OUR BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22956, 11 August 1936, Page 15

OUR BABIES

By Hvgeta. Published under the auspices of the Unvnl New Zealand Society for th« Health of Women and Children (Plunkot Society). "It is wiser to pat up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." CORPORAL PUNISHMENT FOR BABIES IS SMACKING BABY A SATISFACTORY METHOD OF TEACHING HIM SELF-CONTROL? The following extract is from an " unsigned " letter received by Hygeia in regard to the above question: — "Would you please tell in your column if you advocate smacking babies who are only a few months old? " Anyone at all familiar with Sir Truby King's methods as regards the care of baby would not have thought it necessary to ask such a question, knowing how humane and reasonable all the teachings of the Plunket Society are. Since we have been asked about the matter, however, a talk on punishment in general—not only smacking—might not be out of place. After all, the question of punishment is a much bigger one than most of us realise, and is not merely confined to an occasional smack.

Certainly the Plunket Society would never countenance "smacking" as a remedy for the correction of a baby's apparent naughtiness. Also we are sure the majority of mothers would be aghast at the suggestion that baby would be the better for a smack. Only a very impatient mother, with little self-control, would resort to such measures in trying to control her baby, and as the very young have limited powers of differentiating between right and wrong a smack certainly would not control him, though it might have the effect of subduing, or frightening the helpless little creature into submission. WHAT IS THE MOST FREQUENT FORM OF PUNISHMENT INFLICTED UPON BABIES? We should say "Over indulgence"; this is seldom recognised or admitted, but is nevertheless true. Here are some of the instances which frequently come under our notice. OVER FEEDING. Even with the breast-fed baby overfeeding is possible, resulting in upsets and disturbances necessitating disciplinary measures of correction. As the child grows older how often one sees the adult (parents or so-called friends) endeavouring to secure the child's affection by the giving of attractive articles of unwholesome food, with the result that sooner or later the health is impaired and the ill-effects of indulgence are evident in the spoilt child's character. TOO MUCH HANDLING AND OVERSTIMULATION FOR THE AMUSEMENT OF ADMIRING PARENTS AND FRIENDS. In regard to handling, Sir Truby King in his book, " Feeding and Care," says, "There are few sights more pathetic than that of a weak mother not daring to lay her child down because he will cry for the snuggling warmth of her arms, which in a few days of his apparent unintelligent existence he has learnt can be had for crying. Critically to watch a baby 'work' his mother is truly enlightening, because his physical helplessness makes it seem so incredible . . . and when the mother has yielded during the first few weeks to the demands of her child's cries, the chains of her slavery are curiously hard to break." Probably the temptation to play with baby and see his response to our stimulating tricks is a fault common to many of us, unless we guard against it, especially when the baby is an unusually attractive little person. Self-gratification is what most of us are seeking when we endeavour to win baby's smiles and his response to our stimulation. It ends in unhappiness and disappointment for baby, for if he is played with and excited too much to-day he will look for the same attention to-morrow, and if he does not get it naturally he voices his indignation. What happens then? If mother is busy or tired and does not want to be bothered with baby at the moment she becomes impatient, and perhaps smacks baby for a display of irritation for which he should not be blamed. PERSISTENT SUCKING OF FINGERS, CLOTHING, OR THE UNSPEAKABLE DUMMY. The harm done by these bad habits has been discussed from time to time in this column, and we can truthfully say that the discipline required in the correction of these habits may prove a more severe trial to the child than is generally recognised. Are we to permit the indulgence of the so-called " solaces of infancy" which may cause baby to suffer in later years because we will not make the necessary effort to train him correctly? Too frequently we see the results of faulty training and mismanagement. Firm discipline is necessary to correct this, but parents are often too soft to put consistently into effect the measures that would have prevented the child from becoming "an exacting little tyrant." Don't imagine that babies are the only ones who suffer. Nurses are by no means so hardhearted as they are believed to be. and if only the critics who declare them to be so could be present throughout the day at one of our Truby King hospitals to see how kindly and lovingly baby's wants are attended to, and the love he receives during his natural recreation time, we are sure they would alter their views. . As always, then, our answer is—- " Prevention is better than cure." Train baby from his first day of life to regular hours of feeding, sleeping, bathing, and recreation—give him his daily needs, always keeping in mind " good mothering." Find the cause of his troubles when he is disturbed and do your best to remedy them, but don't temporarily indulge him to relieve his feelings or, more particularly, your own—for instance, by giving him a dummy because he cries with tiredness when the natural and correct thing to do is to give him a comfortable bed and to see that he is cosy and warm, away from the general bustle of the household. A short time ago we discussed fully in this column all that must be provided for baby's daily. needs. If these essentials are assured there should be no need to resort to punishment, such as smacking, because mother is out of patience with baby.