OUR BABIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1938, Page 4

OUR BABIES

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society tor 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.” FOR BABY’S BED. PILLOWS AND MATTRESSES. During something like three-quart-ers of his entire first year baby’s head lies on a pillow, or should do so. The pillow is thus one of the small things that make up his immediate environment, and may exert a very definite influence upon his development. The use of a pillow is to support the head in a comfortable position. The misuse of a pillow may be actually dangerous. Every now and again a baby is suffocated by burying its face in a big pillow. If mothers realised that fact they would never expose the baby to that danger. Large, soft pillows are enervating and unhealthy, and predispose to cold and adenoids, because they exclude fresh air from the child’s airways. Cool, moving air is absolutely necessary for the development of proper hardiness and resistance. It tones up the mucous membrane lining the nasal passages, and keeps it in a healthy state. Warm, stale, stagnant air is an entirely different thing; it lacks the vital, stimulating effect of pure, cool air. If warm air is constantly, breathed the membrane becomes weak and unhealthy, and the baby is liable to catch cold or any sickness.

Now imagine the effect of a large, soft pillow. The little head sinks into the middle, and the pillow humps up in front and behind. Even if it does not actually touch the nose, the necessary free circulation of air is impeded, and the whole surrounding atmosphere is warmed and becomes more or less heavy and stagnant, and baby breathes and rebreathes this stagnant air. In addition, baby’s head tends to become hot and perspire. This is weakening and predisposes to colds. When all is said there does not seem to be a good point to be made in favour of big pillows for baby’s use. If warmth is wanted, a? it is for premature and weakling babies, it is best to use a soft knitted bonnet for a time. To protect baby’s head from draughts line the top of the cradle with flannel and place a screen round the head of the bed. Actually, baby does not need a pillow at all, but a thin, small one does no harm, and is a help in making him comfortable. • The ideal material for a pillow is soft winnowings of barley chaff enclosed in a case of thick, soft cotton material. The outer slip may be as

pretty as you like, but avoid having any lace or embroidery in the middle where the baby’s head lies. THE ADVANTAGES OF CHAFF. One’s first thought may be: “What! Chaff for a pillow! That couldn’t be comfortable!” But it can, and is, if the right chaff is used and the case not too full. It is cheap and cool and clean. If the baby is sick (and even the best regulated baby may sometimes be sick) the chaff can be tipped out and a clean case refilled with fresh chaff any number of times ; If supplies run short it can be baked in the oven, and so kept quite sweet and wholesome.

If it is impossible to obtain chaff, make a special small kapoc pillow, and cover it with a thin, light cover. Eleven inches by eight is a good average size for the case. ABOUT MATTRESSES.

Just a word about mattresses while we are on the subject of baby’s bed. Chaff is the ideal material from which to make a shakedown to cover the foundation mattress. The foundation mattress should be firm, well studded, and fairly thick. The purpose of having a shakedown on top of this is to provide a soft, yet cool nest for baby, which can be renewed or destroyed if accidentally wet or soiled, and safely distributes heat if a hot water bottle is used, the bottle being placed between the two mattresses. Chaff fulfils all these requirements admirably. It is a mistake to use a soft kapoc or feather-pillow mattress. It is hot and enervating in warm weather, and does not support baby’s body in the natural curves.

Let us think again of how much time baby spends in bed, and spare no pains to make that bed just right.