The Court MidwifeFirst published in 1690, The Court Midwife made Justine Siegemund (1636-1705) the spokesperson for the art of midwifery at a time when most obstetrical texts were written by men. More than a technical manual, The Court Midwife contains descriptions of obstetric techniques of midwifery and its attendant social pressures. Siegemund's visibility as a writer, midwife, and proponent of an incipient professionalism accorded her a status virtually unknown to German women in the seventeenth century. Translated here into English for the first time, The Court Midwife contains riveting birthing scenes, sworn testimonials by former patients, and a brief autobiography. |
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afterbirth assistance back inside belly birth passage blessing born Brandenburg breaking the waters cause cervix child lies right child’s head CHRISTINA Christine de Pizan copper engravings Court Midwife crooked crotchet danger dead delivered delivery difficult births Early Modern edited and translated Electoral Electorate of Brandenburg enter the birth feet female fetus figure fingers force Frau Justina giving birth God’s guided handbook happens happy birth hard Holy Roman Emperor hour of birth inasmuch injury Justina Siegemund knowledge labor pains Latin Liegnitz lies wrong little hand loop lying male midwifery mother and child mouth natural navel string necessary Nevertheless placenta possible posture for birth pregnant pull Pulz push question JUSTINA right for birth right posture Sempronius sharebone Solingen soon summoned testimony thereafter things throes tight Titia touch turn the child University Press unnatural birth uterus vagina waters break woman womb women wrong posture