“miracles” at time of birth. For example, Vincent de Beauvais (d. 1064), as well
as others, relates cases in which the Virgin Mary appeared to a Jewish woman
in labor and convinced her to convert.^163 Early modern sources claim that
some Jewish women called on Mary during birth, praying for her help, even
when they did not intend to convert.^164
The great fear that seized women at the time of birth and which made birth
seem like a Judgment Day had other consequences besides conversion. Among
Christians, many women confessed as they went into labor, so that if they died
during childbirth they would be absolved of their sins. Many women revealed
secrets, including the conception of children out of wedlock. In fact, midwives
were considered prime witnesses in paternity suits in medieval Christian soci-
ety.^165 Sefer H·asidimalso relates a case in which a woman revealed the true
paternity of her child while in labor.^166 It is possible that women preferred to
reveal these secrets to midwives of their own religious persuasion.
There was an additional element of the Christian midwife’s practice that
might have deterred Jews from employing them. Midwives were responsible
not only for the mothers, but also for the infants after birth. Not only did they
clean and check the babies after they were born, but they also performed a re-
ligious function. Christian society displayed a growing concern with the need
to baptize babies as quickly as possible so that they would be admitted to
heaven if they died. From the early thirteenth century on, it became custom-
ary for midwives to baptize babies in the vernacular. If the baby survived, this
action was confirmed by a member of the clergy.^167 Perhaps some Jews feared
that a Christian midwife might baptize their babies.
Although they bore mutual suspicions and Jews preferred Jewish midwives,
Jewish and Christian women remained in daily contact. It is likely that, just as
Jewish and Christian doctors were in constant contact, so too were the mid-
wives. We also know that Jewish and Christian women exchanged remedies.^168
Although we have no hard evidence of contact between Jewish and Christian
midwives in medieval Ashkenaz, I would suggest that such contact was likely.
A Child Is BornAfter birth, the midwife and the attendants devoted their attention to the in-
fant and its postpartum mother. Usually, they prepared food intended to
strengthen the parturient; a chicken was often slaughtered for her. In order to
guard her and her child from any lurking evil spirits, she was never left alone.
Immediately following birth, the baby was washed, sprinkled with salt, and
swaddled. Salting, a widespread custom among Jews and Christians, as well as
in other societies, was understood as a protective measure. The practice of
swaddling was also widespread. Babies were wrapped in large cloth diapers in
a way that was believed to help shape their bodies.^169