Health notes for young wives

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HEALTH NOTES

FOR

YOUNG WIVES

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Copyright 1895

BY

WILLIAM WOOD & COMPANY •

Preface

There is no doubt that, even under the most favorable conditions, the months of pregnancy represent a time of physical and mental trial to the young mother. Be the anticipations of parenthood never so joyful, the child never so ardently longed for, the preparations for its advent made with a tender pleasure hitherto unknown, the mind filled with plans for its future care and education, mingled in the more serious -minded with feelings of almost awful responsibility in the ushering into life of a human soul, still there must of necessity be often present the thought of the coming ordeal, the time of danger and of pain. Moreover, physical disturbances of a more or less severe nature frequently accompany or complicate the condition. Some of these are in certain cases unavoidable; others could be avoided by a little

11 PREFACE.

knowledge and care. A good physician should be the chief source of information, inasmuch as each case differs from another in many particulars, according to the peculiarities of the individual, so that it is difficult to lay down general rules to meet every emergency. Busy practitioners do not always remember to give information upon minor points, unless specially consulted upon them; the timidity natural to most women, or a total ignorance of the body and its laws and needs, causing them to accept all symptoms as a matter of course, prevent their asking the necessary questions, and thus oftentimes they suffer quite needlessly from the lack of a little simple instruction. Moreover, not all women are so situated that they can call upon their physician for help in every dilemma. To these young wives in especial it is hoped that the following pages may be of use.

PREFACE. iii

The tables of infant feeding are quoted from Dr. T. M. Rotch, and the dietary for children after weaning from Dr. Samuel Adams.

Debility in the Newly-born — Apparent Asphyxiation — Care of the Eyes , . . . . 173