Motherhood the Glory of Womanhood.—Maternity Natural and Productive of Health.—Prevalence of Knowledge of Methods Used to Prevent Conception.—Mothers Should Prepare Their Daughters for Maternity.—Motherhood the Sanction for Wifehood.—Effect of Fixed Habits of Mother upon Offspring.—Adjustment of Clothing to Expectant Motherhood.—Importance of Proper Exercise.—The Sitz Bath.—Threatened Miscarriages.—Effects of Environment upon the Unborn.—Why Italian Children Resemble the Madonnas.—The Child the Expression of the Mother’s Thoughts.—The Five Stages of Prenatal Culture Stated and Illustrated.—The Mother of the Wesleys.—The Child the Heir and Expression of the Mother’s Thought and Life.
“Oh in woman how
Mighty is the love of offspring: ere
Unto her wandering, untaught mind, unfolds
The mystery that is half divine, half human,
Of life, of birth, the love of unborn souls
Within her, and the mother yearning creeps
Through her warm heart, and stirs its hidden deeps
And grows and strengthens with each riper year.”
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
 
“Motherhood is not a remote contingency, but the common duty and the common glory of womanhood.”

“They should know that the less children and the more servants in the home, the less health and happiness, other things being equal. It is natural for women to bear children, and unnatural to evade this function; the everlastingly recurrent congestion of the generative organs, month after month, year in and year out, without the rest of generation, promotes a true disease of these organs, and favors all the various growths which afflict so large a proportion of our women.”

With the prevailing ignorance, which has been the heritage of our daughters for so many generations, no thought of preparation for motherhood has exercised them. On the other hand, much the larger majority of our young women come to the marriage altar, far better informed in the methods of preventing conception, or producing abortion after conception has really taken place, than of any proper preparation for motherhood. Who are their teachers? Many who should blush with shame that they lend their influence to this nefarious business; this education in invalidism, murder and suicide. Many, who should be the teachers in truth and purity.[99] Mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, aunts, “friends,” young matrons, who have become adepts in the business, and whose punishment has not yet overtaken them—all these, and many more. Christians? Yes, professing Christians; but who would hardly like to have their advice in these things written along side of their confession of faith in the records of the church. They should remember that it is written in a larger book than that of a church, and written so large that all the world can read it by and by.

In the first steps of preparation for motherhood, the mother should be the teacher. That so few mothers are capable of teaching their daughters as they should, emphasizes the need of right teaching along these lines, and the necessity of plain talks with mothers and daughters.

From a recent paper I clipped the following: “There is a story going the rounds, that the last convention of the National Mothers’ Congress, was not entirely successful, owing to the fact, that only about one out of every ten delegates was even married. Since the object of the organization is the better care, discipline and rearing of the young, it has been determined that every delegate to the convention next month, must[100] show her right to be there. While many unmarried women are probably more capable of rearing children than many who are trying to, no exceptions will be made to the rule of making the organization exclusively for mothers and wives.”

To my mind the writer of this criticism has shown far less wisdom than those who appointed as delegates, unmarried women. What better preparation for motherhood, than listening to the wise discussions relative to the care and training of children? Hence the convention is conserving the wisest purpose when it admits as delegates the young and unmarried women. Had I the appointing power I would make at least half the delegates from this class.

All the way from childhood onward, the wise mother will be instilling truths into the minds of her daughters, that will be along the line of preparation for motherhood. The early teaching of truth, the early knowledge of self and sex relations, the right estimate of marriage, all these lessons are preparing the way for the later knowledge that precedes motherhood.

From the wedding day, the young matron should shape her life to the probable and desired contingency of conception and maternity.[101] Otherwise she has no right or title to wifehood.

While it has been proven that transient states of the parents have far less influence upon the offspring, than fixed habits of mind, yet much can be done by way of amending defects, and fixing admirable and desired traits in character, which before had been transient, and thus influencing with greater power the minds of the offspring.

Let this be always remembered that the stronger and more beautiful the mother becomes, the more lovely will be her children. Soul-gardeners should all mothers be in a peculiar sense, that the children which shall be given her, may have good soil in which to generate and grow during antenatal life.

No sacrifice should be considered too great for her to make, that this end may be conserved. As soon as she discovers herself pregnant, she should modify her clothing to the comfort and healthfulness of herself and baby. If she have already learned how to dress healthfully, she will need to make few changes in the early months. No weight of clothing should be allowed to rest upon the hips; everything must be supported from the shoulders. The skirt and waist can be fashioned in one garment, and so made that they[102] can be let out to accommodate themselves to the growing need. The dainty and pretty maternity gowns are everything that can be desired, and can be so diversified that they meet all the wants of taste and change. Patterns for these can be bought at any reliable pattern house, and the gown can be made as elaborate as fancy dictates.

The union suit of underclothing, the union skirt and waist combined, and the gown, are all that should be worn throughout the entire period. If more warmth is needed it should be given in the undergarments.

Exercise must be taken daily as a religious duty. The common work which is to be done about the home, is as good as any system of physical exercise which can be devised for development and healthfulness throughout pregnancy; however, other movements for the special strengthening of the muscles of the back and abdomen may be taken with profit.

Beginning with the fourth month sitz baths (a bath taken in a sitting posture with only the parts about the hips submerged) should be taken as often as twice weekly for the following three months, and after this to the close of the period, every night just before retiring. The water should be as hot as can well be borne, and the bath continued for at least fifteen or twenty minutes, while a half hour can do no harm if it be enjoyed. Warm water should be added to keep the bath at an even temperature. Of course this should be taken in a warm room where there is no danger of a chill at the time or after.

With proper exercise and the baths, there will be no need of bandaging to hold up the pendant abdomen, for the strengthened muscles will do their work better than art can do it.

A word right here will not be out of place, upon the subject of threatened miscarriages. Young wives who are uninformed on these things will often be greatly troubled at symptoms which to them may seem alarming, which are not so at all, while on the other hand they may pass over too lightly other symptoms that are really grave in character.

At any time throughout the pregnancy a flow of blood, even if slight, must be considered grave enough to call for the counsel of the physician. Pains simulating menstrual pains, if at all aggravated must be looked after, and not be allowed to continue. Great care should always be taken at what would have been were she not pregnant, the regular[104] monthly period, as the greatest danger of miscarriage comes at these times. No undue exercise should be taken, but instead, all the work, recreation and exercise should be rather under the ordinary, at these periods.

If miscarriage threatens, the first symptom to cause alarm will be a flow of more or less amount, and, on the appearance of this the physician should be at once consulted. Following this there should be enforced rest, preferably in a reclining position, for several days, until all fears that there will be a return are allayed, then the usual cares must be resumed with caution.

To guard against threatened miscarriage any young wife need only observe the rules which govern right living and carefulness, and she need have no fear.

All this for preservation and care; now a further word.

It has been remarked by travellers in Italy, ............