OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 84, 7 January 1928, Page 16

OUR BABIES

By

“Hygeia.”

Published under the auspices of the liuy.-il .New Zealand Society for the Health of Women :ud Children iflunket Society) “It is wiser to put up a fence at tlie top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” DIABBHOEA. TREATMENT OF A 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 alter being exposed to tlie air for a time—this is of no eonsenuenec. .Sometimes the motions are slight!’/ greenish when passed, or partly greenish, but on rubbing with a corner of tlie napkin it is found that it is mostly quite yellow. Jf there is also some partially undigested food in tlie motion, this is a sign that the baby’s digestion is being overtaxed in some way. Tiie food should be diluted for a few feeds, and worked up to full strength again gradually, or otherwise adjusted by the advice of tlie Plunket nurse. These slightly greenish stools do not necessarily mean that an attack of diarrhoea is threatened, but they should always put the mother on her guard, for as we have explained, indigestion is the main piedisposing cause of diarrhoea. If a second green motion is passed, especially if it is relaxed, and is passed within a short time of the first, the mother shoild proceed as follows, whether baby is breast-fed or bottle-fed:— 1. Give a. dose of castor oil--one or two tcaspoonfuls, 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 “Tlie 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 bailed water immediately before nursing, and allow bt-ly to suckle for a few minutes only. At the next feeding give rather less water and a slightly longer period at tile breast, and so on, the amount of witter be.ng cautiously reduced at each feeding, and the suckling prolonged accordingly. If may be necessary to take several i ttys 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 flic instructions on pp. 33 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 water only, give 1 oarl bohed skim milk to 4 parts of boiled water. At the next two feedings give 2 parts boiled skim milk to 3 parts boiled water At the next two or three feed'ngs give 3 parts boiled skim milk to 2 parts boiled water. If ail is now, going well, there being no further green or frequent motions, undiluted humanised milk, boiled for five minutes, may be introduced into the eiCui 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, unt’l 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 100 great quantity, after even a slight attack, may cause further trouble. Always reduce tlie fat in baby’s food after an attacl: of diarrhoea by reducing or discontinuing tlie time of setting tor top milk, or by discontinuing file emulsion temporarily if the b- by is on humanised milk No. 111. Work up the time of setting again gradually cr reintroduce tlie emulsion liv giving first one teaspoonful in the 24 hours and increasing tlie amount by about half teaspec nfm a day until full -".tengtli is reach'd, being guided in each case by tt.e motions and baby's condition. In severe eases of diarrhoea it may be necessary to cut off fat almost completely from tlie baby's food for o considerable time, giving the boiled skim milk ami water mixture (in the proportion of 4oz. or soz. of skim milk to loz. of water) tor a longer period before introducing any humanised milk. Discontinue fruit juice during the first week, but if all goes well reintroduce it gradually as soon as the motions have been normal for a few days. Though quicker progress than that suggested may be made, it is always safer to err on the side of “going slow” than to advance too quickly and bring on a relapse. A competent nurse can usually advance more quickly than tlie mother, because she knows more about the symptoms and evidences which point to mere improvement on tlie one hand or to practically complete reeo.ery on the other. OLD Ell CHILDREN Treat threatened diarrhoea in the same way—that is, give an adequat« dose of castor oil and nothing but boiled water lor 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. It is naturally impossible to give definite rules which will apply to every ease. Imagination and common sense are'necessary in this, as in everything in life. Consult the Plunket nurse if one is within reach, or write to tlie nearest nurse or Karitane Hospital for advice if you are in doubt or difficulty.