Laws of a woman in childbirth

Siman 93: Laws of a woman in childbirth

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א מִיָּד כְּשֶׁהִתְחִלָּה הָאִשָּׁה לְהַרְגִּישׁ סִימָנֵי לֵדָה, אֲפִלּוּ הִיא מְסֻפֶּקֶת, קוֹרְאִין לָהּ מְיַלֶּדֶת אֲפִלּוּ מִמָּקוֹם רָחוֹק כַּמָּה פַרְסָאוֹת.
1 As soon as a woman feels the first signs of labor, even if she is unsure, a midwife may be summoned even [if she must come] from a great distance.
ב יוֹלֶדֶת הֲרֵי הִיא כְּחוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה, וּמְחַלְּלִין עָלֶיהָ אֶת הַשַׁבָּת לְכָל מַה שֶּׁהִיא צְרִיכָה. אַךְ אִם אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲשׂוֹת עַל יְדֵי שִׁנּוּי אוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי, עוֹשִׂין. וְנִקְרֵאת יוֹלֶדֶת מִשֶּׁתֵּשֵׁב עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר אוֹ מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַדָּם שׁוֹתֵת וְיוֹרֵד, אוֹ שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ כֹּחַ לָלֶכֶת בְּעַצְמָהּ. גַּם הַמַּפֶּלֶת לְאַחַר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם מִטְבִילָתָהּ דִּינָהּ כְּיוֹלֶדֶת.
2 A woman at childbirth is considered a critically-ill patient, and the Shabbos may be violated for whatever she requires. However, if it can possibly be done in an unusual manner, or by a non-Jew, it should be done. She is considered "a woman at childbirth" when seated on the birthing-stool, or as soon as there is a flow of blood, or if she doesn't have the strength to walk on her own. Also a woman who has miscarried more than forty days after having immersed herself [in a mikveh ] has the classification of a "woman at childbirth."
ג כָּל שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, אֲפִלּוּ אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה, מְחַלְּלִין עָלֶיהָ אֶת הַשַׁבָּת. וְאַחַר כָּךְ אִם אֵין בָּהּ חֳלִי אַחֵר, רַק צַעַר הַלֵּידָה, עַד שִׁבְעָה יָמִים, אִם אוֹמֶרֶת צְרִיכָה אָנִי, מְחַלְּלִין עָלֶיהָ. וְאִם אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה, אֵין מְחַלְּלִין. מוֹנִין יָמִים אֵלּוּ מִיּוֹם הַלֵּדָה וְלֹא מֵעֵת לְעֵת, כְּגוֹן אִם יָלְדָה בְּיוֹם רְבִיעִי לְעֵת עֶרֶב, הֲרֵי הִיא בְּיוֹם שַׁבָּת לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשָׁה. וְאִם יָלְדָה בַּשַׁבָּת לְעֵת עֶרֶב, הֲרֵי הִיא בַּשַׁבָּת הַבָּאָה לְאַחַר שִׁבְעָה. וְאִם יֵשׁ קְצָת חֲֹשַֹש סַכָּנָה, שֶׁהָאִשָּׁה חֲלוּשָׁה בְּטִבְעָהּ, הַמֵּקֵל לִמְנוֹת יָמִים אֵלּוּ מֵעֵת לְעֵת לֹא הִפְסִיד.
3 During the entire first three days, even if she says that it is unnecessary, Shabbos may be violated for her. Afterwards, if she has no other illness, but only the [usual] pain that follows childbirth, the rule is as follows: then, up to seven days, if she says: "I require it," [Shabbos] may be violated for her sake, and if she says it is unnecessary then it is not violated. The days referred to are counted from the day of the birth and [they do] not [have to be three] twenty-four-hour periods. For example: if she gave birth Wednesday in the late afternoon, then on Shabbos it is considered more than three days [since the birth], and if she gave birth Shabbos in the late afternoon then, the following Shabbos, it is considered more than seven days. If there is the slightest possibility of danger, because the woman is weak by nature, [then] one who is lenient, and counts full 24-hour days, is not considered wrong.
ד לְאַחַר שִׁבְעָה יָמִים, אֲפִלּוּ אוֹמֶרֶת צְרִיכָה אָנִי, אֵין מְחַלְּלִין עָלֶיהָ, אֶלָּא הֲרֵי הִיא עַד שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם כְּחוֹלֶה שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סַכָּנָה וְעוֹשִׂין כָּל צְרָכֶיהָ עַל יְדֵי אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי. אֲבָל לְהַסִּיק עֲבוּרָהּ, מֻתָּר אֲפִלּוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל (כְּשֶׁלֹּא נִמְצָא אֵינוֹ יְהוּדִי בְּנָקֵל), וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּתְקוּפַת תַּמּוּז, מִשּׁוּם דְּיוֹלֶדֶת כָּל שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם מְסֻכֶּנֶת הִיא בַּצִּנָּה.
4 Once seven days have passed, even if she says: "I require [something]," [Shabbos] may not be violated for her, but she is considered a non-critical patient until thirty days, and all her needs may be done [only] by a non-Jew. However, even a Jew may heat the house for her if a non-Jew is not readily available, even in mid-summer, because a woman in confinement is considered critical for the first thirty days, as regards being cold.
ה הַוָּלָד שֶׁנּוֹלַד, מַרְחִיצִין אוֹתוֹ וְחוֹתְכִין אֶת טַבּוּרוֹ, וּמְיַשְּׁרִין אֵבָרָיו, וְעוֹשִׂין לוֹ כָּל צְרָכָיו. אַךְ אִם אֵינוֹ בֶּן קְיָמָא, כְּגוֹן שֶׁנּוֹלַד לִשְׁמוֹנָה חֳדָשִׁים, אֲסוּרִין לְטַלְטְלוֹ, אֶלָּא אִמּוֹ שׂוֹחָה עָלָיו וּמֵנִיקָתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי צַעַר הֶחָלָב הַמְצַעֵר אוֹתָהּ (של).
5 The newly-born infant may be washed. His umbilical cord may be cut, his limbs straightened, and all his needs may be attended. However, if he cannot survive, for example: he was born in the eighth month, he may not be handled, but his mother may bend over him and nurse him because of her pain caused by her milk.
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