I will just give you a little of my confinements. I had been married
eighteen months when I had my first baby, when I had a trying time,
being only an eight-months baby. My water broke five weeks before,
and caused what the doctor calls “dry labour.” He only lived twelve
hours. The second came three years and nine months afterwards. I had
a straight labour, but I flooded afterwards, and if the doctor had
not been there I should have lost my life; it caused me three months’
doctoring afterwards. The third one, which came two years and one month
after, I had a fairly good labour. Over this one my sufferings were
mostly before it came. I had varicose veins in the right leg right
away in the abdomen, and the irritation was most distressing; I used
to walk the bedroom most nights during the last month. The fourth came
two years and three months after the third, and the doctor put me an
elastic band on my leg, and of course I did not suffer so much over
that one. I could have told at the meeting, where Mrs. D. was talking,
about babies’ eyes, for this one’s eyes after a few days began as if
they had got cold in them, and the doctor told me then many people took
it for cold, but if neglected it was most serious. I am pleased to say
I have had no trouble, for he is a fine young fellow now.
Between the fourth and fifth I was four years and eleven months, and
then the sixth I went five years and eleven months, and was forty-two
when I had him. Of course, I think I am suffering now for some of it,
as I have always had to do my own work up to the last, and have had a
lot of sickness with my husband and my second boy; till he was eleven
years old I scarce ever had the doctor out of the house. I must say
that I have had a good husband to help me through, but I do hope we get
the £7 10s., and then there will be a many who will not suffer as many
poor women have done in the past. At the time I had my children, and
weighing all things together, I don’t think my husband’s wages averaged
no more than 28s. a week, lowest 12s. and 15s. I should like to tell
you, besides children we had my husband’s mother to keep, and allowed
her 2s. 6d. a week besides keeping her. He has never been a strong man
either, and many a time had him at home six or seven weeks at a time. I
feel that when I go to conferences and meetings that I wish I had been
a co-operator years ago, for since I have been a Guild worker I feel
the years have been wasted, but I am trying to do my best now in my
little way. Wishing you every success in the campaign we are fighting.
_Wages average 28s.; six children, one miscarriage._