Some of the darkest, and some of the brightest pictures of life, hung on the walls of memory, have been painted for me in the birth chamber. Bright when the little newborn soul is welcomed to a mother’s arms and love; love that is months long and deep. Dark when there has been a bitter rebellion that she must be a mother at all, and the little one comes into an empty heart and unwilling arms.
Another class of pictures comes to me; of the children trained by these mothers. The one class, children who are angry and rebellious that more little ones must come into the home, prepared to greet them with a hateful welcome, and looking upon their parents with a jealous distrust, thinking they must be in some way responsible for this unhappy state of affairs. Is it not true that such children are but the echo of their parents’ hearts? The other class of children, looking with love for the advent6 of the new brother or sister, cherishing it more and more every day, and giving their parents loving confidence.
Two of the bright pictures come to my mind. A little daughter who had been wisely taught where babies are first cradled, became in her seventh year a little woman in comfort and care-taking consideration of the dear mamma. “What can I do to help you, mamma, dear? and if you should be taken sick all alone here, you would call me and let me help you, wouldn’t you, mamma?” were questions often heard, and they sank freighted with comforting love, into the mother’s heart. This same daughter is now budding into womanhood and prepared to meet all its responsibilities and temptations,[181] and yet withal, modest and winning in her girlish, wise womanliness.
Another picture. I was called one night to attend a lady in her fifth confinement. The husband had come for me and leaving me at the door of his home had gone for the nurse. On entering, I found the only attendant of the mother, her twelve year old son. With her hands in his, and his face full of sympathy and anxiety for her suffering, he was giving her all the assistance that he could. Quiet and dignified7 he left the room as I entered, but not before I had read in his face the lesson that had sunk into his very soul; that mothers suffered for their children, and for this should have all the love and tender consideration they could give them. He was not an attractive boy, nor a tractable8 one, but the dear mother had taken the very safest means to hold him to herself, and a mother-anchored boy or girl will not go far wrong.
So much for some retrospects9 of the birth chamber, and now to the plain practical knowledge needed for those who are to experience its realities.
In reckoning the period of gestation10 the rule most easily followed is this. Add seven days to the date of the last menstruation, and[182] count ahead nine months, or backward three months, and you have the probable time of confinement. Should you pass this time you would probably go on for two weeks, as the most susceptible11 times for conception to take place are in the week following menstruation or a couple of days preceding the next period; which makes a difference of two weeks in the calculation.
If the bowels12 have been kept open by proper diet and care, and if the patient has kept up her daily exercise and baths, she will come to the birth chamber well prepared and it need have no terrors for her.
To-day when an?sthetics are given as a rule, not an exception, the chief bugbear of the parturient is lost or charmed away. It does not need that the an?sthetic be given to a surgical13 degree, but simply sufficient to take away the severity of the pain. I have found for the lying-in room the most satisfactory an?sthetic to be the one, two, three, mixture; by which I mean a mixture of alcohol, chloroform, and ether, in the proportion of one part of alcohol, two parts of chloroform, and three parts of ether. These parts may be varied15 however as the attending physician desires. It is not a quick an?sthetic, but serves every purpose needed, unless[183] full an?sthesia is sought. The patient can manage this herself, and it thus serves two purposes, giving her something beside her discomfort16 to think of, and taking away the pain so that there is little left to think about.
Take a light drinking glass, fill half full of absorbent cotton, and drop a few drops of the mixture upon it; at the beginning of a pain, or a little before, take a half dozen full breaths, and the pain is toned down to a very bearable thing. The patient can hold the glass, and there is no danger of her taking too much, as her hand will drop when she has enough to render her a little drowsy17. This should rarely be given, until the second stage of labor begins, as it will sometimes retard18 if given in the first stage.
In the last few days before labor, there is often a nervous restlessness on the part of many women which can easily be appeased19 by the physician. A few questions, an examination if necessary, the quiet assurance that everything is all right, will do much to quiet the unrest. The home friends can likewise aid in this by judiciously20 suggesting changes, and recreation a little out of the ordinary, or a loved visitor will tide over the intervening days beautifully.
There are at times during the last few days, pains that simulate labor pains, and make the time drag heavily. Try and put by all thoughts of anxiety, as you will have warning sufficient to give you time for every needed preparation. Should your pains come with any degree of regularity21, consult your physician about it, that he may be on his guard and prepared for a call at any moment. As soon as you have the premonition of regular pains, unless the bowels have moved freely already that day, they should be moved by a full enema or injection. During the waiting time occupy yourself as pleasantly as possible, keeping about the house or room, until obliged to take to the bed, as the time will seem shorter and you can aid much by keeping about on the feet. Be cheerful, courageous22, and strong; remembering all the time that you are only fulfilling a natural law, and that the large majority of cases are simple and uncomplicated, and give no trouble whatever.
Let no one into the room who has not a cheery word to say and a bright face to give strength to the word. Long faces and solemnity are not wanted here, but joy and gladness that the mystery of birth, the coming into life of a new creation, is to be enacted23, and[185] this her time of “deliverance” should be celebrated24 with joy.
Should any foolish one dare whisper, banish25 them at once, and see to it that they do not return. If you fear to offend, send them on some needed errand that will take several hours, and pray that it will all be over before they return to rejoice with you.
There are three well marked stages of labor. The first is perhaps to the novice26 the most tedious, as one cannot see the progress made, and there is a feeling that nothing is being accomplished27. This first stage is what is familiarly called the getting-ready stage, that is, the opening of the mouth of the uterus, ready for the expulsion of the child. Many women keep about their work, paying but little attention to this stage, while a goodly number are unconscious of it entirely28, the contractions29 taking place in so orderly a manner, that no pain is felt, or if any, very slight. At this stage if tedious, a good sitz bath will afford comfort, and aid in the regular contractions. Often most of the discomfort at this time is because of nervousness. Keep cool, jolly and cheerful and all will go well.
When there is a natural desire to bear down with a pain, the second or expulsive[186] stage has begun. Then you may administer your an?sthetic, giving as described above.
Often this stage is very short and easily borne, as the patient can note the progress made, and sees the end nearer. A recent patient who had had two children before, felt very little discomfort during the first stage, and recognizing the beginning of the second, remarked at the first pain, “That was not very hard, but think how many more there must be.” The next pain came, and she had hardly time to reach the bed, before the little one was ushered30 into existence. The chances are that if your dress has been hygienic, your exercise what it should have been, your baths kept up faithfully, that you will be one of those who will be surprised at the ease of your labor.
The second stage terminates with the birth of the child. A rest follows this of from a quarter to a half an hour, when follows the expulsion of the placenta, or afterbirth, which is the third stage.
A word here as to the best method of tying the placentic cord. A fancy obtains among a few physicians that the cord need not be tied, if the child is not severed31 from the mother until the cord has ceased to pulsate32. However this may be, I am sure you will feel more secure if the cord is well tied. The latest and most approved method and one which is surest to prevent hemorrhage, is this. Tie the placentic cord at a distance of about three inches from the body of the child, sever14 it just beyond the place where it is tied, then fold it back and with the same thread tie the placentic cord again an inch from the child, leaving the loop of cord as it is, until it dries and falls off. The fold and double tie make assurance doubly sure as far as hemorrhage is concerned.
The rest which follows the close of labor, rest of body and mind, can be understood only when experienced, no words can explain it. The labor is over, all that has been told you of terror and danger has not been yours, and the pain is all forgotten in the joy that a child is born, is yours, and you hug it to your heart for very joy. Cherish it, dear mother, rejoice in it, and train it to become a truly great child of a noble mother.
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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tractable
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| adj.易驾驭的；温顺的 | |
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retrospects
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| n.回顾，回想( retrospect的名词复数 )v.回顾，回想( retrospect的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gestation
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| n.怀孕；酝酿 | |
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susceptible
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| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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14
sever
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| v.切开，割开；断绝，中断 | |
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15
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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17
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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retard
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| n.阻止，延迟；vt.妨碍，延迟，使减速 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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judiciously
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| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
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regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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25
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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novice
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| adj.新手的，生手的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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29
contractions
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| n.收缩( contraction的名词复数 )；缩减；缩略词；（分娩时）子宫收缩 | |
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ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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pulsate
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| v.有规律的跳动 | |
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