Midrasch zu Jechezkiel 16:4

...and when the Israelite women conceived, they would return to their homes. When they were about to go into labor, the women would go out into the fields and give birth in the apple orchards, as it is written: "I woke you under the apple [tree]" (Song of Songs 8:5). And the Lord Blessed be He would send an angel from the heavens who cleaned them and made them beautiful, just as a new mother grooms her infant, as it is written: "And as for your birth, on the day you were born..." (Ezekiel 16:4), and He grants them two round cakes, one of oil and the other of honey, as it is written: "And He [God] suckled Him [ The Children of Israel] with honey from the rock..." (Deuteronomy 32:13). And as soon as the Egyptians would become aware of this, they sought to kill them. And a miracle happened, and the cihldren were swallowed up by the earth, and bulls would come and plow the ground above them, as it is written: "Upon my back the plowers plowed" (Psalms 129:3). And once the Egyptians would pass, the infants would rise up from the mud like grass from the field, as it is written: "I have made you grow like the plantlings in the field..." (Ezekiel 16:7) And when the babes grew, they would flock to their homes in great droves, as it says: "And you came in all your finest and dressiest," (Ezekiel 16:7) - do not read "finest and dressiest" but rather "flocked in droves." And when the Lord Blessed be He revealed Himself at the Sea of Reeds, they were the first to recognize Him instantly, as it says: "THIS is my God, and I will praise Him." (Exodus 15:2).

And the king of Egypt said to the midwives, etc. Who are the midwives. Rav says a woman and her daughter in law - Yocheved and Elisheva bat Aminadav. And Rabi Shmuel bar Nachman says a woman and her daughter Yocheved and Miriam. That one of their names was Shifra - she beautified the baby when it would come out full of blood. Puah - that she squirted wine into the babies mouth after it came out of its mother. Another thing, Shifra: that B"Y were fruitful and multiplied under her. Puah: that she would cause the newborn to cry out when it was thought to be stillborn. Another thing, Shifra that she beautified her actions before Hashem Another thing, Puah - that she appeared to B"Y for Hashem - she taught B"Y. Puah - she was insolent (hofi’ah panim) toward Pharaoh and looked down her nose at him. She told him: “Woe to you on the day of judgment, when God will come to demand punishment of you.” Pharaoh immediately became enraged and wanted to kill her. Shifra, that she beautified her daughters words to Paraoh and mollified him and said to him: “Do you take notice of her? She is a baby, and knows nothing” (Ex. Rabbah, loc. cit.). Rav Chanina the son of Rav Yitzchak said: Shifra: that she supported Yisrael for Hashem that for them the world was created that it says, By His breath He made the heavens. In another midrashic account, she was called Puah because of her insolence which, in this depiction, was directed against her father Amram. When Pharaoh ordered the Israelite boys to be cast into the Nile, Amram said: “Shall an Israelite lie with his wife for nothing?” He immediately separated from Jochebed and divorced her. When the Israelites saw this action by Amram, who was the head of the Sanhedrin at the time, they also divorced their wives. Puah told her father: “Father, your decree is harsher than that of Pharaoh! He only decreed against the males, but you have decreed against both the males and the females. It is doubtful whether the decree of the wicked Pharaoh will come to pass, but you are righteous, and so your decree will be fulfilled.” Amram immediately took back his wife, and following his lead, all the other Israelite men did the same. Miriam was accordingly given the name of Puah, since she was insolent (hofi’ah panim) to her father.

R. Akiba expounded: "As a reward for the righteous women who lived in that generation was Israel redeemed from Egypt; for when the women went out to fill water, the Holy One, praised be He, prepared for them small fish that would be filled in their pitchers. Thus one-half of the pitcher was filled with water and the one-half with fish. They would come home and put two pots on the fire, one containing hot water and the other the fish. They would then bring it to their husbands; with the water they would wash their feet, and their limbs. They would then feed them with the fish and give them to drink, thus refreshing their husbands during such rigorous work, as it is said (Ps. 68, 14) When ye lie still between the folds of thy cattle; i.e., in reward for your lying between the folds [of your cattle] Israel merited to enjoy the spoils of the Egyptians, as it is said there. The wings of the dove are covered with silver and her pinions with the shimmer of gold. And as soon as these women became pregnant, and were about to give birth to their children they would go and give birth in the field under an apple tree; [as it is said (Songs 8, 8) Under the apple tree have I waked thee up; there thy mother brought thee forth, there brought she ye forth where she bore thee], where the Holy One, praised be He, would send a Heavenly messenger to cleanse them, make them goodlooking like a midwife that cleanses an infant, as it is said (Ez. 16, 4) And as for thy birth on the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, nor wast thou washed in water to be cleansed; and thou wast not rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling clothes, and these angels gave to them two round cakes, one of honey and one of oil, as it is said (Deut. 32, 13) And he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of flinty stone; and as soon as the Egyptians learned of their existence they would come to kill them but miracles always happened that they were swallowed by the earth and the Egyptians would bring oxen to plow over the place where they were swallowed, as it is said (Ps. 129, 3) Upon my back have plow-men plowed. After the Egyptians would leave, these youngsters would grow out from the earth like grass in the field, as it is said (Ez. 16, 7) Myriads, like the vegetation of the field, did I make of thee, etc. And after these children grew up they would come in flocks to their homes, as it is said (Ib., ib., ib.) And thou attained the highest attractions with thy breasts developed, and thy hair full grown; i.e., do not read (adiadayim ) with thy breast developed, but read it b'adri adarim, in whole flocks. And when the Holy One, praised be He, revealed Himself at the Red Sea, these recognized Him at first, as it is said (Ex. 15, 2) He is my God and I will declare His praise."