OUR BABIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 7

OUR BABIES

8y Hygeia. Published under the auspices ct the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” the far-reaching effects of masticatory exercise. "The mouth is indeed a great primal •driving station,’ -whence the nerve fibres carry impulses to the nerve centres, •which quicken the life and activity of every tissue of the body. When the jaws are doing natural, honest, hard work the whole of the rest of the organism is impelled to activity. The heart pumps quicker and more forcibly, the pressure of blood in the arteries rises and its stream flows more rapidly, even in the very finger-tips: at the same time the digestive juices are poured out freely, not only into the mouth, but. also into the stomach and bowels, as the result of messages transmitted from the mouth to the nerve centres and out again when we are busily engaged in mastication. Apart altogether from the consideration of the building of the teeth and jaws, active ‘mouth exercise’ is thus necessary for the nutrition, growth, and health of every organ of the body. ‘Feeding exercise’ is the most primitive, fundamental, and essential of all forms of exercise. A horse fed mainly on hard, dry food (and reasonably treated in other respects) becomes the ideal of strength and ‘fitness.’ Feed the same horse with soft mashes made from similar food materials and he will become soft and ‘out of condition,’ simply because his whole organism will then lack the primary stimulation of daily, normal, active exercise which formerly he had to devote to crunching the oats. etc. —activities which are not called forth when dealing with food provided ready ground and softened—food on which the work has been already done by millstones and mashing outside the animal body. The same applies to ourselves—particularly to the young, w’ho are always nearest to nature. Jaw Work ' We need the exercise of active mastication, and the only effective means of ensuring this is to start training at the dawn of life. Never let a healthy infant take a meal on which he is not compelled to do active work in the form of sucking or chewing. We must begin with the baby and foster his natural tendency to masticate, instead of doing everything to make the function die out of disuse. “The mother should banish from her mind the idea that ‘pap feeding’ or ‘mince feeding’ is natural for a child who has teeth. Even milk should he used sparingly after IS months—a pint a day being ample, perhaps more than is desirable. Diluted with water, milk should then be used as a nutrient drink at the close o.f meals, not as a fluid In which to soak food which would otherwise need chewing and insalivating. No doubt the children of the poor are often unduly stinted with regard to milk, but children in general tend to be given too much milk and cream—too much ready-made fluid food which merely drains into the stomach—to the exclusion of cruder materials on which work would have to be done, suited to the natural tendencies and activities of infancy. Avoid “Pap Feeding”

“Drs. Pedley and Harrison would exclude all ‘pap food’ from the baby’s diet when he has reached two years of age. They sa.y: “ ‘At two years of age only solid food should be given at meals in order that the teeth may thoroughly chew. The stomach should also be allowed time to digest one meal before another Is given (no “pieces” between meals). Suppose, however, that the parents continue to provide a child with food in a fluid or semi-fluid condition, the child, having nothing to chew, simply swallows its food. The habit of “bolting” is formed—a habit not easily overcome—and the parents, who have never given the matter a thought, wonder why! “The custom of giving children porridge with milk, bread soaked or boiled in milk, milk with patent cereal foods, is unnatural, in so far as these foods afford no use for the teeth, nutritious as they are in other respects. Oatcake or wholemeal bread to masticate, followed by mlJk and water to drink, are equally nutritious, and will satisfy the requirements of a child far better.' “Some of the modern dry cereal foods, made specially with a view to ensure thorough chewing and insalivation, are excellent as a change from bread crusts, toast, oatcake, or hard biscuit. One objection to patent prepared cereals is that, though not more nutritious than ordinary whole meal, they are decidedly expensive. “Parents who once grasp the fact that the more exercise a child can be given for mouth, jaws, and teeth the more he will tend to thrive will not be at a loss to find means by which the carrying out of what is needed is ensured . . . Thus the small allowance of meat that a child may have is best given in the form of a bone from which he can gnaw and tear off with his teeth what is eatable. . . . Fortunately the hands and lips are not unwashabie!“—“Feeding and Care of Babv,” by Sir F. Trubv King CMC,.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE IE AWAMUTU BRANCH Mrs. H. Y. Collins, president of the Te Awamutu branch of the New Zealand Women’s Institute, addressing those present at the monthly meeting on Thursday afternoon, referred to the disastrous earthquakes experienced in the South Island West Coast districts. She read a letter from Mrs. Dorman, president of the Auckland Provincial Federation, asking for assistance. Mrs. Dorman suggested raising funds by means of a “bring and buy” afternoon. Members agreed, and the effort will be made at next meeting. Mrs. J. G. Wynyard gave a most interesting address on “Women and Their Influence,” which was much appreciated. Mrs. E. Whyte arranged a very enjoyable musical programme, which was contributed by Mrs. W. E. Osborne, Mrs. J. S. Ashmore. Mrs. H. M. Andrew (songs) and Mrs. E. White (piano selections). The accompaniments were provided by Mrs. White (piano) and Miss Gibson (violin). A raffia work demonstration organised by Mrs. Ashmore and illustrated by Mrs. G. Hall, Hairini. created much interest, and many members were instructed in the art. Afternoon tea was served. the hostesses for the occasion being Mesdames R. Noonan and H. M. Beetham.

GIFT AFTERNOON A gift afternoon in aid of the North. Memorial Baptist Church Fair was held at the home of Mrs. Takle in Remuera yesterday afternoon. A very pleasant afternoon was spent with amusing competitions and musical items by Mrs. Airey, Misses Moseien and Ilassall and Mr. Leslie Takle. A dainty afternoon tea was served, after which Mrs. Hughes-Jones, on behalf of the guild, thanked the hostess and the donors of the beautiful gifts. Those present included: Mesdames Furness. Contis, Airey, Woolley. A. .Tones. Norland. Long, Black, Alexander. Fenwick, Grigg, Jensen, Foote, Hawkes. Cammell, Hassall. Blackwood, Dearsly, Carter. May, Cardwell, Eyre, Lambert. Whitehead, Mclntyre. Reynolds, Alex. Coutts. Moseien, Am bury, Way te, Hodgson, Hill, Blomfield. Baines, East, Craig, Kings ton-Smith, and Misses Nancy Coutts. Wedderburn and Jones. ADMIRING BABY SOME DONT’S FOR MOTHERS Don't take him from his cot or pram if he should be there. IF HE IS UP Don't hold him in uncomfortable positions. It isn't worth straining his body to show him oft. Don't overstimulate his brain by dangling objects in front of him or forcing smiles. There is so much for him to observe; let him develop at his own rate. Don’t forget baby can understand before he can speak; it isn't good for him to hear himself praised. Don't change him into his best clothes if they are thinner than those ,he is wearing; or dawdle over un- ! dressing or bathing him. I Don’t allow visitors to watch him having his bottle. If he is to digest his food properly he must not be excited. Baby's well-being matters more than other people's opinions, so— Do keep an eye on the clock, and let nothing make you absent-minded or careless about meal or bed-time.

PASTRY TRICKS WORTH KNOWING

If you happen to burn a cake in the baking, don’t be disheartened. just scrape away the black very carefully, brush over the cake with beaten white of egg, dust with castor suger, and put it back into the oven for five minutes. All signs of burn will disappear. If you are troubled by the fruit in a cake sinking to the bottom, try baking in a hotter oven. Another cause of vexation may be the fruit itself. Remember that this should be prepared beforehand, because the cake will be a failure if it is the least bit damp. When you realise that you have a 'heavy hand” with pastry, add a pinch of cream of tartar to the eggs before beating them. Not only will this greatly facilitate the mixing, but it will make the pastry lighter. When you fear your oven is too hot for cake-baking, and you cannot wait for it to cool, stand the tin on a layer of common salt. This will prevent burning. If your jam pastry proves a failure ou account of the jam running or burning, brush the paste with the beaten white of an egg before applying the jam. You will have no further cause for worry. Lastly, if you have difficulty in keeping cakes and pastries fresh and moist, place two good thick slices of raw potato in the bottom of the caketin, changing them every two or three days as they dry and wither. This method will obviate all trouble.

GLASS HOUSES FOR CLOTHES

To judge by the fitments invented for bedroom use, the modern designer is of the opinion that our lingerie and laces are of sufficient aesthetic value to play their part in the general scheme of decoration! Accordingly, he has introduced glass fronts to hanging wardrobes and to the series of shelves which, in the new arrangement, takes the place of the chest of drawers. This notion may appear extremely bizarre and impracticable, but it works out admirably. It necessitates, of course, a certain care in the disposal of the various items behind the glass, but, given an artistic “touch” the effect is likely to be extraordinarily successful. For instance, in the room which I was privileged to study, the shelves accommodated neat piles of crepe de chine “undies” in lemon-yellow and palest mauve, and also a variety of modern ornaments in the form of amber chains and amethyst pendants, to say nothing of necklets of gold beads, and pearl earrings. These combined with such oddments as coloured handkerchiefs and printed scarves to form a “still-life” picture worthy of the painter's brush, and *dded very considerably to the interest of the room as a whole. The wardrobe held the more perishable frocks encased within overalls of buttercup yellow linen, those in everyday use being allowed to display their charms to the world. This arrangement provides a varied display of colour, the shoes ranged on the metal frame below giving a further variation to the scheme. A welcome alternative to the eternal fitment of wood.