OUR BABIES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20284, 19 April 1934, Page 13

OUR BABIES.

(By HYGEIA.) Published under the auspices of 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 tnan to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.’* SMALL BABIES AND PREMATURES. -Most people know that when a baby is premature —tfiat is, born before its time—it snould be kept warm and should have special care and attention; but many mothers do not realise that if a full-time baby is underweight it also ought to be carefully safeguarded. These small babies born at full time will dwindle away through lack of knowledge ana attention in this direction. Tne mother thoughtlessly baths her baby in the ordinary way, despite its small size, and the baby thus exposed daily loses weight and its vitality. One cannot lay down hard-and-fast rules with regard to the care of a baby of a particular age and weight, because much depends on the condition of the child, but in all cases where babies are decidedly below the average weight at birth very special attention should be given to all the essentials for health (see pages 1 and 2, '* Feeding and Care of Baby”), and particularly to keeping the infant sufficiently warm. We advise mothers to consult the Plunket nurse in all such cases, and she will advise what is best. Babies born before their time and classified as ” prematures ” generally weigh less than silb; those who weigh less than 21b seldom live. Every premature baby needs special care and attention from the very instant of birth, even though not much underweight and not obviously weak and debilitated. On the other hand, a badly nourished or unhealthy baby born at full time may be as difficult to rear as a healthy baby born before its time. In practice all babies who are small and debilitated at birth are classed with prematures, and need more or less similar attention. The following remarks on prematures may, therefore, he regarded rfs applying also to weaklings born at full time. Warmth Essential. The frail arid feeble hold on life of the premature ba uy is due mainly to there being very little readily available fuel stored up in the body at the time of birth and want of •heat-regulating power. These deficiencies cause the body temperature to fall rapidly and dangerously below what is Heeded to sustain life, unless special steps are taken, directly the premature is born, to minimise the escape of heat by completely enveloping the body in warm wrappings, and to supply warmth from the outside by warming the room and by the use of hot bottles. Of course, these requirements would be greatly modified in hot weather. Wherever possible everything needed for conserving and supplying heat should be in readiness before the baby is born, the main requirements being:— (1) Wicker cradle or deep dress basket. The sides should be lined with paper blanket or flannel. (2) Mattress and soft chaff shakedown, blanketing and soft wraps. (3) Three hot water bottles (preferably rubber. but any form of bottle may be used for emergency). (4) Warm olive oil and cotton wool. While all the above are not needed, except for prematures and weaklings, they should be in readiness at the time of childbirth, because many of the newborns would benefit greatly by the immediate. use of what has been Indicated, and these provisions made ahead would save many lives. An attentive, specially skilled, capable nurse can ensure the success of nearly every baby—she can save practically every child who is fit to live. '