The Care and Feeding oe Children. 8oi 



and the rest of life concerns itself with the development and education 

 of that which is now produced. It is therefore vital to the welfare of 

 the future individual to have the best possible environment during this 

 period of fundamental growth. Nature has done her best by hiding the 

 developing baby snugly away where it shall be protected as far as pos- 

 sible from outside interference ; where it can be kept constantly and 

 unchangingly warm ; where its food can be supplied regularly and un- 

 failingly from the blood of the mother ; and where, from day to day, it 

 shall be free as possible from change or disturbance. During the whole 

 prenatal or "" before-birth " period of its existence, the mother supplies 

 both food and environment for the growing organism. It is only through 

 the mother that the child can be reached, that its nutrition and general 

 welfare can be controlled. It is therefore the mother with whom we are 

 primarily concerned. 



Exercise of the right kind is as necessary now as at any time. A false 

 pride should never stand in the way of outdoor exercise. Exercise with 

 a free untroubled mind out of doors keeps both body and brain in better 

 condition, keeps the muscles plastic and strengthens them for the trial 

 which has to be endured. If only more thought were given to this one 

 question of muscular development in women the danger and sufferings 

 of childbirth would be very greatly reduced. Severe, overtaxing exercise 

 or very hard work should be avoided. The ordinary housework instead 

 of being harmful is generally distinctly beneficial. Running a heavy 

 washing machine, working long hours at a sewing machine, bending for 

 hours over fine sewing, fancy work or embroidery, riding horseback, in 

 fact, any long-continued or straining effort should not be attempted by 

 the average woman. In various states the constant hard work with long 

 hours in factories is now regarded as sufficiently detrimental to women 

 during this period to require legislation to prevent it. It should 

 receive equal attention in the home. Overworked, worn-out mothers 

 tend to produce weak, sickly children and weak, sickly children are not 

 an asset to family or community. 



The clothing should be light and loose and warm. The w^earing of 

 tight clothing which constricts waist or abdomen is not only unwise but 

 dangerous both to the health of the mother and to the life of the child. 

 Corsets should be discarded. This is not a time for false pride. 



Fresh air is very important, for the body needs now as never before to 

 rid itself as (|uickly as possible of all poisonous wastes. Well-ventilated 

 sleeping and living rooms, plenty of sunshine and fresh air, outdoor exer- 

 cise whenever possible should be the rule. Growth and development are 

 stimulated by sunshine and fresh air, food is more readily digested and 

 assimilated and the whole organism is in better tone. A tendency to 

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