I often feel, too, how hard it is that when a woman is carrying and needs extra nourishment and rest she has to stint herself, to provide for the expensive time coming, or try and add to her household linen by taking in work, or taking lodgers or boarders.
Wages 30s. to 35s.; four children.
70. The Teaching of Experience.
I am in fairly comfortable circumstances for a working-class woman, and have a good, considerate husband. I have had six children. You will see by the enclosed particulars that there is not much difference between the ages of my first three children—as a matter of fact, not nearly enough—and this through ignorance. At the birth of my second child “flooding” occurred, leaving me very anæmic as a consequence. I could not nurse the child, and was an out-patient at the hospital for five months.
Then I became pregnant with third child, and at the seventh month a miscarriage was threatened, but was averted for a few weeks, when the baby was born an eight-months child. It was a delicate child, and required a great deal of care and attention; although ailing myself for months, I managed to rear him to a fairly healthy child, but, oh, it was such a strain!
I am so glad the Guild is taking up the question of Maternity, and also “Moral Hygiene,” as I feel sure if only young people were advised, both before and after marriage—a great deal of suffering caused to mother and child might be avoided.
My husband and I are quite determined not to allow any of our children to marry without first explaining to them the great responsibilities of creating a new life that is to be pure and healthy.
Wages 30s.; six children.
71. “But it is too Late.”
I am sending you my experiences as near as I can. I was married at twenty-one years. I am now forty-five. I have had no children this last eight years. I can safely say I am suffering now for my ignorance in my young days, during pregnancy and confinement. It was after my second baby was born; I was living a piece away from my mother. I could not afford to pay someone to look after the house and me, and pay a midwife too, so my mother came and did what she could for me in the morning, and then left me till my husband came from work. Of course, I got up sooner than I should have done. It was in January, and snow was about. I went in the back place, and started to put things right, when I had a cold shake, and I was put to bed. It stopped all the courses, and I was many weeks before I was right. Since then I have suffered with varicose veins in my legs before and after confinement.