OUR BABIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 140, 13 May 1930, Page 3

OUR BABIES

(By Hygeia.) Published under the muspioe* of the Royal New Zealand Society for tha Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." THE CANVAS OR RUBBER BATH. We have been asked to describe and comment upon the canvas baby’s bath which is illustrated in “Feeding and Ca/e of Baby,” and in answer to the question we are taking the liberty of quoting from an article on the subject by Miss Elizabeth McMillan, of Sydnev. who is conducting a series of evvellent Mothercraft articles in a Sydney paper. Miss McMillan describes a bath made on the same principle as the canvas one, but carried out in rubber sheeting. TO MAKE THE FRAME. The frame can very easily be made at home by baby’s father, and the total cost is very small. The wood used should be at least two inches square so that the frame will be sufficiently stout and strong. The cross pieces which form the legs should be about 36 inches long, strongly stapled where they cross. The end bars should be about 30 inches long, and bored at each end to take a stout cord, allowing for an expansion of about 30 inches. Take a piece of open canvas or stout netting about 36 by 42 inches, and make a one-inch hem down each of the long sides. Pass the cords through these hems and then through the holes in the end bars, and knot in place. Tack the short sides of the canvas or netting to the end bars, and tho framework is complete. Now get a piece of good rubber sheeting several inches larger each way than the canvas bag which is attached to the frame. To prepare the bath simply throw tho rubber sheet over the framework.

EASY TO KEEP CLEAN. “To keep the waterproof sheet clean and sweet it is only necessary to let the cold water tap run over it thoroughly after emptying the soapy water out, wipe dry, and hang the rubber sheet over a towel rail out of the sun. To empty the bath water pick up the corners of the waterproof sheet until the water falls into the centre, as in a bag, and lift it out of the wooden frame and empty it where the other bath water is drained away. . . There is a picture of a similar bath tub in “Feeding and Care of Baby,” by Sir Truby King. TO PREPARE THE BATH. “When it is time for baby’s bath throw tho waterproof sheeting over the stand and empty a six-pint jugful of warm water into it. The water in the jug should be about lOodeg Fahr., so that by the time you place baby m it it will be blood heat. The bath, makes a cosy nest for baby, thy sides and ends supporting him so that he can snuggle into the water and be safe even without his head being supported by his mother’s hand, and ho can kick against the soft sides without hurting himself or getting frightened. “The enamel baby-bath is best if a number of babies have to use the same bath, as in babies’ homes, etc., because the enamel bath can bo scalded and scrubbed out with soap and water between tho bathing of each baby, so preventing possible infection, such as passing on of colds or any little skin irritation from one baby to another. In a private house a mother has not this worry, as the baby’s bath is not used for other children. “I myself know tho value of this kind of baby’s bath because it has been used in my own family for at least three generations, the original model coming from Paris. The wooden frame can be enamelled to match the colour scheme of the nursery, and if it is covered with a strong net it will make a useful resting pace for baby when airing his cot. The canvas covering is rather stuffy and tends to keep tho air from the baby. The net can be made of coloured twine, pink or blue, to match the paint on the wood.

DON’T DO THE WASHING IN BABY’S BATH. “Napkins and soiled clothes should not be washed in the baby’s bath tub. A special tub or basin should be kept exclusively tor baby’s washing. An enamel bucket is quite a good utensil for this purpose.”