The Spanish medical books of 16th and 17th centuries and, especially, those devoted to childbirth, included advice and suggestions for feeding women during their pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. These recommendations, rather than following the dictates and reasoning of the old humoral and dietary theses, were based on traditional knowledge, especially feminine ones, about the best way to attend to the nutrition of a pregnant woman. In addition, they tried to overcome the problems and complications of each of the stages that a pregnant and parturient woman went through.