The Author of Nature has ordered an extraordinary Quantity of Blood to be prepared for the Child’s Food. Arteries run into the Glands of the Breasts, and in passing through them, the Blood, by a most wonderful Change, is converted into Milk!⸺by a Change, which nothing but Custom prevents our viewing as a Miracle!
The admired Toast of the Town cannot endure the Trouble of nursing. It would confine her too much at home—it has too vulgar an appearance—it is not warranted by the Example of the first Circle—the Milk must therefore be backen’d.—It is denied Liberty to discharge itself by the Out-lett Providence intended for it—the Child, whose Constitution it was calculated for, is not suffered to have it’s Due. What becomes of the Milk?
It is absorb’d by the lymphatic Vessels, contrary to the original Intention of Nature—and convey’d back into the Blood, in the manner I have before described.—What is the Consequence?—The blood Vessels become not only highly over-charged with Blood, but that Blood is thus rendered of an improper Consistence. A Fever ensues!—This Fever comes on when the woman is ill able to bear it’s Shock!—How often is this Fever fatal!
The most fortunate Circumstance that can happen, is, when the Milk finds another out-lett. Probably otherwise there may be a formation of Matter somewhere—there is danger that Matter may fly to some capital Part.
If the Woman is young, healthy, strong, it is most probable the Milk will not be absorb’d quick enough. The Blood will furnish Milk faster than the lymphatick Vessels can imbibe it, and convey it back again. The Breasts are painfully distended—they inflame.
When too late—it is then resolved they shall be suck’d.
During the time of Pregnancy a small quantity of Milk is lodged in the Milk Vessels of the Breasts. This Milk, when the nine Months are expired, is thick—clogs the Vessels. If the Woman never gave suck, the Pores through which the Milk ought to issue to the Child, are not open enough—they require therefore to be clear’d, by the old Milk being suck’d off, the very day of the Delivery, and to empty the Milk Vessels of what must otherwise clog them. Some woman ought to suck this off therefore as soon as possible. If the Child is put to the Breast in Twelve, or Sixteen Hours after it’s Birth, it will suck greedily—if delay’d three or four Days, it is twenty to one the Child will not attempt it for a long time.
When therefore the Necessity of the Case has overcome every Resolution form’d for the Woman’s not giving suck, and her Child is put to her Breast, it is in vain!—the Child will not touch the Breast!—other Children—or women attempt to ease the poor Woman of her Load of Milk—this Resource likewise fails! the thick Milk has clog’d the Vessels—the N-pp-es, owing to the hard Distension of the Breasts, has shrunk into them—and, besides, their Pores have never been open’d—never been clear’d—no endeavours avail! the distress’d Woman, after having been sadly fatigued, exhausted, finds herself disappointed of Relief!—dreadful Symptoms soon appear! she too probably falls a sacrifice to a ridiculous—senseless—not to say a sinful deviation from the Path of Nature!—how many fine young Women have lately died—and go off every Year, from this Cause!
But “particular Women have not Constitutions strong enough to bear giving suck. Certainly there are some Women whom it might hurt.” Granted. Let such particular Women give suck only for the first four, five or six Weeks. If those Women then really find themselves too delicate for the longer continuance of such a Drain, they then may safely by degrees leave off giving suck—they have sufficiently recover’d Strength to venture throwing the Milk gently back into the Blood. The most delicately form’d Woman existing should not dream of suffering a single Drop of the Milk which Nature intended for Evacuation, to return into the Blood, untill the Constitution is re-established—and enabled to bear discharging itself of the Superfluities, without encountering the Dangers which demonstrably attend a contrary Practice. If a Woman is too delicate to bear continuing to suckle her Infant, surely she is too delicate to endure the flying in the Face of Nature, and risking the Fever—if she is healthy and strong, the more incumbent her duty is, to nourish her Child—her danger too equal. In every View, the salutary Consequences attending Mothers discharging their Duty to their Children in this point, are so obvious, so glaring, that to me it is matter of doubt whether those who fail in it are most to be condemn’d and despised for their want of natural Affection—or pitied and ridiculed for their Folly.
These are my Ideas on this interesting Subject. Let those Women who obstinately persevere in a Resolution to deny their Infants their natural Food—(and in whose Judgements my Arguments have appear’d deficient in Weight) stand the Trial, and risk the Consequence. I most sincerely hope the Success may answer their Wishes!