OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 288, 24 August 1918, Page 5

OUR BABIES

[BY HYam.l

Published under the auspices of the Boyal Now Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. v "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." BABIES' AT KARITANE HOSPITAL, Laßt week f promised to tell how babies are treated as regards clothing, bedding, frosh air, etc., in the Karitnno Baby Hospital, where the catching of colds in tho Institution nraotica|ly never occurs. The following is the general practice, and It must be borne in mind that tho babies at Karitnno are there because they havo been ill or not thriving, and that usually their, past rearing has not been on right lines. In fact, they represent babies in training for healthy, robust life. It may be taken for granted that a regimen which' units these babies-babies who arrive delicate and sickly—should certainly be a safe course to pursue with the ordinary normal baby, instead of coddling it as tho mother so foolishly tends to do. For a few days after admission babies who o.re delicate or puny, especially if they havo been coddled, are plated in rooms which are' kept warmed more or les9; hut the newcomers aro soon habituated to unwarmed rooms, and to being kept out in tho open air. The general rule of the institution is wide-open windows and passages of cool air day and night—rare being taken not to put a baby in a direct draught, and due attention being paid ,ib to proper bedding and cloth, ing. Hot bottles arc used where needed, but the mother must be on Iter guard against the enervating tendencies of overheating the bed and overclothing the baby (see the society's book, pages B and 1601. More harm than, good is done, to babies bv the thoughtless, routine use of hut bottles. Healthy, normal babies do not need them, and a delicate baby is mado more liable to catch cold by being kent unduly warm from time to time and subjected to relative chill when picked up mid carried into the open. WIXTEK-DUNEDIX. Ordinary Clothing for Daytime. 1. Long-sleeved silk and wool singlet or cellular cotton vest. ?,. Short-sleeved knitted woolen singlet. 3. Petticoat, bodice, and skirt, all flannel. (Cheap flannel is best, aa being morn porous and elastic than higher 'grades.) . 4. Dross of winsey or viyella. 5. Outside, jacket made of winsey or woollen material, knitted or otherwise. , Memo—ln summer the short-sloeveii woollen ringlet and tho outside jacket are ordinarily ouiitlod, but it must be clearly understood that there can bo no absolute routine in such matters. On a very warm day in winter a baby, may need less clothing that on a very cold day in summer. " Hands and Feet. When a baby is out in the open air in winter, the hands are usually covered with fliigerlGss gloves, made- of thin flannel When a baby is taken out of bed and carried about woollen bootees may bft used. Great care is taken to make sun l that the feet are completely enveloped and cnsilv wrapped up when tho "pickingup" shawl or blanket is wrapped round the baby.' During "kicking exercise" in a pen, in a warmed room no bootees arc used, but if a, baby is outside in winter, say, in n pen on* tho verandah, bootees, or ureferably long stocltß. as shown on page 83, "Feeding and Care of Baby," should ho put on. At the ICaritano Hospital the babies are placed on four thicknesses of blanket m the pen. or a thick rug and one blanket are used. Baby's lied. Tho method of bed-making in use at the Karitane Hosm'tal is illustrated andithoroughlv described on nago 160 of the society's book, so I need merciy mention the garments and blankets vised at night— viz.: , , . . , 1. Long-sleeved silk, ana wool singlet. ?,. Short-Flceved knitted, woollen singlet, 3. Flannel nightdress. '1. Two good, warm, fluffy b!nn.<cls, or iprefernbly a honeycomb shawl in place of one of the blanket.'. If the weather is especially cold an extra ■ blanket (nay bn used. In warm weather, on the other hand, use only one blanket (the enveloping blanket, see I. fie. 64. page 160, "Feeding and Care or Raby")i and the knitted woollen vest should bo omitted. N.8.-The day and night garments are kept quite separate. No garment worn during the day is put on again for the night. , , , Jt , It must be clearly understood that changes in clothing or bedding should be made cautiously, but there is no greater or more common mistake than a mere routin* allowance of clothing, without any thought ae to whether the particular da;' Is bitterly cold or onnressivcly warm. Always boar in mind that a. baby should be clad rather according to the particular day than according to the season of tho rear, though, of course, the summer clothing in general should be lighter than tho winter clothing. The tendency of mothers in certainly to ovcrclotho in warm wca* ther, and very often babies aro carelessly taken out underclad on a cold or windy day.