Childbirth
An Account of the Sami pp. 134-135
About Sami Women in Childbirth
“The following is an account of difficulties that can occur when a woman or girl is in labor.
Some women have so much trouble that they suffer with labor pains for three days. And people have to hold such a woman and press on her back. And if the baby is still not born, there is a further treatment that is used. If there are a lot of men around, then they lift the woman up by her feet so that her feet are up and her head is down. And they shake her so that the baby will ease back into the uterus, as it has started to descend with the wrong end forward. And once the baby is turned around, it tends to be born immediately after that.
And there is another treatment: the mother must say who the child’s father is. And it helps when she says the name, but it is even more effective when she is given the father’s water or urine to drink.15
And once the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut and the end which will retract into the mother’s womb is tied up with the woman’s shoe string so that it cannot disappear into the womb and so that the afterbirth will come out. And the woman is given cow butter to eat, since nowadays there is no reindeer butter. But in olden times the Sámi milked their reindeer and made butter from the milk, and it would be this sort of butter that was given to the woman. And if she has not caught a chill, she will soon pass the afterbirth. And once it has come out, the mother is provided with a fresh place to rest in.”
And Herein Follows an Account of a Poor Woman Who Suffers Such Pain and Distress during Childbirth
“She is destined to catch a chill. And when a woman gets cold like this, the afterbirth will not come out: it balls up beneath the woman’s chest like a child’s head. And it will threaten the mother’s life, and if that is not comprehended and dealt with, she will die very soon. One needs to give her a spoonful of downy birch buds, those that are eaten by willow grouse, and grind them up finely, and give them to her to drink in a mixture of hot milk and water flavored with sorrel. And if the afterbirth will still not come out, one must take a hot compress—warm sand and ash wrapped in woolen fabric—and place it on her just below the chest. But one must be careful not to place the compress down on her legs. One gets the sand and ash from the hearth bottom, as there is nowhere else to get such things when it is winter and the ground is cold. This is why one shouldn’t place a warm compress on the legs: it is dangerous, it will draw the cold up out of the legs and into her body, and then her spirit will fail so swiftly that nothing can be done to help it.
But if she has still not warmed up, one must keep shifting the compresses until she does grow warm. And then at last she will pass the afterbirth. And then she will start to bleed more than a person ought, and that is dangerous too: many women have died in Sápmi in this way because there are so few people around who know what to do in such a situation. Some Sámi can stanch blood just by hearing about it. But there are not many such around, and when they can see the person, they are better able to stop the bleeding.”
Muitalus sámiid birra pp. 134-135
Go leat mánnáseaŋggas nissonat ja nieiddat
Dás muitaluvvo dakkáriid birra, geaidda vásttusta, go leat mánnáseaŋggas nissonat ja nieiddat.
Muhtun nissonat leat nu váivát, ahte bávččastit golbma beaivvi, ja olbmot dollet ja deddet čielggi beale. Ja go ii riegát velá ge, de lea velá okta goansta go leat olu dievddut, de loktejit julggiin bajás ja oaivi vulos ja sildnalit, vai mánná johtá ruoktot, go lea bahkkahuvvan nubbi oassi ovdii. Ja go de njulgejuvvo, de láve riegádit dakkaviđe.
Ja lea velá okta goansta ‒ de ferte muitalit gii lea máná sahkkehan. Ja de lea juo áhpu go muitala, muhto [velá buoret] go addojuvvo dahkki čáhci dahje gožža juhkat.
Ja go viimmat lea riegádahttán máná, de náhpi čuhppojuvvo, ja dat geahči mii manná eatni sisa, dat čadnojuvvo gitta nissona vuoddagiin, vai ii rohttas sisa, vai maŋibut bohtet olggos. Ja nissonii addojuvvo gusavuodja ‒ dál go ii leat bohccovuodja. Muhto boares áiggi sámit bohče ja dahke vuoja bohccomielkkis, maid láveje dalle addit nissonii. Ja go ii beasa čoaskkis, de bohtet fargga olggos maŋibut. Ja go dat leat boahtán olggos, de dahkkojuvvo velledansadji.
Dál álgá muitalit dan eatneriebu birra, mii lea dakkár váivvi ja bákčasa čađa riegádahttán máná
Ja dat lea ferten galbmot. Ja go nisu galbmo, de eai boađe maŋibut olggos, de čoahkkanit maŋibut ratti vuollái dego máná oaivi. Ja de álgá buođđut heakka, ja jos dal eai ipmir ‒ dat jápmá hui hoahpus. Muhto go dahkkojuvvo gaccastat ‒ dat váldojuvvojit soahkegierragis dutkkomat, dat maid rievssat borrá, ja njuvdojuvvojit smávisin, ja de addojuvvo dat duoldi juopmomielkin čáhci. Ja jos eai velá laigan dahje boađe olggos, de biddjojuvvo hávdda, liegga sáttu ja gutna ullodiŋgga sisa, ja dat biddjojuvvo ratti vuollái. Muhto váruhit [galgá], ahte ii hávdut julggiid geaži. ‒ Dat váldojuvvo sáttu ja gutna árranvuođus, dainna go dálvet ii oaččo iežá sajis, go lea galmmas eatnan.‒ Dan dihte ii galg- ga bidjat liegga hávdaga julggiid geahčái, dat lea váralaš ‒ vuojeha galbmasa bajás rupmaša sisa, ja de váldá heakka nu hoahpus, ahte ii háhppet ii maidege ábuid ohcat.
Muhto go ii velá lieggan, de galgá lonuhit dassážii go lieggana, de bohtet olggos easka maŋibut. Ja de das álgá golgat ruođđi dahje var- ra eanet go gierdá olmmoš, ja de lea dás váralaš ‒ dainna lágiin leat olu jápmán Sámis nissonat, go leat nu hárve dakkárat, geat dihtet dasa ráđi. Muhtun sámit leat dakkárat, go gullet ge, de juo bisána varra golgamis. Muhto dat leat veaháš dakkárat, muhto go oidnet, de gal sáhttet buorebut dollet vara.
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Lappish Texts
"XXXVII. [About pregnant women].
When the woman conceives or becomes pregnant with child, her first inconvenience is that she becomes vuosmes. That is also a kind of illness; it is such a craving that when the woman conceives or is pregnant she cannot eat regularly, [so it is with] some women. And it is also noticed that if pregnant woman sees any kind of food before another person, then she faints if she cannot get a taste of it; but when she gets a taste of it, then she does not need more, for she cannot eat much although she wishes any kind of food that she sees.
Now that is that. But it may also be the case that the same craving infects a man too, when he happens to eat together [with a pregnant woman] of the same dishes, unwashed, or eat soup from one dish [as] the Lapps often [eat together] as many as can find room around the dish. And if that person does not know the woman is “vuosmes”, then it infects him; but if he knows that she is pregnant, then the craving does not infect him, even if he eats together with her. And when he cannot eat as before, that is a sign that the sickly food-craving has infected him. And for this there is this cure: chew food and let it go through the left sleeve [down into the hand], and then give it to a female dog to eat [the illness goes on the dog then]; and another cure is to eat from the same dish as a female dog or cat.”
Sámi deavsttat
XXXVII (p. 40)
Nissona vuosttas váivi, go máná sahkkeha daihe vuolggaha, de álgá vuosmmestit. Dat lea maid okta dávdasoarta; dat vuosmmesteapmi lea dakkár, go nisu lea vuolggahan daihe gassadin, de son ii sáhte riekta borrat, muhtun nisu; ja lea dat nai oidnon, go gassa nisu oaidná nuppe olbmos muhtun biepmu, de son manná jámas, jus ii oaččo máistit, muhto go oažžu máistit, de so ii dárbbaš eambbo, muhto ii son gal ollu sáhte borrat, vaikko háliida juohke biepmu, maid oaidná.
No, dat lea dat. Muhto go dat sáhttá nu nai, ahte darvánit vuosmásat dievdoolbmui nai, go šaddá borrat ovttaiguin lihtiiguin basahaga daihe ovtta gáris gazzet juvcca dávjá sámit nu olus, go čáhket birra gári. Ja jos ii dieđe dat olmmoš dan, ahte nisu lea vuosmmesteame, de dalle darvánit dasa, muhto jos diehtá, ahte dat lea gassadin, de eai darván vuosmásat dasa, vaikko borrá ge suinna ovttas. Ja dasa lea mearka, jos leat darvánan vuosmásat, go ii sáhte borrat nu go ovdal. Ja dasa lea maid goansta ná: suoskat biepmu ja de luoitit gurot beali soaji čađa ja de addit ciikobeatnagii borrat; ja nubbe goansta lea, go borrá ovtta lihtis ciikobeatnagiin daihe gissiin daihe bussáin.
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Lappish Texts
"XXXVIII. More about the Lappish lying-in women.
When the woman beings to get the throes of child-birth – such a one for whom it is difficult [to bear children] – then it is the custom of the Lapps that the woman shall stand [all Lapp-women stand when they bear children] as long as she is able to; and people hold her around the body and press on the back. And when she has no longer strength to stand, then the woman must at least stand on her knees. And if the woman’s strength shrinks so that she is not able to stand on her knees, then they put a band between two tentpoles, and then she must keep hold of that band. And if she is not able any longer to keep hold of the band, then people have to hold her up in a kneeling position and hold her around the body. And if the child is not born then, she is laid on a blanket, and they swing her [back and forth] in it. And if they intend to lift the legs upwards, then they must bind a cloth around the head. And then lift the legs upwards with the blanket, so that the child may move inside and may have a chance to turn, as it ought to. And then it is usually born quickly – if she does not die. But some Lapp women have it so easy with childbirth, that it does not take more time [to bear the child] than just long enough to get into the kote from outside [if the childbirth comes over them while they are outdoors]. And such ones may bear the child while traveling [it often happens that a Lapp woman gives birth to her child while camp-moving]. But such ones also have to lie in bed [the regular time] although the birth goes easy. Regarding the lying in bed there is, however, furthermore this: some women do not need to lie in bed more than a week, at the utmost, and some begin also to work and tend the child before a week has elapsed. And afterwards she will get sick; and some die even, only for the reason that they begin to work too early.
And when the woman dies and leaves the babe living, then it is hard indeed to nurse the child and bring it up. In the former times people [i. e. the Lapps] had much [reindeer] milk; and when it was winter, then they took from the milk which was put away to freeze as fresh milk, then they heated it and mixed it with water. And then they made a sort of sucking-apparatus; it was made of cow-horn, and a hole was made in the pointed end, and fine skin was tied around the pointed end, and in that a hole [was made], so that it was as a nipple. And if they had no cow-horn, then they would make it of the reindeer’s thickest marrow-bone, and then the skin was of a dehaired reindeertail, and then [they made] holes in that and tied it over the thinner end [of the bone]; and then they suckled the child as with that described above. – But nowadays, as they do not milk the reindeer-does anymore, they have to fetch cow’s milk, no matter how far away it may be, and then nurse the child as described above. And when the child grows bigger, then they make gruel and let it eat with a spoon. And often they the child reindeer fat in the mouth to suck on. But usually, indeed, they [i. e. the children without mother] will get stomach trouble and die.”
Sámi deavsttat
XXXVIII. (pp. 40-2) Lassi sámi seaŋganissoniid birra.
Go nisu álgá bávččastit, dakkár mii lea váivái, de sámiid vierru lea, ahte nisu galgá čuožžut nu guhká go nagada, ja olbmot dollet birra ja deddet čielggebeali, ja go ii nagat šat čuožžut, de galgá nisu vel juobe čippiid nalde ge orrut. Ja jos nohká nissonis nu vuoibmi, ahte ii nagat orrut čippiid nalde, de biddjo báddi guovtte goahtemuora gaskii, ja de galgá doallat dan báttis, ja jos ii nagat šat doallat dan báttis, de fertejit olbmot doallat čippiid nala ja doallat birra rupmaša. Ja jos ii vel riegát, de biddjojuvvo ránu nala, ja de das šluvget; ja jos áigot cegget julggiid bajás, de galget čatnat liinni oaivvi birra ja de deinna ránuin bajidit julggiid bajás, vái lihkkasa mánná siste je beassá jorggihit nu, got galgá; ja de láve fargga riegádit, jos ii jáme. Muhto muhtun sámenissonat leat nu geahppasat máná riegádahttimii, nu ahte eai ádján dan meare, ahte olgun besset goahtái, ja dakkárat lávejit manadettiin riegádahttit máná; muhto gal dat nai šaddet seŋgii, vaikko riegádahttin lea geahpas; muhto lea dan seaŋgaásejis nai velá: muhtun nisu ii dárbbaš seaŋggas eambbo go vahku alimusat ja muhtun vel ovdal vahku nai álgá bargat ja mánás dikšut; ja dat gal šaddá mannjil skibasin, ja muhtumat jápmet nai dušše dan sivas, go álget ila árrat bargat.
Ja go nisu jápmá ja njuoratmánná báhcá eallit, ja de gal lea bahá máná dikšut ja biepmat. Dološ olbmuin leai álo ollu mielki, ja de sii go leai dálvi, de dan mielkkis, mii lea varas mielkin biddjojuvvon galbmot, de dat liggejuvvo ja de čáziin seaguhuvvui, ja de dahkkon lea dakkár njamahanbierggas, dat lea dahkkon gusačoarvvis, ja dat lea dahkkon ráigi geahčái je de fiinna náhkki čadnon dan seakka geaži birra ja de dasa ráiggit, nu ahte son lea dego čižži. Ja go ii leat gusačoarvi, de dahkko bohcco gasimus ađadávttis, ja de lea navilduvvon bohccobiežanáhkki ja de dasa ráiggit, ja de dat čádno dan seakkit geahčái; ja de njamahuvvo seamma dan, mii lea ovdalis muitaluvvon. Muhto dán áiggi, go eai šat bože áldduid, de fertejit gusamielkki viežžat vaikko man guhkkin ja de njamahit seammaládje go lea ovdalis muitaluvvon. Ja go mánná šaddá stuoribun, de dahkko jukca ja gaccahuvvo dat basttiin. Ja bohccobuoidi addo dávjá máná njálbmái, vái son dan njammá. Muhto gal dat lávejit šaddat čoavjevihkái ja jápmit.
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An Account of the Sami p. 27
About Care for Infants and Children
During the time Sámi are moving or grazing their reindeer it often happens that a woman will give birth and there is nothing else to do but that she tuck the baby to her bosom and travel on to the goahti.
This is indeed terrible when they are staying up in the mountains in the cold. But if the woman is in the camp when she gives birth, then she gets to bed once the baby is born.
In the old days though, the Sámi didn’t have pillows but pelts and fur tunics and sacks of supplies and birch branches, which are always spread on the floor of a Sámi goahti. And the straw is placed on top of the pelts until the woman has become cleansed. And the place is set right again every day. And if she doesn’t catch a chill while in childbed, she will be fit again a week later.
Once a baby has been born healthy, it is wrapped in a newborn reindeer calf skin until they can warm some water. And when the water is warm, the baby is washed, three times a day for three days, and after those three days, it is washed twice a day.1
And at first, the baby is given a piece of boiled reindeer fat to suck on. Back then there wasn’t sugar in Sápmi. So they had to give the baby fat to suck on when the mother had no milk. And it is dangerous to ill treat the mother when she is first caring for her baby and suckling it during its first day. Some women are so dauntless that they will start working again after only two days, once they feel fit—and then they can become so ill that they have needed bed rest for many months, and some indeed have died from such rashness. And if the mother dies or if her breasts become chilled so that they become swollen and pus-filled and stop giving milk, then the baby will be hard to feed.
Sometimes the baby becomes strangled in the mother’s womb, and the trick then is not to cut the umbilical cord but to try to coax life back into it and suck on the baby’s nose and mouth, and in this way they are able to restore life to the baby. And if a leg or arm or some other body part is bent back, it must be straightened out at once before the bones get stuck, and if it won’t stay in its proper position, one must make a splint for it out of wood carved in the proper shape. And if the baby is retarded or has some impairment, one should not tell the mother. Some mothers are so weak that if they hear that the baby has any sort of impairment they lose their minds.
Muitalus sámiid birra pp. 27-28
Máná dikšuma birra
Sápmelaččaid golgan- ja bohcco guođohan[áigge] ja jođidettiin geavvá dávjá nu nai, ahte nisu riegádahttá máná, ja de ii leat iežá goansta go máná coggat ohcii ja mátkkoštit ain goađi lusa. —
Lea gal surgat muhtun áigge, go leat duoddariin orrume čoaskima áigge. Muhto go nisu lea siiddas, de son beassá seŋgii go máná lea riegádahttán.
Eai goit ge leat dološ áigge Sámis leamaš bolstarat, muhto duoljit ja beaskkat ja gálvoseahkat ja soahkerissit – mat leat álo sámi goađis láhtti sajis. Ja suoinnit biddjojuvvojit duolji ala bađa vuollái dassážii go nisu lea čorgehan. Ja sadji divvojuvvo oktii juohke beaivvi. Ja jos eai biestte galbmot seaŋganissonis, de dat dearvvasnuvvá vahku geažes.
Go mánná lea dearvan riegádan, de giessaluvvo ruksesmiesi náhki sisa dassážii go ožžot čázi liegganit. Ja go čáhci lea liegganan, de bassojuvvo golbma geardde beaivvis golbma beaivvi, ja golmma beaivvi geažes álget bassat guktii beaivvis. Ja vuohččan addojuvvo mánnái bohcco vuššonbuoidi njammat. Dalle eai leat leamaš sohkkarat dáppe Sámi riikkas. Dat ferte addojuvvot dan dihte mánnái buoidi njam- mat, go ii eatnis leat mielki. Ja dat lea váralaš bávččagit, go eadni álgá vuosttaš jándoris mánáin bargat ja njamahit. Muhtun nissonat leat nu roahkkadat, ahte álget bargat guovtti jándora geažes, go dovdet ahte sii leat dearvašat – ja de leat šaddan nu skihpasat, ahte leat šaddan veallahit máŋggaid mánuid, ja leat muhtumat jápmán nai dakkár roahkkatvuođain. Ja jos eadni jápmá dahje jos nissonat bistet čiččiid galbmot nu ahte bohtanit ja sidjot ja nohká mielki, [de] máná šaddá bahá biebmat.
Muhtumin lea mánná hávkan eatni goaŧu sisa, ja de lea goansta ahte ii čuohppat nábi galgga, galgá geahččaluvvot bivdojuvvot heagga ‒ ja njammojuvvo njunneráiggiid ja njálbmeráiggiid, ja dainna goansttain lávejit oažžut heakka mánnái. Ja jos lea botnjasan juolgi dahje giehta dahje soames iežá báiki, de njulgejuvvo dakkaviđe ovdalgo stirdot dávttit. Ja jos ii biso muđui, de galgá gurpat dakkár muorain mii soahpá juste. Ja jos mánná lea váillat dahje [lea] mii ge sivaid mánás, de ii galgga muitalit ead- nái. Muhtun lea nu heaigu, jos gullá mánás man ge lágáš siva, de seahkana jierbmi.
Muhto mánná dál bassojuvvo, dego ovdalis lea jo muitaluvvon. Ja de gissojuvvo liinniid ja bohcconáhkiid sisa ja biddjojuvvo gietkama sisa.
Ja dan siste lea mánná ihkku ja beaivet, orodettiin ja jođidettiin dahje mátkkoštettiin, geasset ja dálvet.
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Johan Turi's Medical Knowledge 
