9 Facts That Show What Royal Pregnancies Looked Like Way Back in the Day

Times change, and with them, so do customs and habits. Each era in history brings with it its own curiosities, anecdotes, and ways of understanding life. Some may be familiar to us, while others make us scratch our heads and wonder how human beings were able to do such things.

At Bright Side, we will share with you some curiosities about olden times, specifically about how pregnancies were carried out in royal families.

1. The queens of the past gave birth in front of dozens of people.

Labor is a very intimate moment, which requires a lot of care, with only the most important people present to ensure the safety of the mother and baby. However, in ancient times, it was normal for thousands of people to attend the birth of the new prince, since, in order to verify that the newborn was indeed the son of royalty, a number of witnesses were needed.

2. Royal mothers received birth trays.

In ancient Italy, to celebrate a successful birth, mothers received, as a gift, a desco da parto (“birth tray”), usually decorated with mythological or literary themes. After being used as a reason to celebrate a birth, they could be hung on the wall as a decorative painting.

3. Only royal mothers could have access to the sacred girdles.

Giving birth in medieval times was considered dangerous, so it was common to surround the practice with objects such as birth bands with amulets and prayers to ask for the life of the mother and child. Although these practices were common in all social classes, only royalty could access the fanciest ones, some of which were even considered sacred.

4. Choosing a name was not so simple.

Choosing a name for a son or daughter is always a challenge, but for royalty, it went beyond that and became a matter of historical responsibility. The entire history of the royal family had to be taken into account and show respect for their ancestors, while at the same time remaining contemporary in order to be relevant and for people to identify with.

5. Royal mothers did not breastfeed their children.

In past centuries, most royal babies were given to wet nurses to breastfeed, as this act was considered to be an impediment to the queen’s ability to conceive the next heir. The royal household used to have a team of nursing mothers to ensure the feeding of the newborn.

6. Gifts of encouragement were the norm.

Although they are associated with a modern trend, “push gifts” have long been used by European royalty to celebrate the birth of their heirs. Napoleon Bonaparte presented his wife, Marie-Louise of Austria, with a large diamond necklace to celebrate the arrival of their first child.

7. Queens would “lie down” before giving birth.

In the past, noblewomen were compelled to isolate themselves from the world in a private room before giving birth, in a practice known as “lying in.” In fact, they barely left a window open to let in the fresh air and a small amount of light. The idea of this was to act as a recreation of the womb, as it was warm, dark, and silent.

8. Royal ladies were required to draw up a will prior to childbirth.

Giving birth in past centuries, beyond being painful and uncomfortable, was potentially life-threatening. The risks were such that royal mothers were advised to draw up a will to ensure their assets against possible prenatal death.

Numerous queens of the past died as a result of childbirth, such as Charlotte Augusta of Wales, Maria Leopoldina of Austria, and Alexandra of Greece and Denmark.

9. It was believed that the mother’s imagination could influence the gender of the child.

In past centuries, it was thought that a woman’s imagination could influence the sex and appearance of the fetus, so it was common to see mothers surrounded by beautiful images of children, especially baby boys.

What things would you do if you were part of royalty? How would you raise your children?