OUR BABIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1186, 8 December 1924, Page 9

OUR BABIES

(By Ilygoia.)

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. “It is wiser to put up a fence at tho top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” MOTIIF.UCRAI'T TEACHING IN SCHOOLS. A lew months ago in one of our schools a course of instruction was given to tiie elder girls in : (1) The girls’ responsibility for their own health—health laws. (2) The same eourso pertaining' to the care of the baby—pointing out tne interesting and most important points in a baby s development, such as feeding the baby, clothing, washing, etc. 'I he following essay, written at the end of tiie course by one of the girls, may be of interest to our readers as .-bowing the benefit .'they derive from such a course :

“On the present generation depends the welfare of the next.”

Nearly all people love young things. Their helplessness and smallness appeal to tho strength of tiie grown-up people, und it is only heartless people who can hear to see them suffer. But many people through their very love, and care of their c-h.ldren cause them to suffer. This is often catted through ignorance on the part of tiie mother; but in this enlightened ago there is no excuse for such ignorance. A mother should take care oi her own health, for on that depends the i eallh of the child. A child should, of course, be fed by his mother; but, if through some cause this is not possible, the child should be fed on cow’s milk, and not on :i;.v oi the patent dried milks, if fresh milk is to be had. Cow’s milk was, r f course, never intended for the baby, but for tiie calf, ai-d its composition is different from mother’s milk. It contains too mu'-h prole,n und not enough carbohydrates. To remedy this* sugar of milk, lime-water, and watei are added in a proportion decided upon bygood authorities, if milk has to Le used which has not been allowed to ttun-i, an emulsion should be added tc make up the required quantity of bit. Milk m-i,v be allowed to stand for some hours, and ihe top milk (which jontains most of tne fat) used. In hot weather, however, this is iot advisable, as the milk is apt to become sour, and it is very difficult to ; revent the entrance of bacteria into the mill;. It is better than to use flesh milk, and stq ply tho necessary fat* by moans o, tiie emulsion, which is made of animal and nut oiis. Baby’s milk should seldom be boiled, as this destroys the viiamines so essential to perfect health. The milk should just be brought to scalding .point, us at that point all the vitainines have not* been destroyed. With artificially fed babies it is necessary to supply vitainines by giving baby a little fruit juice, as it is absolutely essential not to destroy the vitainines. Regularity is the most important rule for the bringing-up of baby. He should bo fed, bathed, dressed, and put down to sleep at regular hours. If regularity of all habits be commenced when baliy is very young he will soon leurn to sleep and wake'at regular times und to expect his food at certain times, and not to worry for it* when lie should cot. This is not only beneficial to the health of the child, hilt it is a great help to tile mother, especially- one of a large family, who has not the time to spare to be continually looking after baby. Cleanliness is a most essential thing in the cure of baby. lie should be bathed carefully every day. One should not take too long over his" luith, but 'lie must be washed and dried thoroughly. Ihe utensils used in making His food should be thoroughly sterilised before and after they are used. Ilis clothes and coverings should be kept perfectly clean. Baby' should have light but warm clothing, cut in a simple style, which is not difficult to make or wash, and his cloths should not be tight round him. Baby s cloths should have no roughness about them, as his skill is very tender and easily irritated. If his little singlets have any seams they- should be worn inside-out. Mis bed-clothing should be light but warm. Baby should never bo allowed to sleep vyith his mother, as this is very bad for him, and lie might very easily lie suffocated. Fresh air is very essential to baby’s health, and in fine weather he should be allowed to sleep in tile open air as much as possible. Baby should not be bandied too much, as it is apt to spoil him and lead him to expect plenty of petting; but he should have some. mothering. A little nursing is good for him. and he dearly loves it'. Baby should on no account be rocked to sleep. _ It ibis practice is never commenced he will not expect it, and will go to sleep a* soon ns he has been put down, but once the practice is started it is hard to break bin; of it*. Up to the ago of about nine _ months baby should have nothing but his milk, fruit juice, and water, some of which he should have every day. But when he has reached this age he can have a little cereal jelly. A hard crust to chew is very good for him, as it strengthens his jaws and helps his teeth to come • through. Anytime after five or six months his teeth commence to come through. The two lower incisors come through first, followed by the two upper incisors, then the two lateral incisors of first the lower and then the upper jaw. The bi cuspid teeth conic through before the canine or eyeteeth. and the last teeth to come are the motors. The baby teeth are not the permanent teeth; these do not come till the child is about six or seven- years oi age. A baby should never be given a dummy, or be allowed to suc-k his fingers, as such practices are liable to give him a malformed jaw. Babies are very fond of sucking their fingers, and it is advisable to break them of the practice as soon as possible. in conclusion, I can only say- that on the care of the baby depends the welfare of the future, and we cannot take too much care of him.