A LETTER TO A LADY ON The MODE of conducting herself during PREGNANCY.
ALSO ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INFANT.
LONDON: PRINTED BY BAKER AND GALABIN, IN INGRAM-COURT.
M.DCC.LXXVII.
This Book is entered at Stationers-Hall, and whoever pirates it will be prosecuted.
PREFACE.
I Flatter myself my friends will readily conceive, when first I made the subsequent memorandums, that they were not designed for the perusal of any other persons than my two daughters; nor should I have been tempted to have made them known, had it not been at the earnest request of a young lady, who, (having the misfortune to lose her parents when very young, and by a late marriage was removed at a distance from her friends,) reasonably supposing (from my having been the mother of seven children, she knew I had suckled and superintended) that experience would have enabled me to give her some instructions that might be useful to her in her condition; from those considerations (lest it should please God to call me before my dear children were settled in life, on whose account I had taken such pains) I determined to comply with her request, and accordingly sent her the following directions, not imagining, at that time, she would have desired me to print them; but, as I presume, there may be some observations worthy the attention of every mother and nurse, in justice to myself and family I could do no less.
DEAR MADAM,
W HEN I consider how much your present situation demands the advice of a real friend, I shall exert my endeavours, though I fear inadequate to the undertaking, to give you such instructions as I am persuaded will tend much to your relief; you very reasonably imagine, in consequence of the natural courses incident to our sex not appearing at their regular time, that you are breeding; from that circumstance, I readily suppose, you have taken particular notice when nature was last on you; should you continue without any farther alteration, you may begin to reckon from the tenth day after the last time: this method my mother taught me with my first child, and I do assure you that my midwife paid her a very high compliment on the occasion.
Rise at your usual time; and, if you breed sick, (which is usual,) order a cup of camomile-tea, or pump-water, as soon as you come down stairs in the morning; that will help to keep your body open. If tea does not agree with you, try coffee, chocolate, milk, milk-porridge, water-gruel, balm-tea, or a calf's-foot boiled in milk; some one of which, most likely, will.
Perhaps you may have little or no appetite early in a morning; if so, give a general order to have something brought you at eleven o'clock; should you not be inclined to eat, let it not be removed, for, though it should not be agreeable then, it may a little time afterwards.
By no means ever go out hungry; from that cause the desire of a person, for many things they see, or smell, in general proceeds; to avoid being so, I would wish you to carry a biscuit, or something of that kind, at all times in your pocket. Should you be so unfortunate as to mark the child, be not discouraged, as it will not be of any bad consequence, and, in some cases, a
See the receipts at the end of the book.
remedy may be applied.
During your pregnancy, should you chance to meet, or see, any disagreeable object, such as lame, blind,
&c.
do not suffer it to make any impression on your mind, as you may then rest assured it will have no effect on you or the child.
When you are three months advanced, on no account keep it secret, as many ladies prejudice themselves thereby; should you be hot, or feverish, and frequently sick, it is absolutely necessary you should make your condition known to your midwife, (that he may order you, at that time, to lose a little blood,) otherwise you may depend upon it you will have sore nipples, or your navel start; from both those circumstances I suffered much, with my first child: it therefore behoves you to be particularly careful, to avoid those inconveniences, and, believe me, you cannot do yourself, or midwife, justice to conceal from him or her your condition; a gentleman will understand your meaning at the instant.
Should your body not be regular every day, eat fruit, vegetables, or a few jar-raisins.
When you are five months advanced, put on jumps, wear very broad bandages to your upper and under petticoats; sew an eye to the jumps, that they may hook on; by this method you take the weight off the loins: and at this time you should engage with a nurse.
When turned of six months, should feverish heats, fixt pains in the side, or any inflammatory symptoms appear, lose more blood, which will give you immediate relief. Should you perceive your water warmer than usual, take a table-spoonful of gum arabic twice a-day: be sure, at this time, to have your child-bed linen well aired, and put into a large tin-box, in a warm place, for fear of a seven-months child, damp linen being particularly hurtful; strictly observing that napkins are not applied to you, or the child, hot, as they would occasion a violent inflammation in both.
As you find yourself grow weighty, lie down between the blankets at least three times a-day, to alter the posture; from which you will find great relief.
It is necessary to have two motions a-day the two last months; the last fortnight you should drink a glass of mountain, with a table-spoonful of sweet oil in it, as it relaxes, and will be of great service in labour.
Should you, my dear madam, find yourself very uneasy the latter-part of your time, make not yourself unhappy, as it is most probable you will come the quicker and better for it.
As soon as you are taken in labour, comb your hair smooth, have an inch cut off behind and before, or you will find it comb off very much at the month's end. I know several ladies who have lost very fine heads of hair by this omission. The next thing, put on your night-cap, which will prove very comfortable: some ladies will not be persuaded to it, and, by that means, are very much disturbed. Four people about you are quite sufficient, the midwife, nurse, and two assistants; more only heat the room, create confusion, baulk your pains, and prevent your taking them as you otherwise would: to prevent flooding, which is too often the case, or the fatigue of raising yourself up, I would recommend a silver sucking-spout, by the assistance of which you may drink without being moved.
A half-shift and body-cloth, with strings, a double napkin to your breasts, and a single waistcoat, with sleeves, to come as low as your elbows, (made by a skilful taylor, as soon as your are with child,) are all that are necessary; when you sit up in your bed, throw a double handkerchief over your neck, and slip on your bed-gown; lie warm, but not hot.
Providence has so ordained it, that a woman, with her first child, has seldom or ever any after-pains; if you are well, and can eat a biscuit, or crust of bread, the minute after delivery, it will keep the wind out of your stomach, and strengthen you very much. Be sure to have sperma-ceti, sugar, and nutmeg, and plenty of very weak brandy and water: and, in a few hours afterwards, a half-pint bason of barley-jelly; but no caudle, on any consideration, till the milk has been at the height, and is quite gone off, so that you have not the least fever; as, by suppressing the milk at that time, according to instructions, you will gain strength very fast.
For the first twelve days, take of sugar and sperma-ceti about one-third of an ounce frequently; and, every or every other day, take a quarter of an ounce of manna, as you find occasion, one motion a day being sufficient; without which, in all probability, you will have a fever, owing to confinement.
You may eat part of a boiled rabbit, chicken, or such like food, every day for the first week; and, about eleven o'clock, in the forenoon, have some good broth, beef-tea, or calf's-foot jelly, by way of change, with the barley-jelly; after which time (if you follow my directions) you may live as the family do, provided they dine at one o'clock.
If your strength will admit, I would wish you to get up the second day, to have your bed made; about the fourth or fifth put on your jumps, and pin your gown quite close; by attending to that, it will strengthen your back much; and, from that day, endeavour to sit up an hour, and so on by degrees, by which means you will recover your strength sooner than you are aware of: the weak state, ladies in general are reduced to, arises from lying in bed too long.
The fifth day you may drink half a pint of beer, with a glass of mountain in it; and, if you have any desire for cheese, at your dinner, eat a piece the size of a nutmeg, after which drink a glass of port-wine. The seventh or eighth day you may venture to drink beer alone; in that case, at and after dinner, drink a glass of port-wine: some time after lie down between the blankets, for an hour or more; if you can compose yourself to rest, it will be of great service. In this manner you should proceed the first three weeks; during which time always breakfast in bed, and lie two hours after; before you rise be sure to have something warm.
Dine at one o'clock, and by no means drink tea later than five; for, if you do, it will interfere with the undressing your child and getting your supper.
Between your tea and seven o'clock drink a little warm jelly, or a glass of wine with a crust of bread; otherwise, undressing your child and suckling will be too great a fatigue. Sup at nine o'clock, and be in bed by ten; after that time do not suffer any person to come into your room, as it will disturb you, and very likely prevent your sleeping.
Avoid seeing much company; for the weak state you may probably be in will not admit of it: should you be so, attend to this for the first three weeks, by which means you will regain your strength sooner.
When your month is up, and you are able to go abroad, I earnestly recommend you to observe, that if, by any means, you have been prevented suckling for six, eight, or ten, hours, which will sometimes be the case, you will use the Assistant instead of applying the child; should your exercise have thrown you into a perspiration, however gentle, make water, put another cloak on, and drink something warm; the milk then will be fresh and good: should it not have vented itself in such a number of hours, you will be convinced, by its smelling offensively, that it must be hurtful to the infant; and without those preparations the countenance will immediately turn pale, cause it to cry, have a stool, or perhaps both; and then it is the blood gets foul: by this omission I lost a fine boy, four months old. As every disagreeable eircumstance injures the milk; if your breasts are hard, and overful, be assured you have taken cold, which is impossible to be avoided without great precaution; and thus numbers of children, by the foulness of the milk, have been thrown into convulsions.
I have great reason to believe, had I not drawn my breasts at least fourscore times, with each of my two last children, I should not have been able to have reared them, from trouble of mind, fatigue, and cold.
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INFANT.
WITH respect to the treatment of your infant, though it be your request that I should offer my advice, yet I do not presume to dictate to your midwife, as I very much approve of their method in general; however, I have no doubt that, by pursuing the following directions, great advantage will be found.
As to the dress, it should consist of a bellyband, made of a piece of fine linen cloth, doubled about three fingers wide; when the navelstring is off, put it single; when quite well, leave it off, as the shirt with strings answers that purpose; a blanket, a short loose roller, a little gown, and one cap; a long stay may be made use of, if you think proper, but not continued more than three weeks, either night or day.
As soon as the child is dressed, I would have you give it of syrup of marsh-mallows and oil of sweet almonds two tea-spoonfuls of each, mixed together, which cleanses more than sugar and butter; as the former sticks to the mouth, causes sore nipples, and frequently throws children into the watery gripes.
In the next place, the child should be put to the breast; if the milk cannot be obtained, let it be fed with beef-tea, without sugar; should it be, even in that case it must be fed with the tea three times a-day, for a sucking-child requires victuals oftener than you are aware of; if it continues to suck, the milk will cleanse it sufficiently; should it not, it is necessary to give it three doses of physic, by your doctor's or apothecary's order; as I I am persuaded few nurses understand enough of drugs to cleanse it properly.
Should you have overheated yourself, had any uncommon uneasiness during your pregnancy, or you or your husband have any humours in your blood, lay a blister on as soon as the child is born. I am well acquainted with an eminent and skiful midwife who never brings a child into the world without applying one before it is dressed, and orders gum-arabic, about a tea-spoonful at a time, to be given discretionally into its victuals or alone.
On the eleventh day, as soon as the child is dressed, to a pap-spoonful of purifying lotion add six drops of each of the head tinctures, with which the head, forehead, eyebrows, neck, throat, loins, and knees, should be rubbed well; it will give spirits and strength to the infant, and may be used with safety, sick or well; be careful to dry the head, and as soon as done put on the cap, not using pomatum on any account. Children, in common, have a great deal of weak hair; by pursuing this method every day, it will either take it off at the month's end, or give strength and make it grow: it will cleanse an infant's head in ten days, should it have ever so great a quantity of white or yellow scurf, without the least hazard of giving the child cold.
The mis-management of childrens heads, in general, induced me to try the experiment on one of my own, by which means I made the discovery; I therefore strongly recommend it to you, as I am persuaded it will be of great service to your child, and will prevent the fever in the head most children are subject to from improper treatment.
There are two disorders incident to an infant, in the month, viz. the red-gum and thrush; the latter should be very closely watched for, that it may be sent through as soon as possible.
If the child is subject to the hicup, which is a species of convulsions, and proceeds from the wind getting into the stomach, it should be put to the breast, that it may suck it away; if it neither will nor can, give it some warm beef-tea.
At the end of three weeks I would have you coat the child, which, with the stay, should be half a yard in length: the shirt to be one inch longer, and the frock rather longer than the rest; they should all tie behind, by which means you may put on the dress in a minute. Feed your child as directed, keep it to regular hours, and cool in the night; you will then have little trouble, about that time, Should the child be well, it will then endeavour to step up the nurse's stomach, and get on her head. Is it not then absurd that it should be clothed in such a manner as to deprive it of the proper use of its limbs? which it often is, from the common mode of dressing, at least six months. How did our first parents shelter themselves from cold? The Scripture tells us they came naked into the world, and, had they not touched the forbidden fruit, they would never have known the want of clothing. Nature points out to us to keep ourselves cool: the great folly of childrens wearing long clothes, I attribute to a mistaken notion, taken from that passage in the Scripture, where we are told
"Our blessed Saviour was wrapped in swadling clothes, and laid in a manger, as there was no other room for him in the inn."
At that time the reason was just, being the depth of winter: but surely there can be none given now for clothing a child so hot, who is confined for the first month, and, for the most part, a quarter of a year, either to the lying-in room or nursery; which, in general, may be more properly compared to a bagnio than any other place.
When you take an infant of three weeks old in your arms, sit as upright in your chair as if at your harpsichord; from that position you will have the full use of your arms; dance it from thigh to thigh, which you will find gives it a notion of stepping. That you may not be at a loss after your nurse has left you, when the child is at the breast, avoid talking loud, as it affrights and makes it quit it; should you have done so by chance, speak in a low tone of voice, it will look up in your face, smile, and, in all probability, suck again.
The time of day an infant is dressed, in general, is about eleven or twelve o'clock, which I look upon to be an improper one; it should be early in a morning, as it not only tires, but refreshes, and gives it an appetite to its breakfast: when finished, if not sleepy, send it into the air. I mean at that season of the year when the shortness of the days, and the inclemency of the weather, will otherwise prevent its enjoying the benefit of it at a proper time of day: in summer it is not material.
At six weeks old it should have no other covering, to sleep in, but a shirt, and a little shift, or bed-gown, half an ell long; should it not be kept cool, as much strength will be lost in one night as gained in two days.
It is a mistaken opinion that an infant will sleep the first quarter; some may, but, believe me, it is not natural. The first four months being the time to give them a notion of their feet; at six weeks, if you suffer the child to stand on your left thigh, you will find it shove forwards, and put out its fee to step; you may then with safety put on the Nurse's-Relief, which I have so contrived, that it takes off the whole weight of the child, and may be worn at all times. It grieves me to hear parent desire the nurse to take the child; it is so heavy she cannot hold it. In justice to yourself and it, to which particular attendance must and should be given for the first twelve months, which will fully employ the time of any one person; by that means you will, in all probability, have your child out of arms in that time; on the contrary it may be almost two years. You will easily judge, by taking it into your arms occasionally, whether it is properly nursed or not.
Some ladies are so particular that they think a child should not be set on its feet till expiration of the first eight months, which is a false notion; for, as I observed before, the first four months the child should exercise its limbs; after that time (and in many children before) the teeth are shooting into the gums, and that is often attended with worse consequences than actual t
thing itself; because an infant is subject to the strangury; and a parent's not knowing or considering that circumstance is what occasions children to be taken off, from the age of four months to three years old; an instance of which I will give you.
A person who takes in children to nurse, whose house I had occasion frequently to pass, taking notice of my little boy, then in arms, led me naturally to enquire after her nursing child, whom I had often seen, and remarked to have been a fine boy: the poor woman dropped a tear, and said the child was dead. The agitation of mind she then appeared to be in would not permit me to ask any other questions; but, as I was passing in the evening, I took the opportunity, while she was standing at the door, of enquiring if he had been long ill; she said he had not: and what age he was, about five months; and had two teeth looked so blue, that she had no doubt would have been cut the next day, which led me farther to ask concerning the child's water. First, whether she perceived any stoppage; secondly, if he cried before he made any; and thirdly, when he did, if it was not extremely hot; really, said the woman, I did not take sufficient notice. Another person, who occasionally assisted her, and was then confined to her bed, in the next room, (overhearing the conversation,) desired I would walk in, when she informed me she recollected that the child not only cried when it made water, but that the water was so extremely hot it almost fleed him; but that is common. They then sent for the apothecary, but, before he could come to their assistance, the child was carried off in a fit, occasioned by the strangury, which he, being unacquainted with, directly pronounced it to be occasioned by the two teeth.
As a farther proof, I will give you an instance of a child of twenty weeks old, I was called
n by a neighbour to look at, whom I found in a violent fit of crying, in which it had been about two hours; observing the child's knees drawn up to its chin induced me to ask if it had made water in that time; I was told it had not. In about an hour after I looked in again, and found the child in a sound sleep; upon enquiry, I was told he had been very uneasy before he made water, but, as soon as he had, it relieved him, and he became composed; and, as in the case beforementioned, his thighs were almost fleed by the heat of its water; in consequence of which I advised her to give it some gum-arabic water, which had the desired effect. The following day she perceived two under teeth look blue, which I recommended her to rub with a gold ring; she did, and they came through with great ease, encouraged by the gum-arabic, carrying the fever off, by urine, incident to those cases. She has continued it ever since in every thing he eats and drinks; and he is now a fine boy: his grand-mother is of opinion that his life was saved by that means. In order to keep the mouth cool, when you perceive the child about its teeth, the first thing given it in a morning should be a tea-spoonful of cold spring water.
Every mother or nurse should constantly feel the child's pulse once every day, that she may judge whether it is in health or not: for my own part, though I do not profess any skill, yet, by accustoming myself to this method, feeling the water, and examining the stools, I am able to sorm a better judgement than most people would imagine. I am indebted to a very eminent physician for this hint, and I do verily believe it is a very essential one to any who have the care of an infant.
If a child's water appears of the colour of milk, neglect not to give it the gum-arabic three or four times a day, as you may be assured it has either caught cold or is about its double teeth; in either case it has been found of great use, unless it operates as a purgative, which is very seldom the case; if it does, omit it a day or two.
Some little time after the foregoing observations, I met a gentleman of the faculty, (the father of a large family,) whose opinion I asked concerning a child's having the strangury, and at what age; he said at or about two years old. The earnest manner in which I put the question to him, I suppose, led him to ask me whether I had reason, from the experience I had had in attending my own children, to imagine it appeared before; I evaded the question, as at that time it did not suit me to make the confession, knowing it would be of great advantage to every person that purchased a Nurse's-Relief of me, as I then intended to make a point of convincing them how necessary it is for a parent or nurse to have the gum-arabic water by them the first three years, as few children cut all their double teeth sooner.
Should the child frequently heave, when the stomach is oppressed, which is common from six weeks to four or five months old, send for your apothecary, that he may order something for its relief; otherwise, by not checking the disorder in time, you will most likely throw the infant into convulsions.
It is very absurd for any one to imagine the faculty do not understand the disorders incident to infants: in many instances you will find their opinion requisite; should that be the case, I earnestly entreat you will make it a rule to ask in what manner he expects the medicines to operate: they will all acquaint you; but some, through hurry of business, omit it, by which they are often under the necessity of attending a second time, to satisfy the doubts and fears of the nurse, who, from the child's having two or three motions in an hour, and perhaps frequently sick, alarms herself with apprehension of danger; though, at the same time, it may be quite necessary, and the infant could not be relieved without.
I was greatly alarmed in a similar case with my last child, and should have been more so, had it not been for my mother, who told me the medicine, the apothecary sent, would take the effect as above mentioned: or, probably, by means of the fright, I might have lost my milk; instances of which have been frequent; as soon a
you have given the medicines, (for they do not always operate alike,) put a double napkin round its ne
k, and lay it in your lap at least an hour; it possibly may fall asleep; if so, the better; and it is a great chance, when it awakes, if it be not sick, or have a motion; perhaps both: it may otherwise pass off by urine; in which case, should it be a little convulsed, do not alarm yourself, as it will not be of any bad consequence.
Should the child be in a cold clammy sweat, do not let it make you uneasy. Apply warm napkins to the neck, face, hands, and bottom; lay your hand on the navel, and gently rub the stomach, carefully avoiding to overheat the child; as soon as it is easy it will reward your tender care with a pleasing smile; endeavour to compose it, and then you may, with safety, put it in the bed or cradle, taking care not to disturb it on any consideration: should it sleep five, six, or eight, hours, be sure, in that time, to draw your breasts twice, as more children suffer by that omission than you are aware of: among the number, I lost a fine boy of my own, four months old, by that neglect.
When your child is five months old, provided you follow my directions, you may put it into a go-cart, which I am persuaded will be found very convenient; after it is in, tie the cart to the leg of a table or chair; continue it thus for a fortnight, that it may feel its feet properly; it will take great pleasure in standing so: if you do not observe this caution, but suffer the cart to run on the floor at first, it may very likely intimidate the child, and give it a dislike to it. I have given directions for one to be made with a flag to it, to encourage the child to stand upright; and a chair on a different construction from those made use of in common, of which I very much disapprove, as they are too great a confinement.
I have observed by my own children, when ill, that they have frequently taken a little warm victuals or drink, because the fatigue of sucking has been too great; but, as soon as a child finds itself easy, it will readily receive the nourishment from the breast, designed by nature. When you take the child out of the cradle or off the bed, after sleeping, it should not be set on its feet immediately, as it is apt to make it cross; the feeble state we ourselves are in, on our first getting out of bed, plainly shews the utility of the above caution; you will therefore do well to set the child in its chair, and divert it for five minutes; after that time it may, with safety, be allowed to go to play.
I do not approve of a back-string; nor do I allow a child to run alone till it can get up of itself, after falling: neither do I suffer any body to take it off the ground, when young; should you accustom them to that, they will
ie and scream till you do; on the contrary, if no notice is taken, they will get up of themselves, go to play, and not mind a fall so much, even if an accident happened by it.
I hope by these instructions, which you have from under my hand, you will be a better nurse to your first child than I was to my fifth; that it may prove so, is the sincere wish of,
Dear madam,
Your obedient humble servant,
London,
October 22, 1777.
RECEIPTS REFERRED TO IN THE BODY OF THE WORK.
To make Barley-Jelly for a lying-in Woman or sick Person.
UPON a quarter of a pound of pearl-barley pour three pints of spring water; let it scald: pour that away, then pour three pints of boiling water to the barely; let it boil till it is very thick, taking care it does not boil over: strain it through a sieve, and press the barley with a spoon till you leave little more than the black seed; it will then be quite a jelly. If you have no dislike put in a blade of mace and a piece of lemon-peal; let it stand to be cold; and, as you warm it for use, add a tea-spoonful of gum-arabic, with a little wine, unless you prefer it without. The above I recommend every lady to drink the first five days to suppress the fever, in general occasioned by drinking caudle.
The Gum-Arabic Water.
INFUSE three ounces of gum-arabic in half a pint of boiling water; keep it stirring a few minutes, it will dissolve: put it into a well-glazed pipkin, and give it a boil up for about five minutes. Then put it into a phial to keep it clean and fit for use.
To prevent Miscarriage, or for a weakly Person.
TO the white of an egg, well beat up, pour half a pint of milk moderately warm: sweeten it to your palate, and add a tea-spoonful of rum. Take it an hour before you rise, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and at four in the afternoon.
To bake a Calf's or Neat's Foot.
CUT the foot in half; put it into a pan with a large rice of ginger; (unless you have any objection to that spice;) then cover it over with mi
k and water: tie it over with a brown paper, and send it to the oven, to be put in early in the morning, that it may soak the longer; when done, take a cup of it warm, and sweeten it to your taste.
Receipt to take a Mark off a Child.
PUT a pewter plate into a stand,
Which is to
e had of R. Bodker, surgeons-instrumentmaker, in Lead
nha
street: likewise the silver sucking-spout.
and send it to the baker's, that it may be put into the oven as soon as the bread is drawn: the steam that drops from the plate is to be received in a pint bason, and then poured into a phial: keep it in a warm place; and with this bathe the mark, with a feather, at least six or eight times in a day, till it is quite worn off.
Be
f-Tea for a lying-in Woman.
POUR on a pound of lean beef three pints of boiling water: let it boil till reduced to a quart: add to it four pepper-corns, four of all-spice, and a little salt; boil also a crust of bread in it.
Beef-Tea for an Infant.
POUR on a quarter of a pound of lean beef a pint of boiling water; let the beef boil in it about five minutes; then take it out, and put in a large piece of upper crust of bread, the staler the better: give it a good boil up; do not beat it too fine after the first six we
ks: add to it a few grains of salt.
THE END.
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