Food for pregnancy and birth

IV The passage into the world

The paintings from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries titled «Birth of the Virgin», «Birth of Saint John Baptist», and other such works, are often seen to represent a woman’s puerperium or postpartum period. The paintings usually depict the care that both a woman in labour and her child received from the midwife and from the other women who attended the birth. As such, the allusion to food was often included.

The different Spanish medical treatises of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as those of Damián Carbón, Francisco Núñez, Ruices de Fontecha, Lobera de Ávila and others, gave advice and suggested different foods to promote fertility, maintain the health of the pregnant woman, facilitate delivery, and promote a quick recovery of the mother. These books mention broths and juices (chickpea «cooking», «chicken broth», «pomegranate juice»), as well as wine and other foods that, in addition to being restorative and nutritious, were believed to contribute to the purgation or expulsion of bad humours after childbirth.  They were also thought to alleviate the pains of the uterus (the afterpains tuertos or womb out la «matriz salida») and to reduce fever (calentura), among other ailments.  What is more, products such as milk and cheese were recommended to provide the nourishment which would help the mother breastfeed her baby.

In Benson’s panel, some of these elements can be seen very clearly, such as the broth that the old and experienced midwife offers to the new mother; the portions of bread and cheese that another of the women is holding in a basket; and the jug of wine prepared by two of the young women on stage.  The scene reveals the special attention and care which pregnant women and women in labour received. [Jesús María Usunáriz Garayoa]