It is obviously even more harmful during pregnancy than at other times to cramp the body by the clothing; the chest and the abdomen, the parts most likely to be compressed, are at such times most in need of freedom. To a slight degree natural causes always compress the chest from below upward; and on this account nothing should be allowed to hamper the expansion of the lungs from side to side. On the other hand, if the waist is constricted, not the breathing movements alone but also the growth of the womb will be interfered with. In order to avoid such disagreeable consequences, and at the same time to limit the extent of the maternity wardrobe, skirts may be fitted with practical devices which permit letting out the waistband as occasion demands. So far as possible, however, all the clothing should be hung from the shoulders, and under no circumstances should heavy skirts be worn. Shoes contribute toward health, or the lack of it, more significantly than the average person realizes. It is particularly advisable that prospective mothers should select foot-wear with care, because their bodies are heavier than usual. The feet are apt to become swollen in the latter months of pregnancy, and consequently the shoes should be roomy, but should always fit. To escape the discomfort of tight shoes, it is generally advisable to wear a shoe an inch longer and broader than the foot at rest. High heels have been proved a frequent cause of back-ache; half of such cases, in all probability, may be thus explained. High heels tilt the body forward in such a way that the erect posture can be maintained only by an unnatural tenseness of the back-muscles. Some strain of this kind is inevitable during the latter months of pregnancy on account of the enlargement and the position of the womb; it is reasonable, therefore, to minimize it by wearing low, broad heels. Besides being responsible for many cases of backache, high heels add greatly to the danger of tripping and falling; for this reason alone they should not be worn. Improper foot-gear and not the joints themselves deserve the blame for weak ankles. To prevent "turning the ankle," it is not necessary to restrict oneself to high shoes, but merely to see that the shoes that are worn have low heels and broad soles. Such shoes provide a sure, firm footing, and this the prospective mother particularly needs.