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The Midwives Book
"The Figure of the Child near its Birth" in The midwives book. Or the whole art of midwifry discovered., Jane Sharp, 1671, printed book. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 476851.
Jane Sharp: Midwife and Author
Title page (cropped) in The midwives book. Or the whole art of midwifry discovered., Jane Sharp, 1671, printed book. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 476851.
The author of this midwifery manual, Jane Sharp, identifies herself as a midwife with 30 years of experience caring for pregnant, birthing, and new mothers as well as their babies. Published in 1671, the manual proved to be popular. It was on its fourth edition by 1725, and it continued to be referenced by authors into the 18th century.
Most midwives did not write manuals, and most manuals were not written by midwives. Aside from Sharp’s text, practically all midwifery manuals prior to 1700 were written by men who often had a theoretical understanding of obstetrics and gynecology (the sciences of childbirth and women’s reproductive health) but little or no hands-on experience delivering babies or caring for birthing mothers.
Today, no biographical details of Sharp are known. Her name does not appear in the Church of England’s licensing records, meaning she likely practiced without a license. Unlicensed practice of midwifery was common in this period, especially for midwives who got their start during the English Civil War (1642-1661), as Sharp may have. Clearly, Sharp could read (which was typical of midwives) and write (which was less typical of midwives). She likely practiced outside of London. Most midwives were either married or widowed women of middle social status, but Sharp’s own marital and maternal status are unknown.
Because Sharp was both a practitioner and an author, her writing and illustration offers a unique perspective on childbirth and midwifery. She engages in and critiques the male-dominated sphere of medical text authorship. Use the questions and prompts below to analyze the way Sharp thinks about herself and her fellow midwives.
Prompts & Questions
How would Sharp describe her role as a midwife? How would she compare herself to other midwives of that time? What do you read to support your thinking?
What does Sharp think about her fellow midwives? What do you read to support your thinking?
What changes do you think Sharp hopes to make with her book?
Childbirth and Midwifery
In 17th century England, midwifery was a life-saving profession that was almost exclusively practiced by women. During this period, 80-85% of babies survived for at least the first few years of their lives, and a woman’s risk of dying in childbirth across all her pregnancies was less than 10%. This high survival rate for mother and child was the result of an obstetrics and gynecology field created and practiced by women.
In the 17th century, European society was based on the notion of a gender binary with clearly defined experiences and roles for men and women. In Sharp’s culture, it was believed that because only women give birth, the childbirth process should be a woman-only space.
MID with • WIFE woman
Midwife means “with woman” and refers to the midwife’s role of being with a mother before, during, and after the birth of a child. The midwife oversaw the birthing space, which was usually a room in the expectant mother’s house. As the person in charge, the midwife gave directions to the birthing mother’s family members, friends, and neighbors assisting in the birthing process (typically by supporting the mother in her birthing position and by offering comfort and encouragement). After the birth, the midwife continued to care for and support both the mother and the newborn during the mother’s “lying-in” period. The lying-in period, which was developed by midwives, gave new mothers a break from housework and other duties for about a month so they could heal and bond with their newborn. Midwives continued to support mothers and babies by offering advice during the child’s early years.
Midwives were paid for their services, and some midwives made a good living from their work. The training to become a midwife was extensive. Prospective practitioners were expected to attend and assist at births for several years as “deputy midwives” before practicing independently. While it was illegal to practice midwifery without a license from the Church of England, these licenses were extremely expensive and practicing without a license was common.
In addition to running the all-female space of the birthing chamber, midwives were active participants in the male-dominated church and court. In church, midwives participated in baptisms (a Christian ritual often performed on babies) and churching ceremonies (Christian rituals marking the end of a woman’s lying in period). In court, midwives were called on as expert witnesses to testify in cases concerning “women’s issues.”
Despite having developed and shaped the field of obstetrics and gynecology, midwives’ expertise was disregarded in many of the manuals written by men. Sharp, with her extensive practical experience, sees midwives and their patients differently. She states that midwives, despite not being permitted to attend university and medical dissection lectures, were more knowledgeable about obstetric and gynecological anatomy. One example of Sharp’s divergence from traditional medical thinking is in her advice on birthing positions. Male authors of the time wrote that there was one ideal birthing position for all women and babies. Use the questions and prompts below to analyze a section of this book in which Sharp challenged conventional medical knowledge.
Questions & Prompts
Describe what you see.
Can you read any of the text? What does it say? Are any of the words or sentences confusing? Summarize what you think the text is saying.
Look closely at the illustration for a full minute. What stands out to you?
Describe each of the drawings in the illustration. How are they similar? How are they different?
Identify connections between the drawings in the illustration and the ideas in the text. What do you believe the illustrator was trying to convey to the viewer? Why do you think Sharp decided to include this illustration in this section of her book?
Midwives Manuals
The midwives book. Or the whole art of midwifry discovered., Jane Sharp, 1671, printed book. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 476851.
Because they were intended to be accessible to practitioners, the manuals were typically printed in a small format known as an octavo. This image shows how small these books were. They fit easily in a person’s hand. Because they were so small, octavo format books were more affordable and easier to carry around than larger books.
These manuals covered a wide array of topics, usually including guidance on promoting fertility, recognizing when conception has occurred, distinguishing between a healthy and an unhealthy fetus, guidance on infant care, guidance for pregnancy and childbirth, and recipes for medicine to stimulate menstruation. In addition to these topics, Sharp’s manual also includes information on marriage, female diseases, and folklore.
In the 17th century, the English (and broader European) medical world was in a state of change, operating in both old and new science. The midwives’ manuals of the time reflect this. The books drew on the following sources of knowledge:
Ancient Greek medical models, especially the works of Galen, Aristotle, and Hippocrates.
Magical, superstitious, and religious beliefs, especially the Christian Bible and folklore.
Findings from the anatomical research being done at universities at the time.
In addition to the above sources of information, midwifery manual authors borrowed heavily from each other. Today, authors are required to cite their sources, giving credit to people when they use their words or ideas. In 17th century England, there was no concept of copyright. Authors copied and modified illustrations and texts written by other writers and included them in their own books. If someone did this today, they would be accused of plagiarism, but when these manuals were written, this practice was not seen as wrong.
In terms of format and use of written source material, Sharp’s manual is similar to the other manuals of the time. She read, researched, and wrote with the same proficiency as her male contemporaries. Use the questions and prompts below to analyze a section of the book in which Sharp utilized the many forms of knowledge.
Questions & Prompts
Look closely at the illustration for a full minute. What do you notice? Cite specific evidence from the text and/or illustration.
Can you read any of the text? What does it say? Are any of the words or sentences confusing? Summarize what you think the text is saying.
How does Sharp incorporate Ancient Greek knowledge in this section? Cite specific evidence from the text and/or illustration.
How does Sharp incorporate magical, superstitious, or religious knowledge in this section?
How does Sharp incorporate anatomical knowledge in this section? Cite specific evidence from the text and/or illustration.
Identify connections between the illustration and the ideas in the text. Why do you think Sharp decided to include this illustration in this section of her book?
Sharp identifies Spigelius (also known as Adriaan van den Spiegel) as the original creator of this illustrated figure. Compare and contrast Spigelius’ 1626 illustration with Sharp’s 1647 illustration.
References and Resources
Cody, Lisa A., ed. 2000. “Introductory Note” in Writings on Medicine. Vol. 4. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company.
Jowitt, Claire, and Diane Watt, eds. 2002. The Arts of 17th-Century Science: Representations of the Natural World in European and North American Culture. England: Ashgate Publishing.
Sharp, Jane, and Elaine Hobby. 1999. The Midwives Book or The Whole Art of Midwifry Discovered: Women Writers in English, 1350-1850. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wilson, Adrian. 1995. The Making of Man-Midwifery: Childbirth in England, 1660-1770. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.
