Our Babies

Northern Advocate, 20 February 1939, Page 2

Our Babies

(By "HYGEIA”)

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser t oput up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” SUMMER DIARRHOEA What Can We Do to Prevent It? We must see that every baby has the “twelve essentials” in his daily life. H$ must have what every baby needs. These needs are described in the first two pages of “Feeding and Care of Baby,” the book with which every mother should he familial. It the baby who has lived in the fresh air. been naturally fed, trained in regular habits, and had all the essentials for good health, should chance to get ill, he usually throws off the sickness with very little trouble. He is practically germ proof.

Now we must consider the matter of food. Natural feeding is the great preventive of illness; Professor Budin has shown that in Paris out of 250 deaths of infants occurring in one midsummer week less than 30 were breast-fed babies.

As we have said* humanised milk is the best substitute for natural feeding, but in hot weather special precautions axe necessary in the preparation and keeping of the milk

Making and Keeping Milk

In Hut Weather

it may be best to bring baby’s milk mixture to boiling point and keep it at that temperature for 10 minutes, instead of only pasteurising it—i.e., keeping it at a temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Whether boiled or pasteurised the milk must be cooled quickly at once, and' below 60 degrees Fahrenheit if possible. Germs multiply with extreme rapidity in warm milk. *

Cover the jug loosely with damp butter muslin and stand in running or frequently changed cold water. Needless to say, if ice is available, the milk can be kept perfectly coOled. In the country a running stream or an artesian well may be handy; in the towns it may be possible to get tap water below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. A pailful of water let outside in the air all .night, and away from the morning sun will bo quite coOl for some hours. Select the shadiest, riraughtlest and cleanest place for the milk safe, and in it stand the jug of cooled milk in a shallow dish. containing the coldest water available, fee sure that the damp muslin which covers the jug dips into the water all round, that it may keep damp and so cool by evaporation. This method always ensures some cooling, especially in hot, dry weather.

When there is any doubt as to whether the milk has. remained below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, in the evening always rescald what is left of the day’s supply. Again, cool quickly and place in the coldest available place for the night. If it is possible to obtain fresh milk twice daily the humanised milk can be made morning and evening, and thus avoid the risk of its not keeping fresh.

There are various kinds of safes and coolers, details of which may be obtained if wished from the Plunket nurses or Karitane Hospitals. The simple, easily available methods prove satisfactory in the great majority of cases if carefully canned out.

Special care, must be taken with regard to cleanliness during hot weather, Billies, jugs, bottles and teats must be washed absolutely free of all traces of milk. An almost invisible* amount of stale milk may render the whole day’s supply poisonous. Vessels which have contained milk must always he washed in cold water before being washed with hot water and soap. Hot water “sets” the milk on the utensil and makes it difficult to remove.

Beware of flies. Keep everything that is used in connection with baby’s food under cover. Remove soiled napkins at once to covered pail. Wash the hands after changing baby before again handling him or his food. Wash the nipples thoroughly before nursing baby.

Be careful to ensure regularity of the bowels. See that baby has plenty of exercise in the open air. Let him bo out of doors all day and sleep outside at night if a suitable balcony nr porcli is available. Avoid ovorclothing and overheating.

Do not worry unduly about baby, but be ever on the watch for warning symptoms and ready to take prompt measures to prevent trouble.

Weaning

If possible do not wean baby during February and March, especially if the weather is hot. If weaning cannot be avoided It should be done gradually. Care must be taken in the preparation and diluting of the artificial food, which shou'd bo humanised milk made and graded according to the directions in “Feeding and Care of Eaby,” or the instructions of a Pkmket nurse. Even one breast feeding daily is better than