FAMILY MEDICAL CARE: PREGNANCY. SENSIBLE CARE PAYS OFF

Normal pregnancy can be lots of fun.

There is no need to treat it as a time of abnormality, or difficulty or peculiar hardship. In fact, the more ' 'normal'' and ' 'natural'' it can be regarded in all aspects, the more normal and natural it will prove to be.

Many difficulties are predominantly in the mind. Think right and act right, and the entire excursion will be a pleasure that you will recall with tenderness for many years to come.

There are so many foolish notions still abounding that many younger women have an intrinsic fear nagging at them from the moment they conceive.

This is frequently accentuated by vociferous, but perhaps well-meaning acquaintances. (They could not be called ' 'friends.'')

If you hear these voices of despair, ignore them completely. Cut off these people from your list of social contacts. You are far better without them and their despairing talk of failure and difficulty. There is no place for negative thinking when a baby is coming to your house.

The entire procedure must be surrounded by an atmosphere of success, of achievement and, above all, happiness. By thinking in this manner, and acting accordingly, your life will be a pleasant one, and the end-product will be one of which you (and your family) will be proud.

The key to living over the next several months is an accent on normal. "I am normal in every respect," you may tell yourself regularly. "This is one of the greatest events of my life. Every day will be another milestone in the course of my pregnancy. I intend to make it a happy day. I intend to live normally in every respect."

This is the first approach. Then, live up to what you tell yourself. Your doctor will tell you the same thing, even though he may use different words.

Now, seeing everything is so nice and normal, consider some of the corollaries of this.

*69/76/5*

GENERAL HEALTH