The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and MotherNapheys, George H. (George Henry)
Science
The Physical Life of Woman: Advice to the Maiden, Wife and Mother
Napheys, George H. (George Henry)
Women -- Health and hygiene
Because of their deleterious tendency, severe study as well as arduous
and protracted manual labor ought to be avoided. The nervous systems of
many women are also injuriously affected during pregnancy by perfumes,
which at other times are agreeable and innocuous. It is therefore
prudent not only to exclude all offensive scents, but also to abstain
from the strong odors of various strong perfumes, eau-de-cologne, and of
flowers. Large bouquets often cause feelings of faintness, and sometimes
temporary loss of consciousness. The extreme liability of the nervous
system of the pregnant woman to be affected injuriously to herself and
child by scenes of suffering or distress, and by disgusting or frightful
objects, cannot be too strongly impressed upon every one. She should be
protected from all that will disturb her, and should be constantly
treated with soothing and encouraging kindness. Her manifestations of
irritability, her caprices, her melancholy anticipations, are not to be
scoffed at, but combated with a mixture of reasoning and patient
forbearance. On her part, she should endeavour to co-operate with those
around her, in sedulously shunning all injurious influences, and in
banishing as quickly as possible all improper longings. She should
remember that, although she herself may escape mischief from them, her
child may suffer. She is the custodian of interests dearer to her than
her own.
RELATION OF HUSBAND AND WIFE DURING PREGNANCY.
During those days when the wife, if she were not pregnant, would have
been 'unwell,' marital intercourse should be abstained from. It is then
injurious to the mother, and dangerous to the life of the child, as it
is liable to excite miscarriage. But if this habitual epoch of the
monthly sickness be avoided, there is no reason why passion should not
be gratified in moderation and with caution during the whole period of
pregnancy. There is one exception to be made to this general course of
conduct. In those cases in which a miscarriage has occurred in the first
pregnancy, every precaution should be employed--for reasons which have
been dwelt upon in a previous article--to prevent its happening again
after the second conception. Under such exceptional circumstances,
therefore, the husband and wife should sleep apart during the first five
months of pregnancy. After that period their ordinary relations may be
resumed. When a miscarriage has taken place, intercourse should not be
permitted within a month of the accident. The observance of this
direction is of the utmost importance. Its neglect is the frequent cause
of severe and intractable diseases of the womb.
EFFECT OF PREGNANCY ON HEALTH.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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