My first child was born ten months after my marriage. My husband’s age
at marriage was twenty-eight years, and my own age twenty-five years,
and we are both Londoners, residing all our life in the city of London,
until my first-born attained the age of eleven months.
My children have been born quite healthy, and the doctors have said
fine babies. But I am pleased to say I am a mother who has had no
terrible sufferings to relate as to the sufferings of a long period
of labour. Two hours and a half has been the time from the very first
stage of labour, until the appearance into this world of each of my
children. And I would say, personally, women were never created to
suffer as many a one does. I made this remark to my first nurse, and
she said, “You are right.” I had been told such experiences by women
who had had families. It is nature, and nature does or should do its
own work, she said. Take, for instance, the apple. When it is fully
ripe, it falls from the tree. So the child, when the time has arrived
for its appearance, I say it should come as naturally, not to look upon
the little creature distorted and bruised through having to be brought
into the world.
My strong conviction is, as soon as a woman feels the slightest
pain she should have immediate attention. You are strong at the
commencement, and able to give the help in bringing your baby, but
if allowed to go on for hours your strength is exhausted, you have
lost that power and vitality which you require, that after hours of
suffering artificial means have to be resorted to.
My second child was born at N----. The doctor did his own work and the
nurse’s too, arriving and leaving the house in half an hour, my mother
just taking the baby until the nurse had time to get in the room.
Now, by my third child I will try to show where I think much is at
fault by not having immediate attention. My little daughter was born in
D----. My husband had at four o’clock to fetch the doctor and nurse (a
qualified midwife) nearly two miles away; no other reliable nearer.
They resided a stone’s-throw from each other. But on bringing the
nurse and explaining while she dressed she was to call the doctor, she
would not hear of it, and fairly repudiated the idea of such a quick
confinement, sarcastically saying, never in her experience. Well, the
doctor was not informed. Previously on engaging them I made it quite
clear how my boys had been born--so quickly. In D----, I may say in
passing, indiarubber gloves are worn by the nurse on receiving the
child, and like all rubber things in these cases have to be boiled
before using. Nurse arrived. Every single thing was ready for her.
There was a bright fire, and every possible article to lay her hands
on, baby’s clothes on the horse airing and warming.
She looked at me in my agony, and said: “Oh, not likely to come off
yet, ma” (to my mother), and sent the old soul out for a saucepan to
boil the new gloves in. Well, it went on for a time, until I felt my
pains were leaving me, and I would not trouble any longer; I was tired.
But I thought, no. Why should I suffer? I called to my husband, and
he came to the bedroom door, and I said: “Fetch the doctor, I want
attention.” He went. The nurse said: “Well, I know you have the whole
day to go by the look of things. Doctor will be very cross. He is very
busy, and does not like being brought out of bed. He knows everything
is right when I am on the case.” I felt another little pain, and I made
another effort, my breath almost gone. I called to her, boiling her
gloves: “If you do not leave those blessed things, the child will be
here.” She flew to me, laughing at an unnecessary fuss, but my child
was entering the world, two minutes after my husband had left the
house, but, being certified, she did the doctor’s work. But she could
not get the afterbirth, and pushed and fairly punched my stomach most
unmercifully to get it, and I said: “Well, nurse, I really cannot stand
this any longer. My two previous doctors had said, never be in a hurry
for this. Let nature have its course; it will come in time. The doctor
will be here soon, and he will soon get it.” The doctor had heard and
come in, and told the nurse to see to the baby, who was bitterly cold,
and he would see to me. In a very few minutes I was quite comfortable.
The doctor was very cross at not having been notified by the nurse
that she was on her way to me, knowing the statement I had given when
engaging them.
If there is truth in it or not, I was told later that if all was over
and done with before the arrival of the doctor, the nurse was given
something out of the fee.
I might say, having my mother with me, I only required the nurse night
and morning, and this nurse only went out like that, because she had
so many cases she preferred them so. But it happened I did not see her
one evening during the time, and on the third day she did not put in an
appearance at all, and on the Sunday, two o’clock; other days the times
ranged from twelve till three o’clock when she came.
My confinements have been splendid ones, but for all that I feel it is
almost, if not quite, three months before a mother feels her strength
the same as before. What women feel like who have to turn out shortly
after to work hard, I would not like to imagine.
I personally have always felt, besides not having the usual amount
of strength, I have been very forgetful; for instance, I would go to
the cupboard and quite forget what I had gone for, and have to stand
and think for a little time, and then very likely not know. During
pregnancy, my health was always very good, and I was able to do all
household duties and washing right up to the time of my confinement.
But towards evening I would be tired all over, and be thankful to go to
bed. But I usually took a glass of hot milk at bedtime. I found it not
only soothed the nerves, but induced sleep. I took a dose of castor oil
once a fortnight.
I have nursed all my children for ten months, not allowing a particle
of any kind to pass their lips in the way of foods but my own milk
until nine months old, and then gradually weaned them off.
I have stated above feelings to show what a woman feels who does not
endure great sufferings in childbirth.
My strong conviction is that unless there is anything wrong internally,
and a woman takes a bit of care as to what she eats and drinks during
pregnancy, and has, as I say, immediate attention, much suffering would
be alleviated.
I am the average working man’s wife, who spends most of her time
looking to the needs of an old mother, husband, children, and home,
cutting and contriving to make the weekly income go as far as one
possibly can, attending the Guild as quite a change, and seeking to
obtain as much knowledge of the Women’s Movement on to Progress; and
where, here and there, I may be able to pass an opinion, I do; and try
to live, that when I have passed away the world will be none the worse
for my being in it.
_Wages £1 15s. to £2 5s.; three children._