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  Build me straight, O worthy Master! 
    Staunch and strong, a goodly vessel
  That shall laugh at all disaster,
    And with wave and whirlwind wrestle!

  Longfellow.

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CHAPTER V

THE BABY’S NEST

You remember, Violet, I told you that although mothers do not have to build nests, yet they have to take good care of them so they will grow strong.

As the natural desire of every girl is to become a mother some time, she must begin very early to prepare for it.  By exercise, fresh air, and good, nourishing food, she should make her body grow strong and well.  By studying she will develop her mind so as to be fitted to care for and to teach her child.  Shall I tell you some ways you can make the nest grow strong?

First, I shall tell you more things about this mother nest.  Although it and the tiny ovules are growing all the time, yet there are greater changes in them when the girl is from twelve to fourteen years old.  About this time they grow faster than at any other time.  As these organs grow, the pelvis, or the part of the body that contains them, also must grow to make room for them.  So the hips begin to grow broader.  Other parts of the body grow faster at this time, too, and often some parts grow so much faster than others that they are out of proportion, and the child becomes clumsy and feels awkward.  But that will not last long, for after a while the parts that are growing slowly will catch up to the ones that grew fast, and then the body will be graceful again.  Have you ever watched a young puppy?  You know how clumsy and awkward it is while it is growing, but after a while, when it is fully grown, it will be very graceful.

We know it is not wise to run or play or work hard right after eating a large meal, for then the stomach is working very hard and needs a great deal of extra energy, so the other muscles must rest a while, in order to let it have it.

You remember, I told you, Violet, that every month, or every twenty-eight days, there was an extra amount of blood carried to the womb which it had to send out of the body.  Of course that requires the womb to work very hard for a few days, so, in order to help it, we must be careful not to take any severe exercise at this time or overexert ourselves in any way, for, if we did, the womb would not be able to do its extra work properly.

You remember, I told you this flow, which we call the menstrual flow, was the sign of the possibility of motherhood, so every girl should be glad of the fact that she menstruates and should take good care of herself at that time.  She should pay especial attention to cleanliness during this period.  She should be provided with a circular girdle of some strong material cut upon the bias, so it may be elastic,