MOTHERHOOD AND MODESTY.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 33, 20 October 1911, Page 13

MOTHERHOOD AND MODESTY.

A young woman who.se duty it is to instruct elder school girls . in the ; science and art of housewifery, has h&d some peculiar experiences. The of such a subject in rural re- ' treats is an entirely new 'departure on the part of the education authorities and the teacher- has had to endure ; something of the hardships of a pioneer. In addition to the ordinary duties of a housewife, the course includes occasional talks on motherhood ajid child-rearing, and it is here that she 13 met with an extraordinary prejudice oai the part of the mothers and an almost, incredible shame on the part of the girls. When she emphasises the importance of feeding children on Nature's own provision—mother's milk— these almost grown-up girls either ftlush deeply or break into giggles. '' Aain't teachei* rude!" '■ she hea-rd one girl blushingly remark, while one of the mothers explained that ' 'Oi think it be time enough to talk of such : things when the babies come." The widespread existence of such stupid prejudice came as a shock to the modem, healthy-minded young lecturer,and she has set herself the heroic task of .. ..■■.. ;;; ; .: . . ■ . -; . CLEANING THE PRURIENT COBWEBS from these girls' "minds. While the subject of motherhood is viewed with ridiculous.- modesty, and levity, by the future -_ mothers of the race, their offspring will 1 and can only be jerrybuilt* Motherhood'is the most beautiful thing * in ail-the universe; and La. mother nourishing a babe at her breast is the world's sweetest an d"'most vv holeso mo symbol. Religions have .exalted it. into an object of worship/ while poets and artists have drawn from it their main inspiration. A young lady was heard 5 to , say recently: "No really refined woman would feed her baby at the breast V , Refined woman, forsooth! If her standard of "refinement" becomes much "more popular, we-eh all expect to see motherhood "represented in the aat of. the future by the picture of a dairyman's milk-can or an exaggerated bottle.- Such models of refinement shonld be above bearing children at all. They might even'form a special cult and call it "The Neuter Gender.' , THE-'WAY OF NATURE. A comparison of the results of natural feeding and artifeeding is overwhelmingly in favour of the former. Nothing can quite take the place of that v vital and wonderful fluid with which Nature provides the mother. Nature's alchemist knows the exact proportions of the elements necessary to a baby's proper nourishment, and if givon: a fair chance .never makes an error. Mother's in ilk is pure, - free from injurious gerrris, and distilled at a temperature which, is adapted to the child's, powers' of digestion. There-a re", of eotirse, good and scientifically propared .artificial foods, but not even, of •the best of them can so much be said. With regard to cow's milk, it may be all very well -when- milked into a pail, or drawn by v tho young calf for its-own nourishment. But when we have skimmed, it. watered it, and filled it with ehem-ical preservatives ■ for domestic consumption j it becomes a very different matter. Let it be said once more —a baby's..birthright. i.s its mother's milk, and cow's or condensed- milk, specially prepared 'foods,.- otc. (however good)- are only is. Many mothers are nowadays, of coursej compelled to resort, to nrliticisl■-.methods beeausa.tlio au-fxil and '.social conditions dry up Nature's .generous supply, anil we look forward to the day when these things -ne-ed not be. A NURSING MOTHER'S DIET. .The life bi a nursing mother is one of supreme self-denial. Her • emotion's must- be kept we'll m , band, .she should have plenty of outdoor exercise, and her diet should bo regulated,, regardless of her personal likes and dislikes, and for Die well-being of the little life that depends, on her own. She must cat liberally of' light, nourish my; food, and teke plenty of liiilk and oggft. All fluids consumed should be oi a .specially nutritions nature. 1 he. common habit Of taking stout or porter- to pvo.diicc- an abutuTancn of mil?r is n mistake. So also is the taking of iniK\b , tea ' or coffee. A • nursing mother will iin.l that a breakfastcup ful of milk, a good chocolate, a nourishing cocoa, an , , superior "to any fbrro of alcohol as jivilk-produeors. The value of cahme-al for a nursing mother should not ba . forgotten. A good basin of milk-oatmeal- gruel, or, to ring the changes, somo favourite preparation oi' diet-food -taken.tho-last thing at night... a- safe and strong sta.nd-by. She should e-at wholemeal bread, instead of tbe white variety and plenty of farmaee.O'Vis milk .. puddings. Meat sliould not be taken in excessive : quantities, if at all, and red meat

should certainly not bo taken more than once a day-7-preferably at midday. Otherwise,' baby's digestion is sure to suffer. Should the milk be poor in quality or quantity, it is well to seek to huild up the mother by generous living rather than by immediately giving the baby artificial food. If a young mother can only nurse for a short time, it is well to do so, and thus accustom the child gradually to the new regime.