OUR BABIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20127, 21 April 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

OUR BABIES

( By Hygcia). 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 than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom. ’ ’ MOTHERCRAFT HOMES I l>c Plunket Alothercraft Homes—which are situated at Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Dune‘Hn, and Invercargill—are designed to demonstrate and teach practical mothorc,a that “art of correct mothering of which we wrote last week, and so to prevent the troubles which arise in babyhood as the result of early weaning or mistakes in management. They also meet the needs of the mother with an ailing breast-fed baby who, lor one reason or another, is-not doing well on Lhe breast. The mother whose milk supply is failing or has failed may come in for treatment, which, in almost all cases, results in complete or partial restoration of the milk supply within a few weeks. In very many cases natural feeding has been fully re-established after davs or Oven weeks of weaning-, and in some instances this has been accomplished after eight to ten weeks, even when the baby has never been wholly breastfed to start; with. Afothers and babies can also be admitted for 24 hours’ observation and test-weighing, in order to ascertain just how much milk the baby is getting from tho breast. The nurses in charge of the Al othercraft Homes have had much experience in the management of difficulties connected with natural feeding, and are skilful and understanding. It is their aim to make every mother feel “at

, home,” aiij'l to make her realise that she and .her baby are being considered as individuals with individual problems for solution, not as “ cases” in for treatment. All the Homes are very simply equipped, but they are comfortable and restful. They are run in connection with the Karitano Baby Hospitals, but are conducted separately. All the Homes are beautifully situated, with sunny verandahs, gardens and in seme of the centres very wonderful views. How the Mothercraft Homes Help in the Campaign to Save. Illness in Infancy. The second fortnight or so of a baby’s life is apt to be a little critical especially in the case of a first baby. The mother, perhaps young and inexperienced', may find herself unexpected-. Iy weak, nervous, and easily upset , when she returns front the nursing’ home or is left by her nurse. Vnskillvd in the management of her baby and beset by (-.on flic ling advice from well meaning people, she is worried and confused, the baby’s crying harasses her, and she loses her milk, or over feeds under the impression that 1 hr child is hungry. In a very short time a beautiful, healthy breast fed baby j may become an ailing bottle-fed, ano the radiant young mother anxious, nervy, and exhausted. This, perhaps, is citing an extreme case, but in some form or degree lhe story is all too common. The mistakes are not. .due to carelessness, but to lack of knowledge. Only knowledge, rightly applied, can correct the results of thr? mistakes and prevent recurrences. The Blanket nurse can do much to help, but home circumstances often handicap the mother, and here the Alolliebcraft Home can be of the very grra’.vst service. 'The mother may leaving home, but once she has, mane the plunge what a tremendous relier it. is to hand over the responsibility nt baby to skilled, experienced people; how restful it is to know that the next meal will come along cooked, and that there will bo no crying baby to disturb the night’s sleep. A few days, or a week or so of this lightening of physical and mental burdens works wonders, as many hundreds of’parents would testify. Better still is a short stay at a Mothercraft Home directly after leaving the maternity hospital, so that the mother may be helped and assisted back to full health and strength, learn to

manage her baby, to have confidence in her own power to feed him fui.y, and know- that he is gaining satisfac* torily and sleeping well. The lessons learnt; in such a way arc of incalculable benefit to both parents an* baby, and the saving in worry, nervous strain, and possible unhappiness (s.i.n. scarcely be estimated. The care of premature babies is another important part of tho work ot the Alothercraft Homes. These wee mites can be admitted for skilled care within a few hours or days of bir*h if desired. The mother comes in latw in order that the baby may be estab lishifd at; lhe breast. The Plunket Society hopes that every woman who reads this column will remember the Alothercraft Homes and their purpose —“to help tho mothers and save the. babies”—in case or her own or another’s need. Any further information will be gladly supplied by the matrons or trio Plunket nurses. Tho maximum foes aro four and a-half guineas for mother and baby, but reductions arc arranged when necessary, according to circumstances. And- no mother and baby needing the care and attention which a Alothercraft Homo can give is ever refused admission on account of inabi lily to puy the fee.