Context:

Described as a book written in French in 1668 by a Parisian physician, later translated into English, which discussed women getting onto the bed in a semi-recumbent position for the final stages of labour. Sarah Reid notes that while Mauriceau has the reputation for first recommending this position, the passage actually derived from Aristotle. Relevant for understanding how birthing positions changed and the myth connecting Louis XIV to women giving birth on their backs.