Every effort was made to ensure the baby was a boy
The ‘lying in period’ was not just dedicated to ensuring the mother-to-be was kept calm, comfortable and guarded against harmful forces like natural light and noise. The month leading up to a royal birth was also regarded as being hugely important, above all since it could be when the gender of the child would be determined. Indeed, in Medieval and Tudor times, even the most advanced of physicians would have subscribed to the belief that the sex of the infant was not decided until almost the very moment before birth. This meant it could be influenced – and, of course, every effort was made to ensure the baby was born a boy.
Above all, it was believed that the expectant mother’s imagination could influence the sex of her baby. That’s why queens and princesses were encouraged to think about baby boys rather than girls. To help them stay focused, any images of biblical scenes or of nature would not only be calming, they would also be male-dominated. Likewise, ladies-in-waiting were required to keep the mother-to-be’s mind firmly focused on the idea that she was going to have a baby boy.
Once the royal baby had been born, there was no time to waste when it came to confirming the sex. Straight away – before the mother had even had the chance to hold her infant – it would be announced whether it was a boy or a girl. Witnesses would be on hand to confirm this and to ensure that a girl was not quickly and secretly replaced with a boy, and then the king or other royal father would be informed. The birth of the new prince or princess would then be announced publicly.