I am a very busy body, and have not been blessed with a great deal of
this world’s goods, having had an ailing husband, whom I lost when the
youngest was not two years old. But at those times mentioned in your
circular I always enjoyed good health. No sickness, as so many women
have; of course, days when not feeling quite well. But I do think
many women do not give themselves a chance. They seem to give way too
much to feelings, and lie about instead of interesting themselves in
their work and always keeping hands and minds employed. I had heavy
labour times, but did not keep to my bed any longer than I could
help, generally feeling able to be up after the fourth day for a
little while; then each day a little longer. I often think lying in
bed weakens very much, and if able to rise, it is much better to do
so, both for baby and self. Of course, not to work as though you had
not been through a trying time, and needed to be careful, but at the
end of ten days I was always able to do my own work all right, at the
same time being able to take good plain food, and making an abundance
of milk for the baby. They were such well fed, fat, healthy, happy,
contented children, and I never lost a moment’s sleep in my life with
them. I never used myself to take stout and beer to make milk, as
many of the mothers in the North believe in. In the North here, the
working class mothers have to work very hard, and they all seem (or
in a general way) not to make a trouble of child-bearing. They do not
coddle themselves, but just work a not-up-to-the-mark feeling off,
which is certainly by far the best way. And about the care of baby,
cleanliness is the first care. Then mother’s milk if possible, and with
perseverance, most mothers could manage to diet themselves to make
plenty of milk, but the bottle is the laziest way. Then, of course,
baby can be left in another’s care, whereas if on the breast, you
must take baby with you. I have never had an afterpain after any of
them, and soon pulled up again. Once the instruments were used after
a weary wait, but I think the women who work have the easiest time.
With my last baby I had what made me think of labour pains, every night
for a fortnight, and when she came I had only about three pains, and
she was born before I could rap for help, and no pain whatever. Do
you not think I have been one of the lucky ones? But really many in
this condition are like children. They do not want overmuch sympathy
or they reckon themselves martyrs straight away, instead of bracing
themselves to go through a time of weariness. I have not come across
in my experience any who have suffered so acutely, unless in one case,
where two of her babies grew to her womb, and had to be brought away
by force. Another woman had a big, broad-shouldered husband, and was
herself a very small woman, and it was a case of force every time,
and she has had fourteen children, and the same to go through every
time, but was able to be up soon, as she soon mended and regained her
strength.
_Two children._