Author Archives: juliebyers

While scrounging around my parent’s house, I found the 1966 edition of De Lee’s Obstetrics for Nurses.  Interesting reading and frightening pictures.  Here are a few tidbits:

• The introduction praises the fact that “99% of whites and 85% nonwhites now give birth in hospitals” while the next paragraph expresses fear at the scarcity of OBs and the “coming avalanche of babies.”
• There is pointedly no mention of midwives and those mostly “nonwhites” who give birth outside of hospitals do so “unattended.”
• Aside from the rising birth rate, the other great problem is infant mortality.  It is a “stinging realization that 15 countries have lower infant mortality than the United States.”  (ahem, we have slipped still lower on the list) 
• “Most mothers complete their families by age 30.”
• “It is the nurse who is the constant attendant of the woman in labor.”
• I found it interesting that gentian violet was the only treatment mentioned for yeast infection during pregnancy.  How could the poor pharmaceutical company make any money if that was still prescribed? 
• The ideal weight gain is 15-20 lbs and each pregnant mom must closely monitor her water and salt intake. 

I’m sure I’ll add more morsels of De Lee as I skim along.  The best part is reading my mom’s notes in the margins.