I was married before I was twenty, and eleven months afterwards my
first baby was born. During pregnancy I suffered dreadfully from
nervousness, very bad legs, occasional neuralgia, and the usual
miserable sickness. Indeed, before baby came I felt very bad indeed.
I had a stiff but quite straightforward confinement. My husband worked
on the water, and only came home once a week, or how I could have shown
a cheerful face every day, and got through my work, I don’t know.
For some months after baby was born I was weak and ill. I nursed her
myself, and when she was a year old, I weaned her. When she was a
year and nine months old, my second baby was born. I had been through
the usual sickness, bad legs, neuralgia, etc., but I had a good
confinement. I hoped to get up well; but I can assure you I had the
most miserable six months of my life. No physical pain, but extreme
weakness, frightened of my own shadow, faintings, feelings that I
would die. Indeed, I was almost tired of life. I had continually to go
to bed, my head felt a tremendous size, and I felt as though I were
floating away.
When this baby was two years and three months old, my first boy was
born; I had had a miserable nine months, legs worse than ever, bad
cough, sickness, etc., but a good time.
After this, I said to a friend one day, “If only I could feel that this
was my last, I would be quite happy.” “Well,” she said, “why don’t you
make it your last?” and she gave me advice.
As a result of this knowledge, I had no more babies for four and a half
years. In carrying this one, I certainly had the bad legs, which I am
likely to keep, but my general health and nerves were much better. My
health improved, and people said I looked years younger, and I found
life a happy place. I sometimes think that the Great Almighty has heard
the poor woman in travail, and shows her a way of rest. I had a fight
with my conscience before using a preventative. But I have no qualms
now. I feel I have better health to serve my husband and children, and
more advantages to give them; while if another comes along, we will
hail it with pleasure, as we did our last, instead of looking on it as
a burden.
I do think that a great deal of misery is caused by taking drugs. The
poor woman feels she will do anything to keep herself “all right.” If
only she and her husband also could be taught how to prevent, much good
might be done.
I had never resorted to drugs; I was just a simple girl, and my young
husband was as simple as myself.
I often feel, too, how hard it is that when a woman is carrying and
needs extra nourishment and rest she has to stint herself, to provide
for the expensive time coming, or try and add to her household linen by
taking in work, or taking lodgers or boarders.
_Wages 30s. to 35s.; four children._