For what I can see of others, I came off fairly well; but, in the first
instance, my first child was a girl. I was very well during pregnancy,
but being such a strong child the doctor told me to give it the bottle;
but, on the other hand, the nurse persuaded me to keep it to the
breast. The result was as soon as I got about, by keeping the child to
the breast, I had two gathered breasts. I had the two breasts in slings
till they broke. The next two being boys--two years between--I was
right well during pregnancy. But as soon as a mother is able to get up
and have to work, that is the time her health fails her, for she finds
she has to feed the rest of her little family, and goes without her own
food, and then, through lack of nourishment, often mothers have to go
to their bed again.
In the first place, when we were married my husband was a fireman. We
ran along smoothly, and up to the time my first and second child was
born his standing wage was 30s. a week and overtime. The time went
on, and in two years the second was born. Now, just before it came it
was my husband’s turn to go to pass for engine driver. The result was
he failed to pass the eyesight test. It was a great shock to us both,
more so to my husband. It was then the dots they had to count at a
distance. They then reduced him to 21s. a week to work in the shed, so
we thought it was cruel to run the risk of more family on such a wage.
To keep my home up and keep the children respectable I had to take in
two young men lodgers, which we have done till I started the children
to business. Of course, I take it you don’t want to know the ups and
downs of life between these times. I must say I have had the best of
husbands, or else I should not have been alive now.
If there could be such a thing as a Maternity Club started it would
be a benefit to all married women, because the majority of us have to
screw and save for confinement, where we ought to be able to have good
food and more nourishing food while we are carrying the child, but
often have to go with less.
_Wages 21s. to 30s.; three children, one miscarriage._