OUR BABIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17537, 14 May 1925, Page 10

OUR BABIES.

HYGEIA.

(By

Pubjjsherl under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for tli? Health of Women anrl Children. the top r,f a precipice than in mainl'i;i;i)l NG I) FT A 1 LS. FIRST MONTH. Within twelve hours of birth the baby should be put to the breast at regular intervals lo stimulate the) secretion of milk. At this rime, and in most cases during the first twentyfour to thirty-six hours the baby obtains very little food. It during this period the baby is restless and evidentfills of boiled water or of -5 per cent I sugar ot milk solution (an ounce to the ' pint) mixed with an equal volume of boiled water, may be given at intervals of three hours-—that is. after each attempted suckling. If the mother’s milk i' delayed si ill longer, something additional must bo given: but persistent efforts to establish at least partial breast feeding, m spite ol failure, should not he given up for a week or more. Throughout the first week continue feeding with the sugar solution, which need not he diluted after the -■■coud .lay. but must have humanised 1 ill: addecl in gradually increasing proportions. no that when a week old the baby may receive equal quantities of sugar solution and humanised milk. By ihe end of the second week two parts of humanised milk may be given lo one of sugar solution, and by the end of the third week three parts of humanised milk to one of sugar solu- ! Mon. If premature, use weaker. SKv ONI) MONTH AND ONWARDS. A i the end of the first month ihe baby may he given three parts of humanised milk to one of “ new-milk-vvlioy." Continue this mixture for one or two weeks; then the humanised milk may be given pure, and this can I. • continued throughout the first nine mouths of life; or towards the end of the fourth month, if the infant’s digestion is good, some whole cows’ milk may lie added to the ingredients of the recipe before heating. At. the end ot a week an addition of three and a half ounces of milk can have, been reached by increments of half an ounce a dav— making the recipe up to thirty-three and a half ounces. This can he continued to the ninth month : or after a few days a change may be made direct, to huu-anised milk No. IT. given pure. A week later the addi- ; ion of some whole milk may be resumed. increasing half an ounce day by day as before. Do not add ot most more than tour or five ounces ol ordinary milk to the day s food at any time during the first nine, months of life. It should be noted that the change ni humanised milk No. 11. is suggested merely as a saving of trouble, because it takes less time to make than ihe first recipe. Both milks are of the same strength, but as the first is more easily digested it should be continued longer if No. 71. fails 1o agree, and may be used throughout. Tli* s addition of a few ounces of whole milk not only affords an easy means of transition to the. lees digestible No. IT. mixture, but its continued use. within the limits indicated, benefits some babies who happen to need extra proteid a point which can he established only by actual trial. Hvery baby artificially fed should receive some fresh fruit, juice daily after four or fire months of age. DON'T ADD WATER. Do not dilute humanised milk with water as you would ordinary cows’ milk, because the less digestible material has been removed. Humanised milk has the same strength as human milk, and should therefore not be diluted or altered in any way, unless for some special reason. As already pointed out some “Sugar of Milk Solution ” should be added throughout the first month o f life, or longer, and the same principle applies when anv babv i> to be fed with humanised milk for the first time. CHANGING TO HI'MANLSFD MILK. If ihe baby is over a. month old and quite strong, if may start with equal parts of humanised milk and sugar of milk solution. Gradually increase the proportion of humanised milk and correspondingly reduce the sugar of milk solution day by day. At the end of a week nr moi'e the humanised milk may he pi T_ en pure. But if ihe baby younger, or if n has been fed on patent foods, or if it is in any way delicate, commence with one part of humanised mdk to two parts of sugar of milk solution. Gradually reduce the sugar of milk solution, say by two ounces a day for the first five days, and then by one ounce a day, but a month or more may elapse before the digestive organs can be si lengthened and built up so as to bo. fit to digest pure, humanised milk. In Dunedin and Auckland, where public companies prepare humanised milk, they supply it ready graded day by lay according to