A brother for Susan (1952)

Until now, Susan's been an only child. She's a lucky girl in many ways, but there's one thing she's always wanted, and that is a brother or a sister. And now, at last, after waiting so long, she hears from her father and mother that she's going to have one. She's so excited that she wants to get everything ready today. But it will be several months before the baby's born. Plenty of time to make all the necessary preparations, and time for Susan to knit some baby clothes. It's Saturday, pocket money day, so she can go off and buy knitting needles and wool to start on a little jacket. Susan's old enough to want to know as much as possible about the growth and birth of a new member of the family. It takes a baby 9 months of development before it's born. But it looks as though Butterfinger Susan will need most of that time in which to finish the jacket. How many more dropped stitches are there going to be before it's done, I wonder? And yet Susan isn't a child. Susan is an adolescent and she's already started on her menstrual period. As the weeks pass, she manfully struggles on with her gift to the new baby, but she evidently finds it very hardgoing. During pregnancy, a mother must make sure that the baby growing inside her body can have a good start in life. She should have a healthy, balanced dart and live a normal life, housework as usual. And she must take plenty of exercise, swimming if she's used to it, and get as much fresh air as possible, walks in the countryside or in the park. She must learn to breathe deeply and relax, for nature intends her to feel better than she ever felt before. But this doesn't mean that she doesn't need rest. She should put her feet up whenever possible. Oh dear, Susan's in trouble with her knitting again. Will it ever be ready in time? And mother should also get plenty of refreshing sleep and fun and entertainment, too. In fact, she should lead a normal, happy life because having a baby is a perfectly natural process. Susan's mother accepts the help of modern science by paying regular visits to the antiatal clinic. Here her health and the baby's development are carefully watched and records are kept of every detail during the 9 months before the birth. The doctor's examinations reveal not only the mother's general condition, but also the size and position of the baby. Although at 3 and 1/2 months, he's very tiny, about 4 in long. Now, at 5 months, the baby is over 8 in long and weighs about 6 and 1/2 oz. His eyes are closed, but tooth buds have already developed in his gums and muscles under his skin. With her stethoscope, the doctor could hear his heart beating. His position in the uterus is not fixed, and he can move about. And now at 6 months, you can see that he's changed his position a little. But by 7 months, the position in the uterus has become more fixed. He's still curled up, his head downwards as it should be at birth. He makes small movements on his own and is fully developed with hair on his head and nails on his fingers and toes. If he were prematurely born now, he would stand a good chance of living, provided he were given careful attention and kept warm, as he hasn't yet developed a covering of fat. And now at 9 months, he's a fullterm infant ready to be born. It's a long time since the day that Susan heard news of the coming baby. The birth will be very soon now, and mother has finished her preparations. But what about Susan's jacket? Will it be ready in time? She takes it to school to try and finish it in break and in the dinner hour. Soon afterwards, mother knows that the time has come for father to call the nurse. She's begun to feel the first muscular movements of the uterine wall, the beginning of what is called labor. At full term, before labor begins, the uterus is relaxed and the baby's head is downward. But when the muscular contractions begin, mother lies down to get into an easy and comfortable position. The baby is entirely surrounded by fluid, the waters contained in a bag of membranes. This fluid protects him and in particular his head when the uterus begins to contract. Here you can see the waters which protect him. The umbilical cord which joins him to the placenta from which he draws his food. The cervix or neck of the uterus which has to open to let his head pass through and the birth canal. The process of labor has several stages. When the uterine muscles first contract, gradually opening the cervix, the contractions are intermittent so that mother and baby can have periods of rest. During this stage, the mother should not tie herself by trying to help but should relax completely. Later, the muscular contractions become more frequent. The cervix opens and the baby's head gradually passes into the canal. The membranes holding the bag of water rupture and release the fluid which passes out of the body. Now the baby's head turns upwards into the birth canal. As it slips through, the skilled hands of the midwife or doctor draw him out. He starts to breathe and a new baby is born. Susan knows nothing yet of what's been happening at home. School routine goes on as usual. But at last, the long form message comes. She's to go home quickly. And doesn't she rush? A boy or a girl, father? It's a boy. Susan's got a baby brother. After the effort of childbirth, mother has had a good sleep. And now she's happily waiting to show the new baby to Susan, who simply can't wait to see him. And here he is, the baby brother she's waited so long for. She can hardly believe he's real and alive. Suddenly, the whole process of birth seems to her to be the most wonderful thing in the world. Mother wants to hold him. She's feeling very pleased with herself. Of course, he's the most beautiful baby ever born. And father doesn't seem to think he's too bad either. And now Susan can give him his first present, the little jacket just finished in time.