Advice to a wife and mother in two parts

by Pye Henry Chavasse

388. Hence the importance of a popular work of this kind, to point out dangers, to give judicious advice, that a wife may read, ponder over, and “inwardly digest,” and that she may see the folly of the present practices that wives—young wives especially—usually indulge in, and thus, that she may avoid the rocks they split on, which make a shipwreck of their most cherished hopes and treasures.

389. Let it then be thoroughly understood,—first, that a miscarriage is very weakening—more weakening than a labor; and, secondly, that if a lady has once miscarried, she is more likely to miscarry again and again; until, at length, her constitution is broken, and the chances of her having a child become small indeed!

390. Causes.—A slight cause will frequently occasion the separation of the child from the mother, and the consequent death and expulsion of the fœtus; hence the readiness with which a lady sometimes miscarries. The following are the most common causes of a young wife miscarrying: Taking long walks; riding on horseback; or over rough roads in a carriage; a long railway journey; overexerting herself, and sitting up late at night. Her mind, just after marriage, is frequently too much excited by large parties, by balls, and concerts.

391. The following are, moreover, frequent causes of a miscarriage: Falls; all violent emotions of the mind, passion, fright, etc.; fatigue; overreaching; sudden shocks; taking a wrong step either in ascending or in descending stairs; falling down stairs; lifting heavy weights; violent drastic purgatives; calomel; obstinate constipation; debility of constitution; consumptive habit of body; fashionable amusements; dancing; late hours; tight lacing; indeed, anything and everything that injuriously affects either the mind or the body.

392. The old maxim that “prevention is better than cure” is well exemplified in the case of a miscarriage. Let me, then, appeal strongly to my fair reader to do all that she can, by avoiding the usual causes of a miscarriage which I have above enumerated, to prevent such a catastrophe. A miscarriage is no trifling matter; it is one of the most grievous accidents that can occur to a wife, and is truly a catastrophe.

393. Threatening or warning symptoms of a miscarriage.—A lady about to miscarry usually, for one or two days, experiences a feeling of lassitude, of debility, of malaise, and depression of spirits; she feels as though she were going to be taken “poorly;” she complains of weakness and of uneasiness about the loins, the hips, the thighs, and the lower part of the belly. This is an important stage of the case, and one in which a judicious medical man may, almost to a certainty, be able to stave off a miscarriage.

394. More serious, but still only threatening symptoms of a miscarriage.—If the above symptoms are allowed to proceed, unchecked and untended, she will, after a day or two, have a slight show of blood; this show may soon increase to a flooding, which will shortly become clotted. Then, perhaps, she begins for the first time to dread a miscarriage! There may at this time be but little pain, and the miscarriage might, with judicious treatment, be even now warded off. At all events, if the miscarriage cannot be prevented, the ill effects to her constitution may, with care, be palliated, and means may be used to prevent a future miscarriage.

395. Decided symptoms of a miscarriage.—If the miscarriage be still proceeding, a new train of symptoms develop themselves; pains begin to come on, at first slight, irregular, and of a “grinding” nature, but which soon become more severe, regular, and “bearing down.” Indeed, the case is now a labor in miniature; it becomes le commencement de la fin; the patient is sure to miscarry, as the child is now dead, and separated from its connection with the mother.

396. The most usual time for a lady to miscarry is from the eighth to the twelfth week. It is not, of course, confined to this period, as during the whole time of pregnancy there is a chance of a premature expulsion of the contents of the womb. A miscarriage before the fourth month is at the time attended with little danger; although, if neglected, it may forever injure the constitution.

397. There is, in every miscarriage, more or less of flooding, which is the most important symptom. After the fourth month it is accompanied with more risk; as the further a lady is advanced in her pregnancy, the greater is the danger of increased flooding; notwithstanding, under judicious treatment, there is every chance of her doing well.