Men and Conception

Personal accounts are very hard to come by, but the prolific diarist Samuel Pepys records several times his hopes of fatherhood and disappointment when his wife Elizabeth proved not to be with child, usually by the onset of her menstruation:

‘This morning waking, my wife was mighty-earnest with me to persuade me that she should prove with child since last night, which, if it be, let it come, and welcome.’  (Friday 6 November 1663)

[this is probably a reference to the idea that mutual orgasm would lead to conception]

‘So home, where my wife having (after all her merry discourse of being with child) her months upon her is gone to bed.’

(Tuesday 27 September 1664) Pepys Diary

Pepys clearly did not hide his desire to become a father as he further records a discussion with a group of ‘gossips’ – female birth attendants – after a dinner for them, when he alone of the men present left the table with them for further conversation.

The women give him a list of things that he and Elizabeth should do, including not only taking warming drinks that were perceived as healthy (mum – strong German ale that could include infusions with herbs – and sugar), but also a herbal drink containing sage, probably intended for Elizabeth to take.

… at noon to Antony Joyce’s, to our gossip’s dinner. I had sent a dozen and a half of bottles of wine thither, and paid my double share besides, which is 18s. Very merry we were, and when the women were merry and rose from table, I above with them, ne’er a man but I, I began discourse of my not getting of children, and prayed them to give me their opinions and advice, and they freely and merrily did give me these ten, among them (1) Do not hug my wife too hard nor too much; (2) eat no late suppers; (3) drink juyce of sage; (4) tent and toast; (5) wear cool holland drawers; (6) keep stomach warm and back cool; (7) upon query whether it was best to do at night or morn, they answered me neither one nor other, but when we had most mind to it; (8) wife not to go too straight laced; (9) myself to drink mum and sugar; (10) Mrs. Ward did give me, to change my place. The 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, and 10th they all did seriously declare, and lay much stress upon them as rules fit to be observed indeed, and especially the last, to lie with our heads where our heels do, or at least to make the bed high at feet and low at head.

26 July 1664, Pepys Diary

Look in what part of the Body the Faculty which you would strengthen lies, and take the same part of the Body of another Creature, in whom the Faculty is strong, as Medicines. For Example, The Vertue Procreative lies in the Testicles, therefore Cock-stones. &s. are Medicinal for this Disease.

Other remedies recommended were listed:

1. Let such often eat windy Meats, especially such as nourish much, as Parsneps, Alexanders, Skirrets, Pine-nuts, &c.
2. Let them take a dram of the Electuary Dyasitiryon every morning: You may find the way how to make it in my Translation of the London Dispensatory.
3. The Stones of a Fox dried to powder, and a dram taken every morning in Muskadel.
4. A dram of Satyrion Roots taken in like manner.

These remedies were anticipated as provoking lust and so enabling conception by encouraging successful sexual intercourse.

Nicholas Culpeper, A Directory for Mid-wives: Or, A Guide for Women, In their Conception, Bearing, and Suckling their Children (Edinburgh, Printed by George Swintoun and James Glen, and are to be sold at their Shops, 1668), p. 65.