wholeFoot(or at least theKnee) is brought back into theOrificeof theWomb, in order that I may have the moreRoomfor passing myHandalong theLEG: By which means I get hold of theotherFoot; and bringing it also into thePassage, Iplace it along with theother, that both may come forth successfully together.
WHICHThing, happening so when it will, thatbothFEETare excluded, whether donespontaneouslyor byArt, they are never to berepell’dorthrust backagain; but, on the contrary, the way is to be duly cleared for theirPassage;Thisbeing a very commodiousSituation, provided theChildbewell turned, I mean, withHEELSandBUTTOCKS upwards, andTOESandBELLY downwards: Whereas, if otherways, theCHINmay be easily hooked upon theOSSA PUBIS; which (if not so happilyturnedat first) I commonly prevent in the most adviseable manner following;viz.
UPONattracting theINFANT, Iturnit cautiously at the same time, usingboth Handsin the ensuingMethod; namely, TheOneI put up under itsBodyas far as possible, whilst with theOtherI hold bothFEETtogether: Insomuch that by this Means I graduallyturn, not only theFEETand theLEGS, but also thewhole Body; bringing it alwaysforwardsin the Interim, till at last it lies with itsBELLY downwards, and isoutabove half way: Upon this I then give myWomanthe Motion, to begin herLabourand endeavour herBest; because theHEADandARMSmust necessarily pass throughAll at once. For notwithstanding the contrary Opinion of mostAuthors, who teach us to draw down theArmsonebyone, and place them upon theBody, I cannot but agree withDaventer, and positively advise inthisand all suchother like Cases, to leave theArmsabout theHEAD, that they may be excluded along with it: Because, as he says, tho’ theWomanin so doing, is obliged to force herINFANT forwardswith all possible Endeavours, yet like a small transientCloud, it is soon over.
WHEREFOREI commonly make it my Business to prevent theWoman’sPAINS, until I have brought theCHILDthisLength; when allowing her a little Time to rest, I heartily encourage and positively promiseHer, that, she performing herParteffectually,(by using all herStrength, and behaving herself as if thePAINSwere most reallypressingupon her, whether so or not) theBIRTHwill immediately succeed: And upon thisPromise, with thePATIENT’s mutual Assistances concurring, I never yet fail’d; neither will anyPersonswho faithfully and ingeniously follow thisMethod, in comfortably helping theWomanupon such an Occasion, by drawing theCHILDcautiouslydownwards, with whatsoever judiciousForce: I mean notdownwards, according to theWoman’sLength, butdownwardstowards thestrait Gut. And as I every Moment insinuate to theMOTHER, that herBABE’sLifedepends entirely upon her vigorous confederateLabour; soshemutually concurring with me, in endeavouring to do ourBest, theAgrippaINFANTis presentlybrought forthto the great Satisfaction ofBoth.
BYtheseMeansandMethods, we prevent theTragical Consequences, which Mr.Portaland manyothersconfess they have often met with in theirPractice; viz. That theHEADhas been sometimes pulled-off from theSHOULDERS, or that theCHILDhas been frequentlystifled, by theWomb’s contracting and shutting-up about theNECK: Which was altogether owing to the injudiciousMethodof their Practice, in drawing down theArmsawkwardly (as mentioned above) along theSidesof theBody.