‘In the Beginning’ was created in response to the remarkable achievements and pioneering teaching methods of French midwife Angélique du Coudray. At the height of her career, du Coudray was a celebrated figure, commissioned by King Louis XV to address the alarming rates of infant mortality caused by inadequate obstetric knowledge in rural France. Louis XV also needed healthy children to bolster his fighting forces.

Madame du Coudray travelled from town-to-town educating select young women in modern child birthing techniques. It is estimated she trained 4,000 - 10,000 midwives across France. To support her mission, she authored and illustrated a portable manual, Abrégé de l’art des accouchements, and developed an innovative, life-sized obstetric mannequin known as “The Machine” to aid in hands-on instruction.