I think a great deal of suffering is caused to the mother and child
during pregnancy by lack of nourishment and rest, combined with bad
housing arrangements. The majority of working women before marriage
have been used to standing a great deal at their work, bringing about
much suffering which does not tell seriously until after marriage,
particularly during pregnancy. A very common complaint is falling of
the womb. If women could be taught to sit down more when they were
doing little jobs, that they very often stand to do now, I believe it
would be a great help to them physically. The majority of working women
do not get sufficient nourishment during pregnancy. If there is other
children the mother generally takes what is left. I believe this tells
very greatly at the time of confinement. I well remember the prostrate
condition I have been in on several occasions owing to lack of
nourishment and attention at the time. I found I could not get anybody
to come into my house and do the work unless I could pay them 10s. per
week; in consequence I had to take pot-luck. My last confinement I was
nearly twelve months before I was able to do my duties in the home,
which meant a great deal of suffering to my children, as they were
not kept clean. This caused me a great deal of trouble and anxiety.
I believe all this tells on the mother’s health and also the baby’s
which she is nursing. I have known women, who have had the opportunity
and good sense, to get all the nourishment and rest during pregnancy,
even at the expense of something going short in the home; at time of
confinement they have got over it quite easily, and made very little
difference to them a few hours afterwards.
I believe the bad housing arrangements have a very depressing effect on
mothers during pregnancy. I know of streets of houses where there are
large factories built, taking the whole of the daylight away from the
kitchen, where the woman spends the best part of her life. On top of
this you get the continual grinding of machinery all day. Knowing that
it is mostly women and girls who are working in these factories gives
you the feeling that their bodies are going round with the machinery.
The mother wonders what she has to live for; if there is another baby
coming she hopes it will be dead when it is born. The result is she
begins to take drugs. I need hardly tell you the pain and suffering she
goes through if the baby survives, or the shock it is to the mother
when she is told there is something wrong with the baby. She feels she
is to blame if she has done this without her husband knowing, and she
is living in dread of him. All this tells on the woman physically and
mentally; can you wonder at women turning to drink? If the child lives
to grow up, you find it hysterical and with very irritable, nasty ways
when in the company of other children. When you see all this it is like
a sting at your heart when you know the cause of it all and no remedy.
_Wages 28s.; six children._