"SHOULD I ADOPT A CHILD?"

So many ask, "Should I adopt a child?" The answer is clear: no, not if you can have one of your own. By all means try first. Conceiving can be fun, and is undertaken by many for its own sake.

A word of warning, however; though you will run few risks during conception, you will enter rapidly into the period of pregnancy, which is fraught with danger.

HOW TO GUARD YOUR HEALTH DURING PREGNANCY

Medical science has long ago solved the problem of the woman during pregnancy. Put your wife in the hands of a good obstetrician and she will be well cared for.

Pregnancy in the woman is normal and healthy. They often develop, even in their faces, a ruddy, full-blown, vigorous appearance.

Unfortunately, little thought has been given, either by medical science or by society as a whole, to the. father during pregnancy.

This is a critical and dangerous period, and during these nine months you can suffer damage, both mental and physical, that may last a lifetime.

Guard Against Colds

The expectant father soon learns that the pregnant woman has an overabundance of natural body heat. If, in her normal condition she likes a room temperature of 72, during pregnancy (and especially in the later stages) she will be snug and warm at 55.

"Davie, doesn't it feel stuffy in here?" "Hadn't noticed it, pet."

(The inside thermometer reads 57°, and a twelve knot gale is blowing in through three open windows. But never complain.)

"Maybe you could open one more window." "They're all open, pet, but I could knock out a wall."

Humor her, but preserve your own delicate system. Take these steps: (1) dress warmly, (2) keep your wife out of doors as much as possible, and (3) plan your periods of pregnancy. This last is best. Having babies in the fall can add: years to the father's life expectancy, and will improve his disposition. This may be done either by the accidental, or "ooops-sorry!" type of conception so common to us all, or by deliberate planning.

Keep Up Your Strength

Keep yourself in trim physically, hard-muscled and well-nourished. This is not as easy as it sounds. During pregnancy your wife will be on a rigorous weight-reduc­ing diet, combined with peculiar and unreasoning desires for food.

Few men can do a hard day's work on a diet of cot­tage cheese, pickles, and grapefruit.

Eat well, have plenty of rest, fresh air, and light exercise. You will be ready for the little one when he arrives. GUARD YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Pregnancy, especially the first pregnancy, is a time of ad­justment. Once you realize that by the simple act of con­ception you have committed yourself irrevocably to a series of events over which you will have virtually no control for the next thirty years, you become mentally a mass of quivering jelly.

If you are the schizophrenic type you may be found alone in dimly lit rooms biting your finger nails. If you veer toward the manic-depressive you may alternate be­tween orgies of buying cribs and play-pens—and periods of muttering brokenly over old check stubs.

Too often weaklings turn to alcohol for relief. Avoid this pitfall if you can.

The solution—if there is one—must come from our women. The keynote will be patience and understanding. The cheerful smile and the gentle phrase can make the difference between a sick mind and a well one.

Avoid Superstition

There is no truth whatever to the old wives' tale that strong mental impressions on the father during pregnancy will mark the child, either for good or evil.

No need, therefore, to guard the purity of your thoughts. Your opportunities to mold your children's characters will be legion, but they will come later, as we will see.

Don't Believe Delivery Dates

Your obstetrician will give your wife a date on which the baby is to arrive. This means absolutely nothing. You can forecast the date of arrival just as accurately with a ouija board or the Farmer's Almanac.

Try to outguess the stork. It will be a pleasant game that both you and your wife can play.

PLAN YOUR DELIVERY DATE

The day of delivery is considered a holiday for the father in all civilized business. Some skillful chaps can even stretch it to two.

For this reason, the well-trained wife never has chil­dren on weekends. She tries, too, to have them at a con­venient hour.

Persuade her to feel the first pangs of childbirth at about 7:30 or 8:00 a.m., on any day from Monday through Friday. It may take a few babies to acquire the proper skill, but you will find it worth the effort. You avoid interrupting sleep, and can catch yourself before leaving—and preferably before dressing—for the office.

If you do have time to choose your clothes, dress sim­ply. No need to be elaborate. A sport coat, flannel slacks of good dark gray and loafers or tassel oxfords are best A tie is optional if you wear a sport shirt. Better not shave. This creates an impression of boyish confusion.

WHAT TO DO TILL THE DOCTOR COMES

One has only to observe a Parent-Teachers meeting to see the appalling number of gray heads among relatively youthful fathers. How many of these turned gray over­night—and how needlessly!

Your first childbirth need not be the shattering ex­perience it is for so many.

Too often, as the date approaches, the father becomes a trembling hulk, pacing nervously from room to room, checking the car for high-speed starting, and making trial runs to the hospital.

No need for all this, no need to leave your motor run­ning or to sleep with your boots on. It takes longer than you can imagine to have a baby. Even if you dawdle in getting your wife to the hospital, she will be there for hours before anything happens.

Once you have put your wife in the hospital's hands, you will be treated as though you had no part in the en­terprise, regardless of all you have been through in the past nine months.

Go home, nurse your wounds. You will be telephoned when the baby arrives.

BRACE YOURSELF

The first sight of your child may be something of a shock. You will expect that he, or she, will be a mirror of your own fine qualities and that this will be apparent from the start.

No matter what you look like, this will not be the case. Regardless of what enthusiastic relatives will say, during the first week or so babies do not look like anybody.

However he (or she) will be all yours—and so will all the joys and all the problems that go with him. Prepare yourself carefully. You are entering a dangerous period.

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