Why does Victoria Jump 10 times?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on January 20, 2026
In last week's episode Albert found Victoria jumping up and down 10 times after they had had sex, in an attempt to avoid getting pregnant. Initially the couple, who were both just 20 when they wed in 1840, seemed to have produced a flawless family.
How did Victorians not get pregnant?
The best way to avoid pregnancy in the Victorian, going into the Edwardian era, was abstinence. Couples avoided sexual activity because what little they had heard about contraception seemed like an impractical thing to do.What contraception did the Victorians use?
Before birth control pills and disposable tampons were widely available, women relied on futile contraceptive methods (like withdrawal) and clunky belted contraptions stuffed with lard-coated sheep's wool to absorb menstrual blood.What did they use for birth control in the 1800's?
Diaphragms and cervical capsAnd, when used with a spermicide, they were probably the most effective birth control of the time, aside from abstinence. Before Goodyear's rubber invention, people tended to insert all kinds of objects — even half a lemon.