OUR BABIES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10827, 24 January 1927, Page 2

OUR BABIES

By Hygeia.

Published under the auspices cf the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of , Women and Children. “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.”

DIARRHOEA. , We have already mentioned some of the simple measures effective in the prevention of diarrhoea. This week we give some further “ guiding lines. it is impossible to give definite rules which will apply to every case. Imagination and common sense are necessary in this, as in everything m life. Consult the Plunket Nurse if one is within reach, or write to her.

Weaning. If possible do< not wean baby during February or March, especially, if the weather is very hot. If weaning cannot be avoided it should be done gradually, with great care in the preparation and diluting of the artificial food, which should be humanised, milk. Even one breast feed a day during the Hottest weather is better than none, delaying complete weaning until cooler days come.

indigestion. Indigestion, due to overfeeding or to unsuitable food or irregular feeding, is the main predisposing cause of diarrhoea; therefore mothers should be eternally vigilant, especially during summer. They should be perfectly regular, and should give the children nothing unsuitable or likely to disagree. Treatment of Threatened Attack.

If a motion appears green when passed, the mother should be on her guard' at once, and should observe carefully the next motion. Sometimes , a motion becomes green or greenish after being exposed to the air for & time—this is of no consequence. Sometimes the motions are slightly greenish when passed, or partly greenish, but on rubbing with a corner of the napkin it is found that it is mostly quite yellow. If there is also some partially undigested food in the motion, this is a sign that the baby’s digestion is being overtaxed in some way. The food should be diluted for a few feeds, and worked up to full strength again gradually, or otherwise adjusted by the advice of the Plunket Nurse. These slightly greenish stools do not, necessarily mean that an attack of diarrhoea is threatened, but they should 1 always put the mother on her guard, for, as we have explained, indigestion is the main predisposing cause of diarrhoea. If a second green motion is passed , especially if it is relaxed, and is .passec! within a short time of the first, tlie mother should proceed as follows, whether baby is breast-fed or bottle-fed’:— 1. Give a dose of castor oil—one or two teaspoonfuls, according to age. The average need is an ordinary teaspoonful (not a small afternoon teaspoonful), but a very small or delicate baby may need less. 2. Give boiled water only for the next two or three feedings, at least. (If the baby is breast-fed the mother must draw off the milk from her breasts at the usual feeding times, either by expressing with the fingers and thumb or by a breast-pump or soda water bottle.—See “The Expectant Mother and Baby’s First Month/’) If the green and frequent motions still persist, and baby appears to be getting worse, continue to give boiled water only, and call in a doctor. If the motions are improving after the oil and water for two or three feedings, and baby does not appear ill, proceed as follows:

1. in the Case of a Breast-fed Baby: Give a few ounces of boiled water immediately before nursing,, and allow baby to suckle for a few minutes only. At the next feeding give rather less water and a slightly longer period at the breast, and so" on, the amount of water being cautiously reduced at each feeding and the suckling prolonged) accordingly. It may be necessary to take several days or even a week or more to get back to full normal feedings. 2. In the Case of a Bottle-fed ' Baby:

Either proceed according to the instructions on pp. 32 and 108-109 “Feeding and Care of Baby”; Or discontinue humanised milk for a few days, giving instead a mixture of skimmed milk which has been boiled for 10 minutes and diluted with water. At the first feeding after the period on boiled 1 water only, give 1 part boiled skim milk to 4 parts boiled water. At the next two feedings give 2 parts boiled skim milk to 3 parts boiled water. At the next two or three feedings give 3 parts boiled skim milk to 2 parts boiled water.

If all is now going well, there being no further green or frequent motions, undiluted humanised milk, boiled for five minutes,,,may be,introduced into the skim milk and water mixture, until in the course of a few days or a week or more, (according to progress) the baby may* be taking only boiled humanised milk. The time of boiling may then be reduced by a minute or two a day, until the mixture is merely scalded or pasteurised .in the usual way. Fat, whether in the form of top milk or New Zealand emulsion, is not well taken in eases of diarrhoea, and if given too soon or in too great quantity, after even a slight attack, may cause further trouble. Always reduce the fat in baby’s food after an attack of dianhoea by reducing or discontinuing the time of setting for top milk, or by discontinuing the emulsion temporarily if the baby is on humanised milk No. 111. Work up the time of setting again gradually, or reintroduce the emulsion by giving first one teaspoonful in the 24 hours and increasing the amount by about half a teaspoonful a day until full strength is reached, being guided in each case by the motions and baby’s condition. In severe cases of diarrhoea it may he necessary to cut off fat almost completely from the baby’s food for a considerable time, giving the boiled skim

milk and water mixture (in the proportion of 4oz or soz of skim milk to loz of water) for a longer period before introducing any humanised milk. Discontinue fruit juice during the first week, but if all goes well reintroduce it very gradually as soon as the motions have been normal for a few days. \

Older Children. Treat threatened diarrhoea in the same way—that is, give an adequate dose of castor oil and nothing but boiled water for two or three meal times. Then give boiled milk diluted with "rice water. Work gradually back to full diet by means of simple, easily digested food.