When the head of the infant is a little advanced into the inward orifice, the midwife’s phrase is, “It is crowned;” because it girds and surrounds it just as a crown; but when it is so far that the extremities begin to appear without the privy parts, then they say, “The child is in the passage;” and at this time the woman feels herself as it were scratched, or pricked with pins, and is ready to imagine that the midwife hurts her, when it is occasioned by the violent distention of those parts, and the laceration which the sometimes bigness of the child’s head causeth there. When things are in this posture, let the midwife seat herself conveniently to receive the child, which will come quickly, and with her finger ends (which she must be sure to keep close pared) let her endeavour to thrust the crowning of the womb (of which I have spoken before) back over the head of the child; and as soon as it is advanced as far as the ears, or thereabouts, let her take hold of the two sides with her two hands, that when a good pain comes she may quickly draw forth the child, taking care that the navel-string be not entangled about the neck, or any other part, as sometimes it is, lest thereby the after-burden be pulled with violence, and perhaps the womb also, to which it is fastened, and so either cause her to flood, or else break the strings, both which are of bad consequence to the woman, whose delivery may thereby be rendered the more difficult. It must also be carefully observed, that the head should not be drawn forth straight, but shaking it a little from one side to the other, that the shoulders may sooner and easier take their place immediately after it is past, without losing any time, lest the head being past, the child be stopped there by the largeness of the shoulders, and so come in danger of being suffocated and strangled in the passage, as it sometimes happens, for the want of care therein. But as soon as the head is born, if there be need, she may slide her fingers under the arm-pits, and the rest of the body will follow without any difficulty.