OUR BABIES.

Waipa Post, Volume IV, Issue 170, 10 December 1912, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

By Hygeia. Published under the auspices of the 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." WHAT BABIES MIGHT BE. (Continued).

After 15 months, egg, potato and gravy, baked apple, and soup were gradually added to diet. At very rare intervals a little minced chicken was given. No other meat was given until two years old and now only a little once or twice a week. In the early months of life a little plain water was given from a bottle, consequently, there was not the slightest difficulty in giving milk from the bottle when the time came for it. Orange juice was at first put into a cup and fed with a spoon, but baby of her own accord quickly started taking juice from the cup direct. There was thus no difficulty in giving milk from a cup later. She never made the slightest objection to changes of food or to methods of giving it. She was twice upset by bad milk (some of my patients were upset.by same milk), otherwise there has never been the slightest trace of flatulence or indigestion. No food or drink has ever been allowed between meals, excepting water and orange juice. Raw apples have been regularly given since they were first begun, when baby was iz months of age. She has also had bananas.

SWEETS.—No sugar has been allowed excepting at rare intervals. Occasionally an " acid drop " has been given as a treat. Always much enjoyed, but second one rarely even asked for. TEETH.—Appeared in usual order about usual time. She had 8 or 10 when a year old. Never any trouble with teeth, and, excepting the first, they were seldom noticed until they were well through the gum. Cleaning begun soon after teeth appeared. Brush used after 17 to 18 months. Now makes an attempt to use the brush herself! .

WElGHT.—lncreased steadily, always something above the average for age. Always plump and firm, bnt never had the rolls of fat on legs and arms seen in many babies, especially the patent food babies! CLOTHING.—Binder removed as soon as cord separated, aud never used afterwards. No constriction allowed about chest or abdomen. Two rules observed —sufficient clothing for warmth without overburdening child; perfect freedom of movement of chest, abdomen and/ limbs. FRESH Alß.—Since she was about three weeks old has always slept close to. open window, no screen used. At first slept in open work basket on a stand, no trimmings of any kind to basket, and child raised well up in it. Out of doors practically all day, and face always freely exposed to air or wind. SLEEP.—Never kept us awake at night. Never a crying baby. Being healthy, probably had nothing to cry about! Always sleeps with mouth well closed.

It seems almost.an impertinence to make any critical comment on the above record, but I feel sure that the doctor would agree with me in the suggestion that instead of-mincing the chicken or meat, it would be better to give these in the form of a little left on the bones for the child to gnaw and chew. As for his commendation of bananas for babies, I am not quite sure. I should prefer other fruit, but perhaps I am prejudiced because a little girl of my own was made very ill indeed by eating a whole banana when she was four years old. However, I will deal with the question of the fruits most suitable for children in a future column.

(Comment by " Hygeia."—The Doctor says he does not agree with Professor Holt's opinion that bananas are necessarily unsafe for babies. I shall deal with this question later. Further, no mention appears in the record of the use of oilcake, but probably this has formed part of the little girl's dietary. In any case she certainly has well-formed mouth and jaws and sound good teeth.]