Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Pregnancy
PREGNANCY, a certain state of the animal body, which requires no farther explanation.
The first duty of persons, in that prosperous condition is, a constant and redoubled attention to all the surrounding and occasional causes which may be productive of injurious effects on their constitution. Thus, prudent mothers will greatly contribute to the future health and welfare of their children, by avoiding every violent and depressing passion; living regularly in all respects; and especially by taking proper or moderate exercise in the open air. These few hints cannot with too great earnestness be impressed on the female mind; as every comfort, or misery, connected with family life, will, in a great measure, depend on the conduct pursued during that important crisis. Hence persons, thus situated, ought to be extremely vigilant over the vagrant effusions of fancy, and not suffer themselves to be misled by the frequent, though momentary, impulse of an excited imagination: the happy consequences of such a system would be felt by future generations; because every neglect, of which they are guilty at this period, cannot fail to be productive of physical and moral detriment to those who are the dearest pledges of their existence. Nor should they indulge, beyond the bounds of reason, in the eating of any strange dish, or drinking particular liquors, to which they are not accustomed; as desires of this nature must be ascribed to an unnatural appetite.
It is an indisputable truth, that in the present improving state of society, we possess no distinct treatise on a subject of the highest importance to the prosperity of mankind; namely, a popular work on pregnancy, in which scientific rules are delivered with such a degree of delicacy as to convey plain instructions, in a correct and pleasing manner. Until this great desideratum be fulfilled, we are inclined to repeat the just complaints of Socrates against his cotemporaries, that they cultivated the art of rearing good horses, but neglected that of educating their children.