There is a great deal of unnecessary suffering entailed on the woman
during pregnancy by lack of not knowing what to do, or how to do it,
such as having all her own washing and work to do, especially in the
latter stages. When a man is only bringing home about £1 a week, and
has two or three children, it is impossible for the mother to get
proper help or even food. I think it would be a very good thing if
something could be done to lighten that burden. I am not speaking
as one that does not know. I have had it to do myself, in my early
married life, but, thank God, my lot is changed now. I have had eleven
children, two still-born, and one miscarriage, so have gone through
it. I also think we should try and do something for the mothers after
childbed, as many have to be about so soon after, and no doubt that
tends to weakening the mother, so that she cannot give her child
proper support, and cannot recover her own strength. I do not think
any woman ought to attempt anything like hard work until she has had
at least a month’s good nursing and support after confinement, but it
is impossible to do it on a man’s pay at £1 or 25s. per week. I have
always felt if I could only have another week or so of rest I should
feel a different woman, and I am sure most of my poor sisters feel the
same. I also think that if children were naturally fed it would be all
the better for them. When I was pregnant I would have given anything to
have had a good sleep during the day. I used to think it was idleness,
and try to shake it off, but I do not think so now, and would give
every poor woman all the rest she really needed.
_Wages about £1; nine children, two still-born, one miscarriage._