OUR BABIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9874, 23 July 1923, Page 2

OUR BABIES.

By HYGMA.

PublwhCcl under its the Royal New for the of W^ nen Cluldreß.

«< ft is wiaer to put up a fence at the top of a precipice to maintain an ambulance at the bottom. WEANINGThe following summary is issued as a leaflet: —■ directions for weaning. These notes are only supplementary to the remarks in “Feeding and Ga.ro of Baby,” pages 1547, which, as well as other parts of the book referral to,

[should be studied. Age of Weaning. “-Always wean, it 1 possible, between the ninth and S' twelfth months. The younger the baby I the more risks attend tfee p?&c&88i % if the supply of breast-milk is insufficient jin the early months, make up the shortage, at each feed, with Humanised Milk, and do not substitute a bottle feed for a breast feed as when : weaning. Weaning should be completed by the end of the twelfth month, unless this comes in very hot weather, in which case it is a safe-

guard to continue giving at least one breast fed daily until the weather is I cooler. . I Time Required for Weaning.—The I change Jyom complete natural feeding I to complete artificial feeding should I never be made in less than two weeks, I except for urgent reasons; preferably I take five or six weeks. Avoid weaning I in very hot weather if possible. I Method.—Omit first one breast-feed-I ing, giving instead a complete feeding I of properly-prepared milk suited to I the age of the child. Next omit two I breast feeds, then three, and so o.n I until all are discontinued. Allow from I three days to a week, or more, for I each change. I If weaning is begun before the ninth I month give the milk mixture from a I bottle; if later, it is better to teach I baby to take all food from spoon and I cup, provided he has cut some teeth. I In any case, after nine months, some I spoon and cup feeding should be beI gun, and the bottle gradually disconI tinned its teeth appear. I If baby is fully up to the normal I standard, and thriving well, he may I discontinue the 10 p.m. feeding when I finally weaned, and should sleep from I 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.: that is, he will have I only four meals a day, but must be I given proportionately more milk at I each feed. The guide to this, howI ever, must always be the baby’s condiI tion and general progress. I" Baby should have been given a bone to cliew from six months onwards; and at nine months, whether weaned or not, some hard food, such as twicebaked bread, hard crusts, or crisp toast, should bo gradually introduced into his diet. This should be given to him about 10 minutes before his feeding time, when he is hungry—not bem tween meals

—The Following is a Practical Plan foi Weaning After Nine Months.—

(The Plunket Nurse will give the recipes for the milk mixture.) Change 1. Give oat or barley jelly by spoon at 10 a.m. Begin with one tablesponful of this jelly, and give two or three teaspoonfuls of cow’s milk on it. Follow this by the usual breast feed, and give breast feeds as usual for the remainder of the day. Change 2. Omit breast-feeding at 10 a.m. Give instead—first, the oat or barley jelly, which may be gradually increased to three or four tablespoonfuls, and follow this by Goz to Boz of Humanised Milk. Change 3.

Give breast at 6 a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m. At 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. give oat or barley jelly, followed by Humanised Milk, as in Change 2.

Change 4. Give breast at 6 a.ra. and 8 p.m. At 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m. give Humanised Milk mixture. Give barley or oat jelly at 10 a.m. before bottle, and at 6 p.m. before bread.

Change 5. Give breast at 6 a.m. only; Humanised Milk at all other feeds; barley or oat jelly before 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. feeds.

Change 6. Discontinue giving breast-feeding at 6 a.m. and give Humanised Milk, Soz., instead. The baby is now entirely weaned. If the mother’s breasts .become uncomfortable or painful during the process of weaning baby, consult the Plunket Nurse immediately—do not delay. Give your baby the best opportunity for health by the formation of good food habits and tastes. For further directions consult .the Plunket Nurse.