18th Century toddler
Gentle Readers; This post is in honor of Jane Austen’s 235th birthday. I have joined a group of bloggers in a blogfabulous celebration, and their links will sit at the bottom of this post. Leave your comments on our blogs for an opportunity to win an array of unique prizes! Copyright @Jane Austen’s World
Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 during one of the harshest winters that would be recorded in recent memory in England. A premature cold wave prompted naturalist Gilbert White to observe that the trees in Selborne were looking “quite naked” as early as November 11th. Despite the cold snap, there would still be periods of mild weather. The day that Mrs. George Austen went into labor with her 7th child, White noted, “Fog, sun, sweet day.”
During the latter half of the 18th century, all but a handful of births occurred in the home, but by 1775, the practice of midwifery had changed. Physicians were rapidly taking over obstetrics, replacing the midwive and relegating her to work with only the lower classes or those who lived in areas where a doctor or even an apothecary were not available.
In fact, many women of that era gave birth without the services of a doctor or midwife. Steventon Rectory, the Austen family home, lay seven miles away from the nearest village of Basingstoke, and so on the eventful night that baby Jane was born, the Austen family did not bother to summon a physician.
An 18th century pregnant woman’s corset could be loosened from both front and back. Image from @What clothes reveal: the language of clothing in colonial and federal America, by Linda Baumgarten
Hogarth’s image of a pregnant woman
Mrs. Austen gave birth to her second daughter in her own bedroom. She was attended, I surmise, by female friends and family members, such as her sister-in-law, Philadelphia, which was the tradition of the time. As a matter of course (and sisterhood), female friends and relatives helped to assist in the birth. In England, women who lay in bed while giving birth would lie in a Sims position, or on the side with their knees curled up. One historical source speculated that having a baby in bed could be a messy event and doubted that many women before the age of plastic would risk sullying their sheets and precious feather mattresses by remaining in bed during the final stages of the birth process. This made sense to me, and so I searched for alternate images.
Birthing stools or chairs with sloping backs, which allowed gravity to help pull the baby through the birth canal, had been used for centuries.
16th century woodcut of woman giving birth. The chair is sloped to allow her to lean back.
Birthing attendants also used various positions during labor, as in this 19th century image, which shows an American frontier scene, with the husband holding his wife in a half seated, half leaning position as the midwive and two female companions assisted with the birth.
19th century birth, with husband and attendants
No one recorded precisely how many hours Mrs. Austen took to deliver baby Jane, but one can imagine that during her labor a cozy fire warmed the bedroom on that bitterly cold night, twine and scissors lay on a nearby table, plenty of fresh water and linen rags stood at the ready, and baby linens were laid near a cradle. Jane’s birth, which was expected in November, was swift and uneventful. Soon after she entered the world, baby Jane was cleaned, dressed and placed next to her mother in bed or inside her cradle, and wrapped snugly in a long quilted gown and a mantle.
18th century infant shirt and bonnets, Christie’s
Reverend George Austen baptised his new daughter on December 17th in his home, as he had done with his other children. Then, as Mrs. Austen rested, he wrote notes announcing the birth to friends and acquaintances. For the only time in her life, he publicly called his new daughter “Jenny.” (One wonders if during private family time this nickname stuck.)
On April 5th, baby Jane was formally christened in St. Nicholas church, wearing a square-necked, sleeveless gown of fine cotton that probably opened in front. She would also have been wrapped in a pretty christening blanket.
18th century silver rattles, baby walker, and oak cradle.
In 1775, fewer babies were swaddled, but the practice took a long time to die off.
Throughout the nineteenth century, the medical profession recommended a less constraining form of swaddling. In this type of swaddling, often practiced by the middle classes, the infant was able to move its legs and the arms were kept free from restraints, although mothers were still advised to keep the swaddling band to support the baby’s back. Baby clothing also became more comfortable.” – Swaddling, FAQ
Babies wore linen clouts, the 18th century form of a thick cloth diaper, which was pinned with straight pins (ouch) or tied with with lacings. The clout was covered by a pilcher, a garment that offered another layer of protection. Today’s pilcher has a plastic lining to prevent urine from leaking through. (Do recall from a previous post, that the 18th century attitude towards urine was different than ours in that urea was regarded as a disinfectant.)
Cap, napkin and pilch. Image @Sharon Ann Burnston’s website
While Georgian attitudes towards sanitation differed from ours, parents did recognize that a baby’s tiny bald head needed extra protection in cold, drafty houses. Caps decorated with hollie point lace protected a baby’s fragile head
Holly point lace caps for infants
Tiny linen shirts and long quilted bed gowns that opened in the front and extended beyond their legs (long clothes) warmed their tender bodies. These baby linens were also decorated with hollie point lace. (Hollie point was a whitework embroidery technique that was popular in the middle ages for church lace, and that was used after the 17th century for baby garments and baby blankets.)
18th c. baby dresses, Sturbridge
During this age of Industrial Revolution, ready-made baby items became more easily available and affordable. Childbed linens and baby clothes could now be purchased in shops or warehouses. Recycling of old clothes and cloths was definitely practiced, and it is without doubt that Mrs. Austen re-used Cassie’s outgrown clothes and bedlinens for baby Jane. Aside from needing a goodly number of clouts, the Austens would already possess most of the baby items their tiny daughter would need.
A day after giving birth to baby Jane, Mrs. Cassandra Austen was pronounced out of danger. Finally able to relax (even from her daily duties, which were overseen by friends or her sister-in-law, Philadelphia, perhaps) she would begin a lying in period to regain her strength. The mother, while resting during the lying in period, would be visited by her female friends, who would help look after the baby or help the mother through the grieving period (if the infant died.) This lying in period traditionally lasted a month, but for some sturdier (more impatient) mothers this period would last only a few weeks. Mothers whose infants died might not emerge for several months more. Ever the good hostess, biscuits and tea would be served to entertain visitors at set times.
Short gown maternity garment. Image @Fashions of Motherhood
Mrs. Austen would open her short gown (which fastened in front) and suckle Jane. But as with all their children, the Austens would send the new baby away to be fostered, a remarkable act of faith in a year when almost half of the more than 20,000 recorded deaths in England were those of infants. I have read articles in which a contemporary writer asserts that a Georgian parents’ grief over a child’s death was not as acute as ours, since so many infants died during that period. But much historical evidence shows that such a sweeping statement is simply not true. Georgian parents loved their children as much as today’s parents and grieved deeply for them. While they were painfully aware of the horrendous mortality rates for infants, this foreknowledge did not assuage their profound sense of loss when a child died.
Infant’s gown with removable sleeves
Despite the possibility of their child not surviving infancy, the Austens had been in the habit of sending their children away just three months after their births to “a good woman at Deane”, a village close to Steventon. Giving a child over to a wet nurse had once been a common custom, but by 1775 this habit was fading as fast for the gentry as the use of a midwife. For the first crucial months, however, Mrs. Austen would breast feed baby Jane and take care of her personally.
Frost on trees in Hampshire
Baby Jane’s first winter on earth was bitter cold. Gilbert White noted that severe weather, with severe frost and snow, affected most of Europe from 9th Jan through 2nd Feb, 1776, and that the Thames was frozen for some time. A stormy February followed. The prolonged cold spell was broken by interludes of mild temperatures and melting snow, but these did not last long. Snow fall was often considerable, with frequent drifting, and daytime temperatures often dipped below freezing.
St. Nicholas (Chawton) across the fields. Image @Tony Grant
With such a prolonged cold snap, was it any wonder that the Austens kept baby Jane at Steventon until April 5th of that year? In contrast, Cassandra, who was born on January 9, 1773, had been with her foster mother for eight weeks by June 6th. While Edward-Austen Leigh wrote somewhat disapprovingly of his grandparents’ habit of fostering out their children, they must have made the right choices, for all the Austen children survived their infancy. Despite his censure, Edward observed that little Jane’s parents did not neglect her: “The infant was daily visited by one or both of its parents, and frequently brought to them at the parsonage, but the cottage [at Deane] was its home.”
Baby Jane might have resembled Gen Cadwallader’s daughter, 1772, by Peale
Author Irene Collins in Jane Austen, The Parson’s Daughter, identifies “the good woman at Deane” as Elizabeth Littleworth, the wife of a farmworker at Cheesedown, located between Deane and Steventon. These country folks remained close to the Austens for years, for in 1789 Jane acted as godmother to their eldest grandchild and stood as witness to the wedding of John Littleworth’s brother. Like the Martins in Emma, the Littleworths belonged to a lower social station, and the Austens, however grateful for their services, would not have socialized as equals with them.
Child wih leading strings, stays with cardboard stiffening, and child wearing a pudding cap
The Austen children stayed with the Littleworths until they started to walk and talk and could “be regarded as rational beings.” Henry returned to Steventon Rectory at fourteen months, and Cassy and Jane were returned when they reached two years of age.
Walking a toddler on leading strings. Image @Williamsburgrose
When baby Jane was ready to walk and crawl (about the time when she would be returned to her family) her mother would change her out of long clothes into short clothes. Short clothes were ankle length and allowed chubby legs the freedom of movement they needed to practice toddling. Toddlers also wore clothes with “leading strings” and pudding caps, which were padded.
A very fine pudding cap. Image @Metropolitan Museum
These caps, a sort of bumper guard, if you will, prevented injury to a toddler’s head if it fell or bumped into objects as it learned to walk (or so it was hoped).
“Like many mothers at the time, Mrs. Austen recorded her children’s progress in terms of dress. When Cassandra was taken out of her long gown and put instead into ‘petticoats’ (a frock and slip which finished at the ankles), her mother regarded it as a sign that she had left babyhood and would soon be learning to walk. From the petticoat stage, there was little change in girls’ clothing, except that the waistline of the frock went higher and the neckline lower.” – Irene Collins in Jane Austen, The Parson’s Daughter
18th Century Doll
Toddler Jane and her older sister Cassie also wore corsets. Yes, you read the word correctly. The tiny corsets, stiffened with cardboard, were thought to promote posture and help with walking.
Putting stays on young girls and boys was not seen as harsh, but rather as insurance that their figures would develop the correct form, with chest out and shoulders down. While boys usually wore stays only in early childhood, they were considered essential for females throughout their lives. – Philadelphia Museum of Art
These two tiny 18th century girls are wearing corsets
Since these early days, tiny Cassy and baby Jane, barely three years apart, developed a lifelong bond. Cassy most likely played with her younger sister as she would a doll and looked over her. By all accounts, their childhood at Steventon Rectory was happy and relaxed, with the children called by pet names, eating meals at the table, and visiting friends and relatives with their parents. Luckily for the Austen children, attitude towards childhood had begun to change and children were no longer dressed or perceived to be small adults. They were allowed to dress as children and, if they did not live in dire poverty, live a relatively carefree childhood compared to the children from generations before.
Would Mrs. Austen and her two daughters have resembled the Archibald Bulloch family? Painted in 1775 by Henry Bendridge, High Museum of Art, Atlanta.
Jane Austen's World 
this is an amazing post! so interesting…i am so grateful jane austen was born. she contributed so much to this world.
sweet post! loved learning about the corset. and love the dolly images too.
Fascinating article! Thanks for sharing!
A rich chest of fine details that helps grasp Jane Auten times.
Terrific fun to read- thanks!
Thanks for information that I’ve been longing to know. What a great way to start off the day we celebrate our dear Jane’s birth. I can’t wait until I get home from work tomorrow to begin the tour!
I love, love, love these pictures and facts! This post is wonderful. Thank you for the b-day contest info too!
What a fantastically researched and incredibly thorough post! I feel like I just learned so much!
Thanks for Jane’s b-day update!
Very informative!
[…] London Calling, in which Tony Grant offers his very own Jane Austen Birthday Post. * Jane Austen’s World in which Vic celebrates Baby Jane Austen’s First Two Years. * Watch a five minute video: Jane […]
A very good article! (Happy birthday Jane!)
That was fascinating! I especially loved the pics of the pudding caps, napkins, pilch and dress with removable sleeves. It was interesting to know that both sexes wore corsets as young ones and I’m sure there posture was so much better as a result. The birthing stool has been mentioned for several hundred years. I believe it was mentioned in the Bible and other historical documents as well. I’m sure there was a variety of sizes and shapes and it’s fascinating to see pictures of it from this time period. I’m thankful we have such warm homes and fascilities to have our children in nowadays.
Happy 235th Birthday Jane! Thanks for the wealth of information! That was a wonderful post!
~TattingChic
Thank you for this informative post!
Thank you so much for this interesting post! I love Jane Austen’s novels and am deeply interested in all that is related to her life and work and the Regency era. I’m from Ukraine and this makes your blog more than valuable for me as the subject is not that well studied in my native language. So, it is hard to find resources to read and study. Thanks again, for all your hard work!
A wonderful post, Vic – I’m always learning something new from you!
What a fabulous and interesting post. Just discovered your blog and have added it to my favourites!
Thanks :)
I made the acquaintance of Miss Austen in the summer of 2003. As a child I was a passionate reader and till the age of eleven I hardly went anywhere without bringing a book with me. However, I reached the age of seventeen ignoring the literary landscapes of Jane Austen’s world.
Is there anything more annoying for a free and passionate reader than a list of compulsory summer readings? It was with disappointment that I bought Pride and Prejudice as required by my teacher and started to read the introduction. I hated its light blue cover, the cheap greyish paper, its damaged pages. But there I was. Half a step from Miss Austen. Half a step from Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Half a step from a world I’ve so often taken refuge in during the last seven years. For I must confess that the encounter with Pride and Prejudice has led me not only to like, but to plunge myself into its story. And I continued to swim book after book, in the waters of Devonshire with Elinor and Marianne, in Portsmouth with Fanny Price, in Highbury with Emma and in Bath with Anne Elliot and Catherine Morland. Whenever my heart is weak and my head is in need of peace I simply open the book that is closer to my state of mind and it helps me to heal the wounds. Happy birthday Jane, now the blue cover, the cheap greyish paper and the damaged pages are one of my most precious belongings.
Valentina
I love Jane Austen! She brightens my life. Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday!! I love Jane Austen especially the movies and the books as well. especially as the stories are relevant today.
As I dont have any typepad or google or anything that I cant leave a post at the My Jane Austen Book Club site. Hope that that doesnt disqualify me.
Hope i win!!
So happy that today is Jane Austen’s birthday! This post was great. Really makes me glad that I don’t have to worry about giving birth in a time before good medicine. The pictures of the women giving birth looked frightening and painful!
What a unique perspective! You don’t often see posts about children in Jane Austen’s time.
Margay
Happy Birthday Jane!!!
Great article, thanks!
I really enjoyed your post – I learned so much about Jane’s early years and child rearing in that time period. I didn’t not realize that Jane was sent away when she was an infant or that this was the norm. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and I loved all the illustrations as well.
Happy Birthday Jane!
What a wonderful way to wake up this morning! This is a wonderful, informative article full of all sorts of little tid bits of fascinating interest! Thank you!
This was a really fun post to read!
When I was but age twelve, Jane Austen gave me a taste of what life might hold for a sometimes too tall, too intelligent, and too sarcastic girl. I might some day meet Mr. Darcy.
Thank you for a wonderful post. Your detail was amazing.
Great info..thanks!!
and…Happy Birthday Jane!
Such a detailed post! Thank you for telling us about Jane’s birth and early childhood, it was a fascinating read.
Thank you so much for this post! And no apologies necessary for the number of links—they’re going to provide fascinating reading, I’m sure.
Happy birthday, Jane!
And thank you Vic for your wonderful, ongoing work on this blog!
Great article! Thank you, especially, for all the pictures. I’ve read about leading strings, but never heard about the pudding cap. Fascinating.
Fascinating! the very impractical heavy silver rattles, and the quite practical “pudding cap” stood out for me
What a great post! I found it especially interesting since I’m six months pregnant myself…and now, very thankful that I’m going into motherhood with all of the accompanying 21st century advances!
I don’t know if that pudding cap looks more dangerous or not? I am glad we have our 21st century conveniences-I may have opted not to have kids in their situation!
Wonderful article, Vic. (again!) Wouldn’t want to give birth in those days (but I wouldn’t want to do that nowadays either, as a matter of fact ;-))
Happy birthday, Jane!
I love Jane Austen! Happy Birthday!
A very special blogpost for a very special event. Excellent, Vic. It’s such an honour to celebrate Jane with so many enthusiastic Janeites! Thanks for joining and good luck to all commenters for the final draw.
Happy Birthday, Jane!
I had read on this website and others that Sourcebooks was offering free Jane Austen and Austen-related ebooks on their vendors’ sites today. I went to Borders, Barnes and Noble, and Sony Store and all the designated books have a charge. I then called Borders and they say they know nothing about the promotion.
Do you think this was a scam?
Thanks,
Carol
I have sent a question to Sourcebooks. I cannot find the link, which is frustrating, and none was given in their promo materials. Vic
Thank you so much! And I love your blog…and read it all the time.
Carol
Hi Carol,
I downloaded my copies for free this morning from http://BarnesandNoble.com and wasn’t charged any fees. :)
I followed the link provided by Laurel Ann on AustenProse in this blog post:
http://austenprose.com/2010/12/14/download-free-jane-austen-inspired-ebooks-on-her-birthday-december-16-2010/
B&N takes you through their standard check-out process, asking you to sign-in or register for an account (which includes providing a CC# and shipping address) … I already had an account with them, so I was asked to verify my information.
But when you reach the end of the “transaction”, the items on your bill are free.
I didn’t have an eReader for my PC, but B&N has free eReader downloads as well.
I’m so excited about this offer; it was really sweet of them. Cheers!
– Tara
Thank you, Tara!
This is incredible! Such rich details – tons of things I never knew before! What an amazing post – – thanks Vic and Happy Birthday, Jane!
I love your blog…….I really enjoyed this post about baby Jane. This is what I love most about history………learning how daily ordinary life was lived and managed.
I had no idea toddlers wore corsets or stays! I also did not realize that children, or Jane Austen was raised in another home.
An awesome post….thank you
[…] Sanborn, do Jane Austen’s World, fala sobre os dois primeiros anos de Jane Austen: “Baby Jane Austen’s First Two Years: Happy 235th Birthday, Jane!“Janeite Deb, do Jane Austen Vermont, tem uma lista fabulosa de presentes: “Happy […]
As an ardent Janeite who is devoting her PhD at St Andrews to the Regency World, I cannot commend you enough on your blog. I loved learning about corsets, and the notion of detachable sleeves certainly needs to come back into vogue…Happy Birthday, Jane!
History is a great time with Jane Austen!
Dear Vic, fantastic post as always!
Thanks for joining us in this big event!
Adriana Zardini
That was a great article!! I definitely learned a lot! Thanks!
~Sara S.
Your blog is an inexaustible resource for so many of us; we really appreciate all the time and effort you take to research and write these articles.
I, too, enjoyed comparing Jane’s birth and early life to the 21st century customs and conveniences of my own family.
Thank you for sharing!
I love your website and always enjoy your articles and especially the rare illustrations. The gynelogical ones a few weeks ago sent me screaming through the house. It’s a honor to be a part of this birthday bash along with you. Felicitations to the Grande Dame!
A women who led such a quiet life changed the face of literature. Her novels are a gift.
Happy Birthday Jane!
What a lovely detailed article! Thanks!
Yay! Happy Birthday Jane! :)
This post was extremely fascinating. I loved the facts about a child’s early life during that period, and picturing Jane as a cute infant is a plus as well. ;) Thanks!
I am curious about the christening. Does the book of Common Prayer have a Christening ceremony? Rev. Auasten baptised and named his daughter the day after she was born and one only received one baptism, so I wonder what ceremony was performed in April.
The pictures and text are outstanding.
Thank you so much for your in depth post. I have read items here I never knew about. Your post is just beautiful. I am having a wonderful time traveling from blog to blog in celebration of Jane’s birthday.
This is a great post! So informative, too! I have to admit, I never really thought about Jane in her youngest of years, so this was a fascinating insight!
Happy Birthday Jane.
Thank you for the wealth of pictures and info you posted here. I thoroughly enjoyed it all
Terie
lighthousem516@sbcglobal.net
Giving birth back then sounds absolutely horrifying, but aren’t we glad Mrs. Austen did it?
Happy birthday, Jane!
Very nice post…I especially liked the history of how the mother was treated after birth (so many today are thrust back into daily life because, since they are released early from the hospitals today, they MUST be able to resume as normal…”)
I also found it interesting that they marked “mile stones” with clothing changes…all done on schedule!
Very informative…and a little bit disconcerting that they send their children away for so long when so young…they missed so much…yet it was probably this upbringing that brought the Jane Austen that we all came to Love…
Great post, and Happy Birthday Jane!
Thanks.
A fascinating article. This was like a visit to a well-designed museum.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous post, Vic. Well done. I learned a lot about motherhood and babyhood in Regency time, and the pictures were fantastic.
I always do a wonderful job with your posts, but you really outdid your self with this one. Well done.
The most surprising thing I learned was boys and girls wearing corsets and from such a young age. One more reason in the list as to why I would rather live now than then :)
Great post Vic.That picture of the husband assisiting at the birth just shows things haven’t changed much.
I was at the birth of all four of my children and was with Marilyn throughout each labour. So. I’m familiar with the comforts, discomforts and sounds and sights.
One of my good friends wives, Colleen, is a mid wife and actually delivered both Emily and Abigail. Often at a dinner party have we discussed the “ins,” and,” outs,” of childbirth. Oh what fun!!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant, Vic.
Tony
Hii Vic! I loved the post!
Happy Birthday, dear Janee!
Priscila Murlik
priscila.smurlik@gmail.com
Happy Birthday, Jane! You have given me so much through your writings… thank you.
This was such an incredible and informative post!
I’d love to join the giveaway— if this is the right place to do it.
My email address is cassie(at)literaryladies(dot)com
[…] 3. Jane Austen’s World Blog – Posted “Baby Jane Austen’s First Two Years: Happy 235th Birthday, Jane!” […]
Wonderful post. Loving the blog tour. Happy Birthday Jane Austen!
Vic, what an amazing post. The pictures and info on motherhood and birthing babies in the era was interesting. Happy birth-day to Jane.
Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!
Thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of english literature!
Natallie Chagas
natallienazareth.ac@bol.com.br
This was a very interesting post! I guess I had never really thought what the birthing process would have been like back then.
Happy 235th birthday, dear Jane!!
Thank you for this very interesting read! I love reading your blog and learning new things!! :O)
What a great history lesson. Thank you for all of your information. Happy Birthday Jane!
Love the details. Happy 235th Birthday Jane!!
Wow, amazing post! Thank you so much, I always learn so much.
This was simply wonderful! Thank you for sharing this research. New bits of information learned today on this end, like the ‘pudding cap’, and Jane Austen being referred to as ‘ Jenny’. A fascinating piece.
I loved the piuctures, have never seen many of them! And good information too, thanks!
Happy birthday Jane Austen! A genius of literature!
email: thalitacarvalho@ymail.com
Wow. Some of those birthing chairs did not look very comfortable at all. Thank you for doing all that research. Happy birthday Jane!
Interesting post…
I liked it
:*
This is first time I’ve read you. Wow! what a great blog. I am adding you to my reader.
A delightful post, with wonderful details and images. I’m looking forward to exploring all the links. Lovely to share Jane’s birthday with so many friends.
Excellent post with lots of useful information, Vic! I’ve also heard that Jane Austen’s parents may have actually visited her very rarely in foster care, and that the “daily visits” were part of Edward Austen-Leigh’s whitewashing of the life of “dear Aunt Jane,” especially since he disapproved of foster care. It raises interesting questions about Austen’s less than friendly depictions of mothers in her books.
Abigail
Abigail, I wondered about that. The myth is that Mrs. Austen was busy overseeing the household and other children (as well as the boarders in her husband’s school), and so she fostered her babies out.
Well, if that was the case, how on earth could the Austens have found the time to travel 2 hours almost daily to see their daughter? (I believe travel by wagon over rutty roads was around 6 mph, and that a horse canters at around 8-10 mph.) If we do the math, Edward Austen-Leigh’s statement makes no sense.
Good point, Vic. It doesn’t make sense. It would be easier for Mrs. Austen to just keep the babies at home than to do all that travelling. I’ve been trying to remember who gave the lecture on this topic, and I think it was Emily Auerbach. She’s certainly interested in debunking Edward Austen-Leigh.
Thanks for another informative post! Being due soon myself with #7, the pictures of birthing techniques were interesting, and yes, a little freaky. Don’t want to think about it!!!
Thank God for Jane Austen!
Happy Birthday Jane!!!! We still love her so many years later.=) Nice Post!!!!
Being pregnant, this post really hits home right now. In general, I’m thrilled not to have to endure 19th century birthing techniques, but I wouldn’t mind having one of those pudding caps. What a great idea!
Happy Birthday to Jane Austen. :)
love ths pics too.
The antique walker looks like a great idea! Happy birthday Jane.
Wow, thank you! What a fascinating post!
(mels_now@hotmail.com)
Lovely and informative post Vic, as always! Reminded me of my grandmother givning birth to my mother on the dinning room floor – this was in 1916 – what she needed was that 16th century chair!
Deb
Wow! That was a lot of information! I enjoyed reading it.
mhuether@hotmail.com
Happy Birthday Jane. Incredible information Vic. I now have a great concept of what Jane Austen’s first years would have been like. I love the miniature portrait you have displayed at the top of the blog. Charming. I wish it was her!!!
How the heck did this librarian miss the Google image for Jane’s Bday? :) Delightful post, Vic! What a great look into what bringing a child into the world meant during Jane’s time!
What a thoroughly fascinating post!! This one is definitely getting printed and tucked away in my research notebook! Thank you so much!
As usual, the attention to detail is meticulous… Thank you for such a wonderful post and a wonderful birthday celebration.
Jane would have proud to see how all her bloggers pulled out all the stops for her birthday celebration!
A day of all Jane…not a better gift at Christmas would I receive…
alwayscatholicblog@gmail.com
Sofia
I can not imagine giving my baby son to someone else for a year. Very informative:) Happy Birthday beloved Jane.
[…] Vic Sanborn at Jane Austen World […]
Many thanks for the great information. Love the ‘pudding’ caps!
Happy 235, Jane!
OreAnnie [at] yahoo [dot] com
I never heard of a pudding cap! But it’s a good idea. I learn so much from your blog.
This is an amazing and informative post. Your vivid post brought Jane’s bday and early years to life. Thank you, and happy bday, Jane!
very impressive post! when i saw the Google Doogle yesterday, I thought of you & your wonderful blog right away, thank you for your wonderful Jane Austin work!
Another informative post about toddler clothing, leading strings and pudding cap. Interesting perspective on the pregnancy, childbirth and childhood. Thank you!
I wish u again happy happpppy birthday wherever you are!
Best wishes from Spain!
otroscuentos@hotmail.es
[…] Adriana Zardini at 2. Laurel Ann at 3. Vic Sanborn at 4. Katherine Cox at http://novembersautumn.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/how-jane-austen-has-enriched-my-life/ 5. Karen […]
Wow! That was a very detailed post. Thanks!:)
Very interesting post. I love to read about this time period, but I’m glad that I don’t have to live in it.
Thanks a lot Vic for a very informative post on Jane’s baby to infant stage? I didn’t know that there is corset for child, especially for boys. This is something new to me.
I’m enjoying reading all the post I read so far in the Jane Austen Birthday celebration blogs.
evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com
Happy B’day Jane! A wonderful way to bring in the Jane community in a single page..
gvmona@gmail.com
Happy B’day Jane! A wonderful way to bring in the Jane community in a single page..
What a super site. A wealth of information on the world of Jane Austen, well worth a look!!
A beautiful peek into history on the miracle of a healthy birth.
[…] Baby Jane Austen’s First Two Years on this blog […]
[…] Baby Jane Austen’s First Two Years on this blog […]