OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22808, 18 February 1936, Page 5

OUR BABIES

By Hyoeia. .' Published under the ausplcw of. thft Boyal New Zealand Society for tht Health of Women and Children (Plunktt. Society). "It it wiser to put up a fence-at the top of a precipice than to main* tain on ambulance at the bottom." POPULAR ERRORS. 1., That, with the Artificially - fed Baby, Orange Juice is Given for Constipation. This is quite wrong.'. Orange juice or carrot juice is given to add vitamin "C to the infant's diet. As milk is a perfect medium' for the development and growth of bacteria, and particularly of tuberculosis germs, it must be either pasteurised or scalded before being fit for use as a basis for infant feeding, and this heating process destroys or impairs vitamin C, without which We would soon develop scurvy. Therefore to replace this necessary food factor orange juice or carrot juice is given daily ; in a little boiled water cooled to blood heat. It should not be put.in the milk mixture, as this would cause curdling, but .rather should be given at least all hour after or before feed time. In the event of oranges and carrots not being available at the moment required,,do not think "prune juice will do just as well." It will not, as it is a dried friiit,' and its vitamin content is negligible. We do not deny that fresh fruit juices have a slightly laxative action, but the main, object is the. prevention of scurvy, which,can be ensured by giving the artificially-fed baby the following daily ration of strained orange juice. Commence at 5-6 weeks of age, and continue as, follows: — .At 5 weeks, 5 drops. At 2 months, J teaspoonfui. At 3 „ 1 „ At 4J „ 2 teaspoonfuls. At 6 „ 3 „ At 9 „ 1 tablespoonful. At 1 year, 2 tablespoonfuls. Give the orange juice in twice the above-mentioned amount of warm boiled water. When baby has six to eight, teeth and is about 15 months he can be given half an orange daily. Should carrot juice be chosen, give twice as much of the carrot juice as you would, give of the orange juice, as. carrots contain only half the amount of vitamin C found in oranges. The method of obtaining carrot juice is as follows:—Thoroughly wash carrot and dip it in boiling water for a few seconds to destroy any adherent ground germs, then without peeling grate it and squeeze the juice through a piece of scalded muslin.. The amount of juice obtained is surprising if a young carrot is selected. There are also other fresh juices which may be used—-e.g., that of raw .swede turnip, potato, and tomato. N.B.—Boiling water should never be added to fresh fruit or vegetable juices, as it partially destroys the vitamin content. 2. That Castor Oil is Useful for Correction of Constipation. This is not so, and it should never be given for constipation, but, conversely, is extremely useful in the treatment of diarrhoea. Castor oil, properly used (that is, a single dose of one to two teaspoonfuls, according to baby's age, given to clear out the fermenting and germ-laden contents of the bowel when there" is diarrhoea), is universally recognised to be. of great value. The fact that after the use of castor oil there is a decided tendency to constipation adds to its value in cases of diarrhoea. On the other band, when chronic constipation, is the trouble, this binding property of. castor oil makes it one of the worst and commonest enemies for baby. Then, if given, habitually : to induce movement of the bowels,' or simply because castor oil is supposed to be good for baby, extreme and. intractable constipation and indigestion are liable to be the result. Should a child be seized with sudden acute abdominal pain, do : not jump to the conclusion that the child has been eating green fruit or other indigestible food, and run to the castor oil bottle. To give any aperient for this condition is disastrous in effect, as this sudden pain _is a special danger signal pointing to inflammation or obstruction of the bowel. The proper treatment is to send for the doctor, and, pending his arrival, withhold all food, even water being given sparingly. The practice of giving castor oil to new-born babies is less prevalent than formerly, and rightly so, as the. clearing out of the digestive tract can safely be left to Nature without human aid. 3. That Whatever the Weather Babies Must Always Wear Wool Next the Skin to Avoid Chills. ' Far from achieving this object, the over-anxious mother actually induces a chill, for baby perspires freely, and the woollen garments absorb the moisture, shrink quickly, and become much too thick and heavy. It is wiser to wear an open cotton material next the skin. It can be changed frequently, boiled without harm to its texture, and preserves baby's tender skin. For hot Weather clothes should be thin and lighten colour, for dark colours absorb more heat than white. Looseness also, is important; for air must be allowed, free access to the skin. On the other hand, in cold weather the baby must be protected by clothing him in materials of closer weave to exclude the air from the body. It is then wise to wear either a silk or cotton garment under knitted woolies, which look so cosy, but often allow winds to blow through their open mesh. Remember that when the weather changes, whatever time of year it may be, you yourself quickly change your garments to suit the weather. Give baby a little of this consideration,, and you wli find him infinitely more, happy and healthy.