the parts most likely to be compressed, are at such times most in
need of freedom. To a slight degree natural causes always compress
the chest from below upward; and on this account nothing should be
allowed to hamper the expansion of the lungs from side to side. On
the other hand, if the waist is constricted, not the breathing
movements alone but also the growth of the womb will be interfered
with. In order to avoid such disagreeable consequences, and at the
same time to limit the extent of the maternity wardrobe, skirts may
be fitted with practical devices which permit letting out the
waistband as occasion demands. So far as possible, however, all the
clothing should be hung from the shoulders, and under no
circumstances should heavy skirts be worn.

Shoes contribute toward health, or the lack of it, more significantly
than the average person realizes. It is particularly advisable that
prospective mothers should select foot-wear with care, because their
bodies are heavier than usual. The feet are apt to become swollen in
the latter months of pregnancy, and consequently the shoes should be
roomy, but should always fit. To escape the discomfort of tight
shoes, it is generally advisable to wear a shoe an inch longer and
broader than the foot at rest.

High heels have been proved a frequent cause of back-ache; half of
such cases, in all probability, may be thus explained. High heels
tilt the body forward in such a way that the erect posture can be
maintained only by an unnatural tenseness of the back-muscles. Some
strain of this kind is inevitable during the latter months of
pregnancy on account of the enlargement and the position of the womb;
it is reasonable, therefore, to minimize it by wearing low, broad
heels.