OUR BABIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 65

OUR BABIES.

Bt Htgeia. Published under ths auspice* rf the Reyal New Zealand Society ter the Health 9t Women and Children (Plunket Society). ••It Is wiser te put up a fence at the tap et a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.'*

PLUNKET NURSES, ETC., DUNEDIN BRANCH.

NURSES SERVICES FREE. Nurses O’Shea (telephone 23-348), Isbi*ter (telephone 10-866), Thomson, Scott, and Ewart (telephone 10-216), and Mathieson (telephone 23-020). Society's Rooms: Jamieson's Buildings 6 Lower Stuart street (telephone 10-216), Office hour*, daily from 2 to 4 p.m. (eacept Saturday and Sunday) and 10 a.m to noon on Tuesdays. Thursdays and Friday#; 515 King Edward street- South Dunedin. 2 to 4 p.m. daily (except Saturday and Sunday), and 10 a.m to noon on Fridays; also 125 Highgate. Roslyn—Mon day and Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m.; Gospe] Hall, Mailer street. Mornington, Wednesdays, 2 to 4 p.m.; Kelsey-Yaralla Kindergarten, Monday and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m.; and at 99 Musselburgh rise, Wednesdays, 2 to 4 p.m. Out-stations: Baptist Church. Gordon road, Mosgiel, Tuesday afternoons from 3 to 4 o’clock; Presbyterian Church Hall. Outram, alternate Fridays, 2 to 4 p.m.; Municipal Buildings. Port Chalmers. Wed nesday afternoons from 2 to 4 o’clock: also Hall. Macandrew’s Bay, Fridays, 2 to 4 p.m. Secretary, Miss G. Hoddinott, Jamie son’* Buildings, Stuart street (telephone 10-216). Karitane-Harris Baby Hospital, Anderson’s Bay (telephone 22-985). Matron, Mis* Hitchcock. Demonstrations given on request every Wednesday afternoon from 2.30 by Plunket Nurses and Faritane Baby Nurses Visiting hours: 2 to 4 p.na.. Wednesday Frida? and Sunday. “THIS BUSINESS OF TWINS.” There is surely something very fascinating about two tiny people who look “ as alike as two peas,” and most of us have a soft spot in our hearts for twins. Doubtless parents may feel somewhat appalled at first sight of two babies, but pride soon takes the place of misgiving, and, with good management, two healthy, normal babies make less work than one ailing or spoilt one. Good Management. This is naturally extra important with twins. It is surprising how much time and fatigue can be saved by establishing a routine and a brisk method of carrying it through. We have known numerous instances in which the mother nursed both babies and did all her own work—with entire success. Four-hourly feeding is, of course, an immense advantage, and a four-hourly programme should be adopted in the great majority of cases. The babies should not be allowed to “ dawdle over meals.” The average strong-sucking baby gets sufficient food in 15 to 20 minutes, and often in much less time, especially in the early morning. Feeding Methods. The question of how to arrange the babies’ feeding is of first importance. Is full breast feeding of both possible? If not, should one baby be breast fed and the other bottle fed? If not, what is the best method? Aiming at the Ideal. Unquestionably both babies should be fully breast fed if possible, and the majority of mothers can manage this, at least for several months, with the right advice and help from the beginning. It may seem, in anticipation, a formidable task, but as a matter of fact complete breast feeding is infinitely the simplest and safest method, and a tremendous saving of worry, time, and money. When the demand is made upon her, Nature “ rises to the occasion,” as it were, and if the mother is keen to do her part, and the babies are good suckers, she will in all probability have enough milk for both right through to weaning time. But we must mention that it is up to the father to do his bit too. Extra household help should be provided if at all possible, and, if it is not possible, many are the small ways in which “himself” can help to ease the springs and oil the wheels of the family coach. j When both babies are being entirely breast fed each should have one breast at each feeding. The same baby should go first throughout the day, taking alternate breasts. Occasionally we have known mothers who successfully fed both babies at once, one at each, breast;- the position must be thoroughly comfortable, with the arms well supported. Second Best. Should the ideal prove impossible of attainment, the mother not having quite enough milk, what should she do? Every baby, strdng or weak, needs his mother’s milk, and undoubtedly both babies should have as much of it as possible. The best method, if the mother can manage the time for it, is as follows:— Put one twin to, say, the right breast, and let him empty it (say 10 to 15 minutes at the breast); then make up any deficiency with humanised milk by bottle if necessary. The bottle should be all ready before starting to breast feed and hot water handy to warm it quickly. Now give the other baby the left breast, followed by humanised milk again if necessary. There always fends., to be most milk in the early morning,' and it is often unnecessary to complement at the first feed or two of the day, even when several ounces are required at the later feeds. j . . . . „. Complementary. Feeding,’ • Tf complementary feeding is necessary, ' make every effort to.'get in. touch with a

Plunket nurse regarding the best methods. The only way to avoid mistakes and to find out how much food to give by bottle is to “ test weigh ” the babies before and -rv fe , e<lin S for at least 24 hours. Inis the I lunket nurse can show you how to do. A short stay at one of the Plunket Mothercraft Homes is a great help in finding out just how to regulate the feedings. Indeed we would strongly advise the mother of twins to spend a few days at a Mothercraft Home before she goes “? ck , t °. ller ordinary home routine after the babies come, just to get things established and to gain self-confidence in managing them. For the Busy Mother. . ■ff J?' i s . impossible for the mother to give the time to breast feed and complement both babies, as suggested above, quite good results can be obtained by each baby alternate breast and bottle feeds. t f b - is r , egi , me ’ or der to give each Or \ our 'hourly feedings, th~ babies should take turns, day and dav about, to have three breast feeds one d a ,y, ar *d only two the next. Ihe humanised milk should be properly graded in strength and quantity, according to the age of the babies. Breast milk is, however, a wonderful digestive of other foods, and the first method is preferable. A Suggested Routine for Twins. 6 a.m.: Change and feed Baby A (right breast). Put back to bed. 6.20 : Change and feed Babv B (left breast). Put back to bed. 6.45 to -4) a.m.: Both babies sleep or play in cots. Should not need ata\vak* n than changing if 9 a ’?iig Prepare for bathing and feed9.15 : Bath Baby B. Hold out, and put him in a cosy corner in his cot or otherwise tucked up, so that ' ceedin 11 t^le su hsequent pro9.3 a . Bath Baby A. Hold out, etc., then feed, giving the left breast, luck up comfortably in pram or eo„ to sleep (outside for preference) . 1°.15 : Feed. Baby B (right breast). .luck up to sleep likewise. (If more convenient, bath and feed Baby A and put him to sleep, then bath and feed Baby B.) 2 p.m.; Feed Baby A (right breast). 2.20: Feed Baby B (left breast). If the babies wake before 2 p.m. change them, and let them amuse themselves, kicking in the sun if possible. I’rom 2.30 to 5, or thereabouts, Y 5 ’ ior a short sleep, the babies legitimate “ mothering time,” u nen they may expect an outing and some nursing and good kicking exercise. b 6 p.m; Feed Baby A (left breast), lhen tuck up snugly and firmly incot and settle him down for the mght m a quiet, well-ventilated, unlighted room. 6.25: Feed Baby B (right breast), and tuck linn away for the night also. 9.40 p.m.: Feed Baby A (right breast). C nange and tuck up again. 10 pm.: Feed Baby B (left breast). Change and tuck up again. ■ fits in with household arrangements better to time the babies’ feeds earlier or later *. than suggested above. A\ell and good, so long as regularity is maintained.