What a Young Wife Ought to KnowDrake, Emma F. Angell (Emma Frances Angell)
Science
What a Young Wife Ought to Know
Drake, Emma F. Angell (Emma Frances Angell)
Infants -- Care; Marriage; Women -- Health and hygiene
To my mind the writer of this criticism has shown far less wisdom
than those who appointed as delegates, unmarried women. What better
preparation for motherhood, than listening to the wise discussions
relative to the care and training of children? Hence the convention is
conserving the wisest purpose when it admits as delegates the young and
unmarried women. Had I the appointing power I would make at least half
the delegates from this class.
All the way from childhood onward, the wise mother will be instilling
truths into the minds of her daughters, that will be along the line
of preparation for motherhood. The early teaching of truth, the early
knowledge of self and sex relations, the right estimate of marriage, all
these lessons are preparing the way for the later knowledge that precedes
motherhood.
From the wedding day, the young matron should shape her life to the
probable and desired contingency of conception and maternity. Otherwise
she has no right or title to wifehood.
While it has been proven that transient states of the parents have
far less influence upon the offspring, than fixed habits of mind, yet
much can be done by way of amending defects, and fixing admirable and
desired traits in character, which before had been transient, and thus
influencing with greater power the minds of the offspring.
Let this be always remembered that the stronger and more beautiful the
mother becomes, the more lovely will be her children. Soul-gardeners
should all mothers be in a peculiar sense, that the children which shall
be given her, may have good soil in which to generate and grow during
antenatal life.
No sacrifice should be considered too great for her to make, that this
end may be conserved. As soon as she discovers herself pregnant, she
should modify her clothing to the comfort and healthfulness of herself
and baby. If she have already learned how to dress healthfully, she will
need to make few changes in the early months. No weight of clothing
should be allowed to rest upon the hips; everything must be supported
from the shoulders. The skirt and waist can be fashioned in one garment,
and so made that they can be let out to accommodate themselves to the
growing need. The dainty and pretty maternity gowns are everything that
can be desired, and can be so diversified that they meet all the wants
of taste and change. Patterns for these can be bought at any reliable
pattern house, and the gown can be made as elaborate as fancy dictates.
The union suit of underclothing, the union skirt and waist combined, and
the gown, are all that should be worn throughout the entire period. If
more warmth is needed it should be given in the undergarments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account