The Rosengarten

This illustration is taken from The Rosengarten (roughly translated as The Rosegarden for Pregnant Women and Midwives), written by Eucharius Rosslin, a German physician. He wrote the book in the early 1500s specifically for midwives, in an effort to improve their practice.
He instructs that a chair should be made so that the mother might recline in it. The chair should be padded with cloths, and the mother covered. At the right time, the covering should be removed and the mother turned from one side to the other. The midwife is to sit in front of the chair and pay careful attention to how the mother is moving, controlling her legs with her hands previously coated with, for example, white lily oil, or almond oil. The midwife must encourage the mother with gentle words, exorting her to breathe deeply, ensuring she takes nourishing food and drink, and massaging lightly just above the the navel towards the hips. She should comfort the mother with the happy prospect of birthing a boy!