pregnancy-msg - 6/1709
Pregnancy in period. Handling it in the SCA.
NOTE: See also the files: children-msg, babies-msg, teething-toys-msg, baby-gifts-msg, child-clothes-msg, clothing-MN-msg.
************************************************************************
NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.
Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: orilee at xerox.com (Orilee Ireland-Delfs)
Subject: Re: Need Pennsic Info - bring camper?
Organization: Xerox Corporation, Webster NY
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 16:50:58 GMT
I attended Pennsic 8 1/2 months pregnant with my second child (she was born
in Sept.) and lived out of our tent as usual.
I made sure we had a reasonable proximation of a real bed to
sleep on so I was off the ground and had some padding. A camp cot works
just fine (kept me from attempting to roll onto my back which was my
biggest problem : )
I did not plan on doing much and if I did leave camp it was for
short periods of time (short shopping trips, etc.)
Just make sure you are close to a port-a-privy for those midnight
callings!
Reasonably comfortable chairs and an understanding going in that
you will take it easy while you are there (wait on her a lot!)
Pennsic will consider she has a medical condition and be sure to
note it on her registration at the Gate.
You may also wish to discuss the trip with her doctor (mine wasn't
keen on the idea but told me he couldn't tell me not to go). You will
need to consider adding time to the trip since she shouldn't ride for
more than 2 hours without getting out and walking (and add the extra
potty breaks as well).
The only other issues are keeping cool - lots of lightweight full garb -
make sure she has plenty of liquid to drink (water and fruit juice),
eats regularly, and gets plenty of sleep.
I must admit that I felt the most in-persona when I was pregnant at the
War!
As long as she is healthy and has an uncomplicated pregnancy, she should
do fine even without the camper.
(I would also be prepared for the possibility of early delivery with,
at least, her physician's name and phone number as well as any information
on medical conditions or alergies that will affect her delivery).
Good luck!
Orianna
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Need Pennsic Info - bring camper?
From: una at bregeuf.stonemarche.org (Honour Horne-Jaruk)
Date: Sat, 29 Apr 95 15:38:58 EDT
cerdic at mcmi.com (david h corson) writes:
> Okay, so some folks do just fine pregnant at the War, but I seem to
> remember almost loosing a friend at PW 13---and the child, due to not
> enough food or liquid.....Alizonde(sp) are you there to comment????
> Anyhow, Please think this through very carefully, we really do not want
> to deal with a birth at the War......
> Elaina of Oaklawn, who uses a bed because at her age the floor is just
> too hard to get up from, and so understands the need for one......
> Elaina, Information Officer, PW24
Respected friend:
I was Pregnant at pennsic, I did get sick at Pennsic (I get sick
at every Pennsic, I have a chronic illness that does that sort of thing to
people)... but my pregnancy was never in any medical danger. I was
hospitalized _overnight_, for _monitoring_, after catching the Pennsic
Plague. I know I was back on-site the next day; I've got pictures of Amber
putting a Laurel medallion around the neck of someone wearing my garb, and
jewelery, and hair. (And I would _so_ love pictures of the front of me, from
any source whatsoever... I think my son thinks I hatched him.)
I was also at TYC, where one of the attending Royals left the site
to give birth to a daughter and returned to walk in the next day's procession.
Pregnancy in an otherwise-healthy adult is less dangerous under camping
conditions than is medical obesity under the same circumstances.
I was dehydrated due to to the flulike illness that also laid low
so many fighters, cooks, jongleurs and (other) merchants. I took better care
of myself than most of them did, specifically because I was pregnant, and
recieved lavish attention for the same reason. Alex was born not only
full-term, but at three weeks, one day _after_ his due date. (16 Oct., to be
precise.) Obviously Pennsic did neither of us any lasting harm.
A birth occurring while the mother was away from home would be an
inconvenience, especially for her relatives who wouldn't get to harass her
in the hospital as easily as they could at home. But it would be nothing more.
Unless the mother was a complete mute, she would not have a chance of
actually giving birth _at_ Pennsic. Somebody would call the medics in plenty
of time.
Please don't worry. They're planning ahead, they have plans in place,
and they've got at least as good a chance of being just fine as does any of
the one thousand airheaded 19-year-olds who will show up with no warm clothes
and no clue.
Remember, I wasn't healthy _before_ I got pregnant. And I did just
fine.
Yours in service to the Society-
(Friend) Honour Horne-Jaruk R.S.F.
Alizaunde, Demoiselle de Bregeuf C.O.L. SCA
Una Wicca (That Pict)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: ojid.wbst845 at xerox.com (Orilee Ireland-Delfs)
Subject: Re: Costuming and Pregnancy
Organization: Xerox Corporation, Webster NY
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 1996 17:50:47 GMT
First of all, I agree with Tangwystyl - if you've never done any form of
camping or even if you've camped but are new to the SCA, camping at 6-7 months
pregnant is something to seriously consider not doing. I've done Pennsic for a
week at 8 months, but that was with my second pregnancy and having been in the
SCA for a *lot* of years. If you wish to attend 30 year, I recommend finding
accomodations that are not camping (a local hotel or motel) where you can have
hot and cold running water, flushing toilets, a real bed, and AIR CONDITIONING
(at that stage of your pregnancy, you will need all of the above). Conversely,
attend smaller events now to get a feel for what you are getting yourself in for
and save big events (like xx yr celebrations) for later when you are more comfortable and know what you are in for.
Garb - there have been some good suggestions. Many periods had garb that was
ideally suited for pregnancy and was generally very easy to make. You will want
it loose and cool.
Whatever you do, be aware that it is very easy to overtire and dehydrate at
events (even one day events) and it is especially easy to do when pregnant.
Take it easy and don't try to do everything at once. There will be plenty of
opportunities to see and do all there is to do at future events.
Orianna Fridrikskona
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 16:47:47 -0800
From: "Crystal A. Isaac" <crystal at pdr-is.com>
Subject: Re: SC - very OOP & OT
Excellent documentation for medieval pregancies:
Rowland, Beryl, editor and translator. _Medieval Woman's Guide to
Health: The First English Gynecological Handbook_. Published by Kent
State University Press, Kent Ohio. 1981. ISBN 0-87338-243-9
It even has drawings of the various ways a fetus can be positioned
within the womb, perhaps a precursor to ultrasound pictures?
Crystal
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0600 (CST)
From: jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Subject: [Sca-cooks] obstetrical food question...
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Um, nobody may have mentioned it, but one of the reasons I've been pretty
peripatetic on the list is that I'm expecting a baby boy, due before
February 23, 2009. (We also moved to NJ a couple of months ago, just to
make everything more interesting, and most of my books are still packed.)
As a result, I've been re-reading some of my period obstetrical texts
(well, trust me, with Gestational Diabetes the modern 'you're having a
baby' books are less than helpful anyway) and came across the statement in
the _Rosegarden for Pregnant Women and Midwives_ that before a certain
point in the pregnancy one should eat costive foods, and towards the end,
laxative foods. This squares with advice from my nurse-practitioner, who
pointed out that getting the runs is sometimes considered a good way to
provoke labor.
Now, I'm familiar with the usual list of *modern* foods that *are* costive
(Bananas, Dark Chocolate, Rice, Tea, Applesauce, etc.) and that fresh
fruit in particular are usually considered laxative, both in period and
today. In fact, anything with high amounts of fiber is now considered
laxative.
But, since I can't lay my hands on my copy of Galen On Food and Diet, can
people suggest some other period/modern 'laxative' foods?
--
-- Jenne Heise / Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:00:40 -0500
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] obstetrical food question...
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
On Jan 27, 2009, at 3:31 PM, jenne at fiedlerfamily.net wrote:
<<< But, since I can't lay my hands on my copy of Galen On Food and
Diet, can people suggest some other period/modern 'laxative' foods? >>>
http://books.google.com/books?id=j30JqDTWqFEC&pg=PA294&lpg=PA294&dq=Andrew+Boorde+Diet&source=bl&ots=fzxQ8oUmsH&sig=vWPusPmsUGGe9Mv90E19xaEkcLw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA299,M1
Or here:
This'll get you to Google Books and Andrew Boorde's (he was a big
Galen devotee, as I recall) views on the subject. Among other things
he says,
"They that hath any of the iiii kyndes of the Idropyses /
must refraine from al thynges the which be constupat and costyue, and
use all thynges the which be laxatyue /
nuttes, and dry almondes, and hard chese is poyson to them; a ptysane
and posset ale made with colde herbes doth comfort them."
It sounds like he's thinking in pretty basic humoral terms, with the
things that open the chest (or in this case, the bowels), versus
closing them. I thought nuts, being high in fiber, would be considered
a laxative food, but hard cheese, at least in period viewpoints, is
definitely not one, so it sounds like he's telling a constipated
person (that being one form of dropsy) to avoid nuts, dry almonds, and
hard cheese, in favor of a nice cooling posset...
Adamantius
<the end>