ABSTRACT
The Victorian woman’s life would never be quite the same with the birth of her first child. Most of her thoughts, her worries, and her energies would revolve around her child, and with each child the responsibilities grew more and more intense. She did not feel confident in the adequacy of her maternal instincts and so she worried continually about her child and its care. Her major concern was for the child’s health. With every sickness of childhood, the mother’s anxieties heightened. Even the most basic aspects of child care, for example, feeding and discipline, were to create serious problems for her. She continually sought advice on the best method of care for her child. But in the end, as was the case with her own health, there was very little she could do to improve the child’s situation given the limited means available and the traditionalism which still maintained a strong hold on this part of her life.
