Why some women are ashamed of pregnancy is hard for normal-minded people
to understand, for the praise of motherhood has been sung by the
greatest poets and its glory depicted by the greatest painters of the
world.
This sense of false modesty is responsible for much of the tight lacing
during pregnancy. This is injurious to both the mother and the child,
and is one of the reasons for various uncomfortable sensations. It helps
to bring on the morning sickness. It is nature's intention that the
young should be free and comfortable previous to birth, and for this
reason a double bag is supplied between the walls of which there is
fluid. The baby lies within the inner bag.
The tight lacing prevents the intended freedom, besides weakening the
mother's muscles. It also aggravates any tendency there may be toward
constipation and swelling of the legs. It prolongs childbirth and makes
it more painful. This is too high a price to pay for false modesty and
vanity.
If it is necessary to support the abdomen and the breasts for the sake
of comfort, this can be done without compressing them and the support
should come from the shoulders.
The skin should be given good attention, for an active skin helps to
keep the blood pure and the circulation normal.
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