In the Edo period, childbirth was a community affair, with the mother-to-be attended by a midwife and the women in her life. It was also characterized by unique customs and superstitions."The Birth of the First Child" sheet 7 of the series "Marriage in Brocade Prints, the Carriage of the Virtuous Woman, known as the Marriage series" (c.1769) by Suzuki Harunobu