DIRECTIONS.--Find in the upper horizontal line the date on which the last
menstruation ceased; the figure beneath gives the date of expected
confinement (280 days).
________________________________________________________________
|Jan. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Oct. | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Feb. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Nov. | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Mar. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Dec. | 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 |
| | |
|Apr. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Jan. | 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 |
| | |
|May | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Feb. | 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 |
| | |
|June | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Mar. | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|July | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Apr. | 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 |
| | |
|Aug. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|May | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Sept.| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|June | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Oct. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|July | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Nov. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Aug. | 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 |
| | |
|Dec. | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 |
|Sep. | 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 |
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Jan. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
Oct. | 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |Nov. |
| | |
Feb. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 | |
Nov. | 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 |Dec. |
| | |
Mar. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 30 31 | |
Dec. | 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 |Jan. |
| | |
Apr. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
Jan. | 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 |Feb. |
| | |
May | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
Feb. | 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |Mar. |
| | |
June | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 | |
Mar. | 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 |Apr. |
| | |
July | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 | |
Apr. | 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 |May |
| | |
Aug. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
May | 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |June |
| | |
Sept.| 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 | |
June | 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |July |
| | |
Oct. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 | |
July | 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |Aug. |
| | |
Nov. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 | |
Aug. | 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 |Sep. |
| | |
Dec. | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 23 29 30 31 | |
Sep. | 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 |Oct. |
_________________________________________________|
[Illustration: _"The House We Live In" for nine months: showing the ample
room provided by Nature when uncontracted by inherited inferiority of form
or artificial dressing._]
[Illustration: _A Contracted Pelvis. Deformity and Insufficient Space._]
{297}
19. THIS IS WHAT DR. STOCKHAM says: "If women had _common sense_, instead
of _fashion sense_, the corset would not exist. There are not words in the
English language to express my convictions upon this subject. The corset
more than any other one thing is responsible for woman's being the victim
of disease and doctors....
"What is the effect upon the child? One-half of the children born in this
country die before they are five years of age. Who can tell how much this
state of things is due to the enervation of maternal life forces by the one
instrument of torture?
"I am a temperance woman. No one can realize more than I the devastation
and ruin alcohol in its many tempting forms has brought to the human
family. Still I solemnly believe that in weakness and deterioration of
health, the corset has more to answer for than intoxicating drinks." When
asked how far advanced a woman should be in pregnancy before she laid aside
her corset, Dr. Stockham said with emphasis: "_The corset should not be
worn for two hundred years before pregnancy takes place._ Ladies, it will
take that time at least to overcome the ill-effect of tight garments which
you think so essential."
20. PAINLESS PREGNANCY AND CHILD-BIRTH.--"Some excellent popular volumes,"
says Dr. Haff, "have been largely devoted to directions how to secure a
comfortable period of pregnancy and painless delivery. After much conning
of these worthy efforts to impress a little common sense upon the
sisterhood, we are convinced that all may be summed up under the simple
heads of: (1) An unconfined and lightly burdened waist; (2) Moderate but
persistent outdoor exercise, of which walking is the best form; (3) A
plain, unstimulating, chiefly fruit and vegetable diet; (4) Little or no
intercourse during the time.
"These are hygienic rules of benefit under any ordinary conditions; yet
they are violated by almost every pregnant lady. If they are followed,
biliousness, indigestion, constipation, swollen limbs, morning sickness and
nausea--all will absent themselves or be much lessened. In pregnancy, more
than at any other time, corsets are injurious. The waist and abdomen must
be allowed to expand freely with the growth of the child. The great process
of _evolution_ must have room."
21. IN ADDITION, we can do no better than quote the following
recapitulation by Dr. Stockham in her famous {298} Tokology: "To give a
woman the greatest immunity from suffering during pregnancy, prepare her
for a safe and comparatively easy delivery, and insure a speedy recovery,
all hygienic conditions must be observed.
"The dress must give:
"1. Freedom of movement;
"2. No pressure upon any part of the body;
"3. No more weight than is essential for warmth, and both weight and warmth
evenly distributed.
"These requirements necessitate looseness, lightness and warmth, which can
be obtained from the union underclothes, a princess skirt and dress, with a
shoe that allows full development and use of the foot. While decoration and
elegance are desirable, they should not sacrifice comfort and convenience.
22. "LET THE DIET BE LIGHT, plain and nutritious. Avoid fats and sweets,
relying mainly upon fruits and grain that contain little of the mineral
salts. By this diet bilious and inflammatory conditions are overcome, the
development of bone in the foetus lessened, and muscles necessary in labor
nourished and strengthened.
23. "EXERCISE should be sufficient and of such a character as will bring
into action gently every muscle of the body; but must particularly develop
the muscles of the trunk, abdomen and groin, that are specially called into
action in labor. Exercise, taken faithfully and systematically, more than
any other means assists assimilative processes and stimulates the organs of
excretion to healthy action.
24. "BATHING MUST BE FREQUENT and regular. Unless in special conditions the
best results are obtained from tepid or cold bathing, which invigorates the
system and overcomes nervousness. The sitz-bath is the best therapeutic and
hygienic measure within the reach of the pregnant woman.
"Therefore, to establish conditions which will overcome many previous
infractions of law, _dress_ naturally and physiologically; _live_ much of
the time _out of doors_; have _abundance_ of _fresh air_ in the house; let
_exercise_ be _sufficient_ and _systematic_; pursue a _diet of fruit_, rice
and vegetables; _regular rest_ must be faithfully taken; _abstain_ from the
sexual relation. To those who will commit themselves to this course of
life, patiently and persistently carrying it out through the period of
gestation, the possibilities of attaining a healthy, natural, painless
parturition will be remarkably increased. {299}
25. "IF THE FIRST EXPERIMENT should not result in a painless labor, it
without doubt will prove the beginning of sound health. Persisted in
through years of married life, the ultimate result will be more and more
closely approximated, while there will be less danger of diseases after
childbirth and better and more vigorous children will be produced.
"Then pregnancy by every true woman will be desired, and instead of being a
period of disease, suffering and direful forebodings, will become a period
of health, exalted pleasure and holiest anticipations. Motherhood will be
deemed the choicest of earth's blessings; women will rejoice in a glad
maternity and for any self-denial will be compensated by healthy, happy,
buoyant, grateful children."
[Illustration]
{300} [Illustration: A HAPPY MOTHER.]
{301}
Solemn Lessons for Parents.
[Illustration: JOAN OF ARC.]
1. EXCESSIVE PLEASURES AND PAINS.--A woman during her time of pregnancy
should of all women be most carefully tended, and kept from violent and
excessive pleasures and pains; and at that time she should cultivate
gentleness, benevolence and kindness. {302}
2. HEREDITARY EFFECTS.--Those who are born to become insane do not
necessarily spring from insane parents, or from any ancestry having any
apparent taint of lunacy in their blood, but they do receive from their
progenitors certain impressions upon their mental and moral, as well as
their physical beings, which impressions, like an iron mould, fix and shape
their subsequent destinies. Hysteria in the mother may develop insanity in
the child, while drunkenness in the father may impel epilepsy, or mania, in
the son. Ungoverned passions in the parents may unloose the furies of
unrestrained madness in the minds of their children, and the bad treatment
of the wife may produce sickly or weak-minded children.
3. THE INFLUENCE OF PREDOMINANT PASSION may be transmitted from the parent
to the child, just as surely as similarity of looks. It has been truly said
that "the faculties which predominate in power and activity in the parents,
when the organic existence of the child commences, determine its future
mental disposition." A bad mental condition of the mother may produce
serious defects upon her unborn child.
4. THE SINGULAR EFFECTS produced on the unborn child by the sudden mental
emotions of the mother are remarkable examples of a kind of electrotyping
on the sensitive surfaces of living forms. It is doubtless true that the
mind's action in such cases may increase or diminish the molecular deposits
in the several portions of the system. The precise place which each
separate particle assumes in the new organic structure may be determined by
the influence of thought or feeling. Perfect love and perfect harmony
should exist between wife and husband during this vital period.
5. AN ILLUSTRATION.--If a sudden and powerful emotion of a woman's mind
exerts such an influence upon her stomach as to excite vomiting, and upon
her heart as almost to arrest its motion and induce fainting, can we
believe that it will have no effect upon her womb and the fragile being
contained within it? Facts and reason then, alike demonstrate the reality
of the influence, and much practical advantage would result to both parent
and child, were the conditions and extent of its operations better
understood.
6. PREGNANT WOMEN should not be exposed to causes likely to distress or
otherwise strongly impress their minds. A consistent life with worthy
objects constantly kept in mind should be the aim and purpose of every
expectant mother. {303}