Confidences | Page 6

of each period she should take a bath and change
all clothing. One cannot be too careful about these matters, so essential
to cleanliness and health.
During this period, girls naturally have a feeling of lassitude or
disinclination to do any great mental or physical work, accompanied,
perhaps, by a slight feeling of uneasiness in the pelvic region (the part
of the body that contains the womb and ovaries). Because so many do
suffer at this time, it often is considered "natural" and allowed to
continue, but now that you know so much about the body you will
understand that it is not necessary to have any pains at this period. If
there is pain, it shows that we are not taking proper care of ourselves.
Even our stomach will give us severe pain if we do not take proper care
of it or if we overload it.
The monthly discharge varies in quantity with the individual. Usually
fleshy girls flow more than thin ones, and dark complexioned girls than
light ones. The discharge lasts about four days, and is the only

symptom that many girls experience in menstruation. This usually is
the case with those who are well and whose lives are happily employed.
I wanted you to know all these things, Violet, for sometimes when little
girls do not understand what this flow means they are frightened when
they see the blood. Some women even dread motherhood because they
do not know what to expect at that time nor how to care for themselves.
All women naturally love babies and if taught correctly would want to
have them. If they do not, it usually is because they have known of
other women suffering through ignorance and are afraid. If they would
learn more about these wonderful bodies of ours and more about the
care of little babies, they would understand how to care for themselves
so as to have healthy, happy babies. Not only that but they would see it
was the natural and the best thing for them to have children. In any
work we undertake, in everything we do, there is a possibility of an
accident. So it is in motherhood. A woman in normal health whose
home life is congenial, who loves children and who desires to have one,
never should have any serious trouble nor great pain. Painless
childbirth is a possibility if women only understood the care of
themselves.
The modern athletic girl glories in her strength. She feels it a disgrace
to be a frail flower that cannot enter into the best enjoyment of life. She
glories in her strong, well-trained body. She walks with free yet
graceful step, holding her head high, for she knows she is queen of her
kingdom--her body. Her lungs are well developed and her body well
cared for, so she has no fear of disease. But the modern girl does not
stop there. She wants to have healthy sexual organs with room for
development of the babe, and strong muscles to perform their work in
expelling the babe. So she discards clothing that restricts her organs.
She wears comfortable, well-fitting clothes. The old-fashioned corsets
pushed the organs out of place, but the modern ones, made to conform
to nature's lines, serve only as a support. As nature did not make a waist
line, the one-piece dresses are especially desirable. Besides developing
every organ and muscle of her body and training her mind, the modern
girl goes to a training school to prepare for the mother calling. Recently,
in a few schools, a course of study has been provided for the girls in the

care of children, hygiene and nursing. Even women who never become
mothers themselves in this way learn general principles of psychology,
hygiene and the care of the sick that they might make use of in every
station of life. I hope, Violet, that after a while you will be able to learn
many of these things, so that when you are a grown woman and the
time comes for you to marry and have a baby you will know just how
to care for it.

* * * * *
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. As by the one,
health is preserved, strengthened, and invigorated; by the other, virtue
(which is the health of the mind) is kept alive, cherished, and
confirmed.
Addison.
* * * * *
CHAPTER VI
BUILDING THE NEST
Now that I have told you so many things about the mother-nest,
especially about how it is growing all the time, I must tell you more
about the many helpers you have who assist in its growth. This they do
by providing it with food and by carrying away the waste material. We
found the