OUR BABIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17037, 10 May 1923, Page 4

OUR BABIES.

(BY HYGEIA). Published under ®tbe auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children. “ It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” j QUESTION AND ANSWER. We think our readers will be very much interested in the following answer given in h recent examination for Plunket Nurses:— QUESTION. (a) Describe the most important matters to impress upon tho Expectant .Mother, for the sake of herself, and ror the sake of her child. (b) Writ© concerning the importance of fresh air and exercise for mother and child. In what sense are outing and cold bathing or sponging forms of exercise P ANSWER. (a) An expectant mother should be given to understand that child-birth is a thoroughly normal procedure, and that there is no need for her to live anything but a thoroughly normal, healthy, and happy life during her pregnancy. She must be made to realise that it is now more than ever necessary for her to keep herself perfectly fit and healthy in every way, as the future health, and happiness of her unborn but living child depend almost entirely upon her own condition at this time. Regular Habits. -She must establish a regular daily evacuation of the bowels. ns this greatly helps to purify her blood which is building the body of her child and is to supply its food for the first nine months after birth as well as before. Fresh air is necessary for the same purpose, to purify the blood through the lungs. late and tone up her whole systefj so that all her organs will be functioning at their best. Special exercises for the development of the abdominal muscles will aid her in carrying her child to the full term of nine months without difficulties or risks, and will also insure an easy confinement, as the well-devel-oped and toned-up muscles will expel tho child at the appointed time with the minimum of rrnin and effort-, and will also contract the uterus again after the birth in such a manner as to prevent undue haemorrhage or misplacement. Other special exercises will massage and tone up the liver and the large and small intestines so that a daily action of the bowels will be assured. Correct Diet. —It is not necessary to eat for two. Just a plain nourishing. well-balanced diet is all that- is necessary, with a sufficiency of laxative foods and also of fresh, foods to supply the vi famine necessity. Longings for certain foods need net he suppressed unless interfering with the balance of the diet or the digestion, aud the mother must not be asked to

make any radical changes from the foods she has been used to. unless tor the same reason. It is better not to eat between meals, and to keep regular meal hours —-three times a day. A “raw apple first thing in the morning is a good practice. Pure water to drink in abundance flushes out the whole system and specially is beneficial to the kidneys, which are liable otherwise to be unable to deal with ail the elimination of concentrated, waste products from both mother and child. Urine testing.—lt is necessary . to have this done every month, especially during the last three or four months. The mother should consult her doctor as soon as she knows she is pregnant. She should a iso make early arrangements for her confinement, either with a Nursing Home. or a thoroughly trained nurse to attend her in her own heme, and to find out what necessary preparations she will have to make tor that time, for herself and tbe baby. • Clothing. - All through her pregnancy the mother must wear comfortable clothing. with no corsets, garters, or other restricting bands, and must not keep her breasts too warmly covered. The breasts must be attended to and the nipples prepared for the suction of the child. Alternate hot and cold bathing, brushing the nipples, drawing them out gently by means of lingers or breasL pump is advocated to insure their being firm, and not leaking or liable to crack. Bathing. The mother should take a cold bath every morning right through her pregnancy, followed by a brisk rub down with a rough towel, as this tones up the skin and prevents catching cold easily, also improves the blood supplies, and stimulates the whole system. if not used to cold bathing the expectant mother may begin by standing in warm water while she quickly sponges down with cold, and so gradually accustom herself to the entire cold bath, quickly taken. A warm bath, but not hot, may be taken before j’oing to bed at night, as this aids (bleep. Rest and sleep are very necessary to the expectant mother. She must have just enough work to do during the day to keep her occupied and happy, but not to over-toil or exhaust her: and must be orotected from worries or shock. It is necessary for | the well-being of herself and her child that she shall go through pregnancy * in a happy , confident frame of mind.

SECOND FART (b) Fresh air and exercise are most important lor mother and child. Fresh air purifies the mother’s blood, from which the child’s body is being built- up and nourished. All the organs of the child, its bones, teeth, and brain are all completely formed and developed in the mother's womb before its birth, and the mother must do all she can to assure their being built out of the best amUpurest material she can supply through her own bioo<d. Fresh air also insures a healthy and cheerful frame of mind for the mother, and this greatly influences both the health and character of her child. Exercise, such as walking, keeps the mother fit and all her organs in good working order, and prevents her from becoming mentally and phvsicallv siuggisli. Special exercises, such as breathing exercises, help to purify her blood and make her stronger and more fit to bear her burden and go through with her great work. Exercises for the abdominal muscles strengthen them and insure the child being carried to full term, in correct position, and being delivered without complications at the appointed time. Also they establish a regular action of the bowels. and save such troubles as hsemorroids, headaches, neuralgia, etc., as well as purifying the whole system of both mother and child. Fresh air and bathing are exercises in that tVy both provide sensory stimulation through the skin. They remove impurities from the skin, through the perspiration, keep the skin toned up to act well in this way. and also stimulate the blood supply, which rushes to the surface when the skin becomes cold, so relieving congestion of the internal organs and digestive tract, and in this way aiding assimilation and metabolism. Memo by “ Hygeia.”—Breathing exercises are specially mentioned, but “breathing exercises” as such are really not necessary, because if the other exercises advocated are well done deep breathing is a consequent result.