OUR BABIES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 2768, 7 April 1927, Page 3

OUR BABIES

(By “Hygoia.”)

Published under the auspices of the Loyal Xew 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.” ■ i THE DUMMY. It is wrong to “imagine that any one factor alone is to be regarded as the sole cause of human degeneracy in any direction whatsoever.” The best possible health and vigour of every part of the body is the result of many factors acting together, starting with the. baby’s inheritance, goingon through the vastly important first nine months of his life before birth, to the care and treatment In' receives during infancy and childhood. “Good, pure blood is essential for the formation of perfect bones and teeth, just as it is essential for the formation of a sound brain and nervous system. But there cannot be good pure blood without suitable .food and good feeding methods, abundance of fresh air aud sunlight, adequate exercise, play, mothering, rest, and sleep.” It is not suggested that the dummy is the actual cause of adenoids, but from what has already been said it must be clear that it predisposes to and tends to r-attse the condition. /

“From many Tears’o? study, experience, and observation, it has been pfo\ pj ed beyond doubt that'(apart front a lack of vitality, and vigour which may be present at birth) the most important cause of adenoids is failure to breast-feed the baby, coupled with the use of the dummy. The main stimulant for the good development and growth of the mouth, throat, nose and airway is an adequate blood supply to these parts. ”

The exercise of vigorous sucking tends to make the tongue strong, broad, and well developed. Natural suckling at the breast ensures the best possible “jaw work.” Bottle feeding, on the other h,and, as it is too often managed, means inadequate exercise in this respect, because the baby obtains his food easily through a large liole in a rubber teat. This, combined with constant lazy sucking at a dummy (with the effects we have already described on the jaws and roof of the mouth), tends to make the tongue narrow and poorly developed. A hardworked, strong, full tongue moulds the roof of the mouth, jaws, and nose on broad lines. This in turn ensures capacious highways for air and plenty of room for tooth—the best possible basis for perfectly healthy tissues, in which neither adenoids nor the germs of colds, etc., are likely to develop.

Later on, when the baby comes to the stage of mixed foods, “pap feeding” is tiie most fruitful cause of abnormalities of the jaw, teeth and airways, because it again provides no adequate exercise for jaws and teeth. Give baby his natural food; no dummy; from nine months onwards the maximum amount of hard, food, and fresh air to breathe day- and night, and you will be doing your best to prevent adenoids and bad teeth, as well as many other ills.

To the mother who says, “Well, the dummy has not done any harm to my baby,” all we can say is that he would have been better still if no dummy had been used and that for one baby where she can see no actual damage there are a dozen where the evil effects "would be obvious even to herself if they were pointed out by an experienced person. Is it reasonable to persist in a wrong course until actual definite harm can be seen?

Parents are strongly recommended to read “Feeding, and Care of Baby,” page 124 onwards ,on this subject. Breaking Baby of the Habit.

If the habit is to be broken, the main thing is real conviction and determination on the part of the mother and all concerned. Babies are extraordinarily sensitive to “atmosphere.” At the Ivaritane Hospitals many babies are admitted with dummies. But they are promptly disposed of, and in a remarkably short time the baby settles down to be a. happier, more contented little fellow than ever before without his false friend the dummy. He knows there is no wavering in the minds of those who are caring for him, and most babies instinctively avoid wasting effort on useless endeavour.

So have courage! If you are determined to break your baby of his bad habit you will accomplish your aim—and it really is worth while. Burn the dummy, and lot no one go out and buy another one, and rally the household round to stand by and help for the sake of the ultimate happiness and good of his Majesty the Baby.

Blanket Nurse Parker, 1*1)one 192. Secretary: Miss Hooker, Hall Street. Phone 307.