OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21837, 27 December 1932, Page 13

OUR BABIES

By Htoha.

Published under the auspices of tba Royal Now Zealand Society for tho Health of Women and Children (Pluntoot Society). " It ia wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice Irian to moi»tain an amhulanae at the bottom ." THE HOLIDAYS. At this season of the year many mothers arc making preparations for taking the family on holiday. This event is perhaps not looked upon with such eagerness by mother as it is by the other members of the family, for so often baby is upset, the older child is spoilt, and the real benefit to the family as a whole is lost. THE BABY. In the case of a young baby a holiday should make little or no difference to daily habits of sleep and feeding. As far as possible observe the routine carried out at home. Don’t keep baby out all evening or awake all day to amuse his elders. A mother taking her baby to visit friends would do well to ascertain that these friends are in sympathy with and will help her carry on those habits which she has established at home, otherwise it is better to give up the holiday for the first year. FOOD. If the infant be breast fed there is no difficulty as to his food, and there follows—less luggage to take. The bottle-fed baby presents quite a problem. His 24 hours’ supply of humanised milk should be freshly made .as late as possible before starting on the journey. It is wisest, when travelling, to bring it to the boil, and then keep it at that temperature for 10 minutes. It is extremely difficult to keep milk cold enough to be safe for baby when travelling in hot weather, as it is in lukewarm milk and imperfectly washed teats or bottles that germs multiply so rapidly. With proper care and precautions a thermos flask may be used. If the milk can be cooled well below 60deg Fahr. with ice or very cold water, it may be put. into the clean, scalded, cold flask at that temperature, and will keep quite safe if properly corked. Another method is to pack the bottles of cold milk into a box of clean sawdust, taking care that the sawdust is well up to the neck of the bottles.

The alternative method of keeping the milk safely is to keep it hot. Germs do not grow and multiply in milk which is kept well above 130 deg Fahr. For this method thoroughly wash and scald the flask, and pour into it the boiled humanised milk when just a little below boiling point. Keep the flask well corked, and when pouring out sufficient milk for each feed do so as quickly as possible, and lecork immediately, to prevent the milk in the flask falling appreciably in temperature. Naturally if the milk cools to ANYWHERE NEAR BLOOD HEAT THE FLASK BECOMES A POSITIVE MENACE. Tile milk poured out for baby’s feed can quickly be cooled to the right temperature, and by this method he can have his bottle whenever due without regard to stations where hot water may be obtained. It is a pood thing to take an ordinary bottle of, boiled water also, as baby is very often thirsty, and it is most useful as well for finally rinsing out bottle and teat. A jug of hot water obtained at a refreshment room serves to heat water for drinking and to give the various utensils in use a good scalding out. It is a good plan to have two or more bottles and teats, so that if it is'difficult to wash them properly en route fresh ones can be used. A handy way to carry them is in a small tin box, such as certain brands of tea or fancy biscuits are packed in. Wrap the bottles and teats in a piece of clean, boiled butter muslin or old linen, and pack them in the tin. A spoon and any other small utensils may be put in this too. A measure marked in ounces or a small jug is necessary to transfer milk from flask fo feeding bottle. This also must kept clean and covered. Note. —Never keep any milk which lias been left in the feeding bottle. If baby docs not finish bis feed, throw away what is left, and use fresh from the flask for the next feed. Nothing is more dangerous than milk which has been lying in the bottle from one feeding time till the next. If the journey will take more than 24 hours, and it is therefore necessary to obtain a fresh supply of humanised milk en route, consult the Plunket nurse in the town in which you live. She will write ahead to the nurse in the place where you will break your journey, giving her the recipe of baby’s food, and arranging a suitable time and place for you to get the made-up humanised milk for the next 24 hours. For this a small charge is made to cover the cost of materials. Thus when travelling, say, from Dunedin to Auckland a fresh supply of milk may be obtained in Christchurch or Wellington by special arrangement beforehand. FOOD FOR THE OLDER CHILDREN. Undoubtedly the little runabouts are the most difficult to cater for, but a little forethought will save much worry and trouble. Remember' thr 1 , a day on somewhat short rations will do no harm at all, whereas a day of unsuitable food (food from restaurants and odds and ends of cakes and sweets) may do untold harm. Pack a tin of twice-baked bread and oatcake, ready buttered if liked, and folded slices of brown bread and butter. Some sandwiches of cress, lettuce, or tomato, and scrambled eggs make variety and add to the nourishment of the meal, and a few dates or raisins, separately or in_ sandwiches, are excellent. With a drink of milk and a raw apple to finish with a perfectly nourishing, satisfying, and digestible meal is provided for any young child. So much for the subject of food. Probably every mother will have her own suggestions to add to the foregoing, which, however, have been thoroughly workable in actual practice. Next week we will deal with other practical suggestions for travelling with children.