The Prospective Mother, a Handbook for Women During PregnancySlemons, J. Morris (Josiah Morris)
Science
The Prospective Mother, a Handbook for Women During Pregnancy
Slemons, J. Morris (Josiah Morris)
Obstetrics; Pregnancy
Very often a slight chill follows labor. It has a nervous origin and
need never give uneasiness; a drink of warm milk, hot-water bags to
the feet, and extra blankets will be sure to make the mother
comfortable. On the other hand, excitement of any kind aggravates
this condition. In general, recently delivered patients must be kept
quiet no matter how well they feel. A few hours of sleep, or, at
least, of repose, are justified by the fatigue incident to labor, and
nothing should be permitted to interfere with it.
METHODS OF REVIVING THE CHILD.--Complications which interfere with
the child's vitality rarely occur when labor proceeds so rapidly that
there is not time to get a doctor. Nevertheless a description of
child-birth would be incomplete without reference to the measures
intended to revive asphyxiated infants.
Such measures aim, first of all, to make the infant breathe for
itself, and if breathing does not begin promptly we resort to
artificial respiration. Mucus in the mouth or in the lower air-
passages hinders the entrance of air into the lungs; consequently it
is the duty of the attendant to remove this mucus by means of gauze
or some light fabric wrapped about a finger and passed backward over
the tongue. In most cases nothing else will be necessary. But if
breathing is not immediately established, the child should be grasped
by the feet with one hand and held downward while its back is
vigorously slapped with the other. Usually, it gasps at once; when it
does not, the attendant may stroke its face and chest with her hand,
which has been previously held in cold water for a moment; or she may
dash a handful of cold water upon its body. With very rare exceptions
these procedures make the child cry.
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