1. AILMENTS.--Those ailments to which pregnant women are liable are
mostly inconveniences rather than diseases, although they may be
aggravated to a degree of danger. No patent nostrums or prescriptions
are necessary. If there is any serious difficulty the family physician
should be consulted.
2. COMFORT.--Wealth and luxuries are not a necessity. Comfort will
make the surroundings pleasant. Drudgery, overwork and exposure are
the three things that tend to make women miserable while in the state
of pregnancy, and invariably produce irritable, fretful and feeble
children. Dr. Stockham says in her admirable work "Tokology:" "The
woman who indulges in the excessive gayety of fashionable life, as
well as the overworked woman, deprives her child of vitality.
She attends parties in a dress that is unphysiological in warmth,
distribution and adjustment, in rooms badly ventilated; partakes of
a supper of indigestible compounds, and remains into the 'wee, sma'
hours,' her nervous system taxed to the utmost."
3. EXERCISE.--A goodly amount of moderate exercise is a necessity,
and a large amount of work may be accomplished if prudence is properly
exercised. It is overwork, and the want of sufficient rest and sleep
that produces serious results.
4. DRESSES.--A pregnant woman should make her dresses of light
material and avoid surplus trimmings. Do not wear anything that
produces any unnecessary weight. Let the clothing be light but
sufficient in quantity to produce comfort in all kinds of weather.
5. GARMENTS.--It is well understood that the mother must breathe
for two, and in order to dress healthily the garments should be worn
loose, so as to give plenty of room for respiration. Tight clothes
only cause disease, or produce frailty or malformation in the
offspring.
6. SHOES.--Wear a large shoe in pregnancy; the feet may swell and
untold discomfort may be the result. Get a good large shoe with a
large sole. Give the feet plenty of room. Many women suffer from
defects in vision, indigestion, backache, loss of voice, headache,
etc., simply as the result of the reflex action of the pressure of
tight shoes.
7. LACING.--Many women lace themselves to the first period of their
gestation in order to meet their society engagements. All of this is
vitally wrong and does great injury to the unborn child as well as to
inflict many ills and pains upon the mother.
8. CORSETS.--Corsets should be carefully avoided, for the corset more
than any other one thing is responsible for making woman the victim
of more woes and diseases than all other causes put together. About
one-half the children born in this country die before they are five
years of age, and no doubt this terrible mortality is largely due to
this instrument of torture known as the _modern corset._ Tight lacing
is the cause of infantile mortality. It slowly but surely takes the
lives of tens of thousands, and so effectually weakens and diseases,
so as to cause the untimely death of millions more.
9. BATHING.--Next to godliness is cleanliness. A pregnant woman should
take a sponge or towel-bath two or three times a week. It stimulates
and invigorates the entire body. No more than two or three minutes
are required. It should be done in a warm room, and the body rubbed
thoroughly after each bathing.
10. THE HOT SITZ-BATH.--This bath is one of the most desirable and
healthful baths for pregnant women. It will relieve pain or acute
inflammation, and will be a general tonic in keeping the system in
a good condition. This may be taken in the middle of the forenoon or
just before retiring, and if taken just before retiring will produce
invigorating sleep, will quiet the nerves, cure headache, weariness,
etc. It is a good plan to take this bath every night before retiring
in case of any disorders. A woman who keeps this tip during the period
of gestation will have a very easy labor and a strong, vigorous babe.
11. HOT FOMENTATIONS.--Applying flannel cloths wrung out of simple
or medicated hot water is a great relief for acute suffering, such as
neuralgia, rheumatic pain, biliousness, constipation, torpid liver,
colic, flatulency, etc.
12. THE HOT WATER-BAG.--The hot water-bag serves the same purpose
as hot fomentations, and is much more convenient. No one should go
through the period of gestation without a hot water-bag.
13. THE COLD COMPRESS.--This is a very desirable and effectual
domestic remedy. Take a towel wrung from cold water and apply it
to the affected parts; then cover well with several thicknesses
of flannel. This is excellent in cases of sore throat, hoarseness,
bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs, croup, etc. It is also
excellent for indigestion, constipation or distress of the bowels
accompanied by heat.
14. DIET.--The pregnant woman should eat nutritious, but not
stimulating or heating food, and eat at the regular time. Avoid
drinking much while eating.