OUR BABIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 23 (Supplement)

OUR BABIES

TRAVELLING WITH BABY (By G.S.) 4 4 Now that spring is here once more, many people are already beginning to make plans for the summer holidays. Most of us find this, a problem of absorbing interest, and, after careful scrutiny of the financial position, we weigh and reweigh the attractions of seasid e and mountain, country and city, and tramping, cycling, or motoring according to our individual tastes —and powers. Then routes are planned and accommodation booked, and we give ourselves up to the joys of anticipation—sometimes the best part of th c holiday, for in our dreams do we ever remember to include wet days spent round a dismal boarding house fireside, sun blisters and mosquito bites, and th e various aches by w'hich our muscles protest at unaccustomed exertions? “But for the mother of a young baby, however wistfully she may dream of the holidays, there are often so many difficulties in thc way that too frequently she either just resigns herself to her fate, feeling she simply cannot do it for a few years, or she leaves baby in trustworthy hands and travels forth leaving at least one-half of her mind and heart at home. Every mother who has at any time had to leave her little one in another’s care (no matter how capable), will remember the relief with which she returned to resume her responsibilities —and that i 8 not the spirit in which a refreshing holiday un be enjoyed. But this sacrifice really need not b e made, for with careful planning both mother and baby may be much benefited by thc change, and indeed his majesty ‘the baby’ may put on the required number of ounces every week all the time.

“This is how one young mother planned and enjoyed a most refreshing holiday. Two years previously she had spent the happiest holiday in the world—her honeymoon trip; the following year she refused to go awav anywhere, but just stayed at home; but this summer baby was nine months old, and with memories of that la§t blissful holiday to lure them on, his fond parents began to study railway guides and to plan a really interesting trip round the North Island, feeling that as they were planning two years’ holiday in one they might as well do the thing properly. “Luggage had to be firmly restricted to the absolute minimum, and this was found to be two medium-sized suitcases, and of the available space by far the lion’s share had to be allotted to Master Baby’s requirements. He had just been weaned, so into one side of a suitcase w r ent the materials for preparing his meals —a small aluminium saucepan, a spirit lamp and a bottle of methylated spirit, a bottle of lime water, a packet of sugar of milk, a bottle for the prepared milk, feeding bottles, and thermometer, also a small tin of oven-dried crusts. His washcloth, baby soap, powder, and Karitano ointment were placed in a rubber-lined spongebag, and two soft towels were also taken. Several silk rompers, a few soft knitted woollies, three nightdresses, six flannel squares, and about three dozen napkins comprised his wardrobe. His bed, in which he travelled for the greater part of the way, was made in this manner: On a serviceable baby rug was laid a soft and fairly thin kapok pillow covered with waterproof sheeting and a layer of flannel. Baby lay on this (in his ordinary clothes, no coat) and was covered by a folded cot blanket and the sides and lower end of the rug were folded over and secured by larg e safety pins. This made a compact bundle for carrying and lying on a seat in the railway carriage, and he slept as comfortably a g if at home in his cot. To hold a baby in one’s arms for several hours at a time is. quite as tiring for baby as for nurse. In a capacious leather handbag the mother carried half a dozen fresh napkins and a fair-sized rubber-lined spongebag which held a day ’s supply of soiled linen. For herself, the mother packed one crepe de chine afternoon frock and an uncrushable silky straw hat, one cotton frock, and night and underwear for herself and husband. While travelling she wore a navy rep ensemble. Thc travellers stayed several days at a time at boarding houses or with friends, and on no occasion did they experience difficulty with the necessary daily washing or the preparation of humanised milk. When the humanised milk was being made, the milk was always boiled for 10 minutes first, and th e mixture was made up without the prescribed amount of boiled water. This was found to be most convenient, as in boarding houses or at refreshment stations (which somehow always seemed to appear just at feeding times) boiling water could be readily obtained, and this both heated and diluted the milk. Also the concentrated milk occupied less space —an important consideration. A light folding pram completed the luggage. “The route followed was Dunedin to Christchurch, thence Wellington, Masterton, Palmerston North, Auckland, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and so home. In a number of places the Plunket rooms were visited and baby was carefully weighed, and it was found that the weight gained throughout the trip averaged five ounces per week. Whether travelling by rail or service car he was fed and slept and exercised as regularly as at home. For instance, on the journey from Hamilton to Wellington, he was undressed and put to bed early in the evening, taken to the train at 9.30 p.m. and had his bottle, and

though the carriage wag comfortably full, slept tilj shortly before reaching .Palmerston North at 0 a.m. Here he had another feed and a light sponge, and fresh dry clothes, and after half an hour of play went to sleep again till Wellington was reached at about 9 a.m. In decided contrast to this was another baby in the same carriage. This poor child (about a year old) was fully dressed with cap and coat and wrapped in a heavy shawl all th e way and held in the arms of his poor mother. He cried and cried monotonously hour after hour and when the fresh spring morning dawned, the mother looked utterly worn out. Imagine her surprise when at Palmerston North she discovered that hers was not the only baby in the carriage! “Safe at home onc e more, and the trip but a pleasant memory, both travellers declared their conviction that it had been well worth while —and even more delightful than the ideal holiday of two years before. The son and heir had not been the least trouble or anxiety—quite the contrary, his presence had been a pleasure. Indeed, a sly grandpa hinted that the pleasure of introducing such a fine young New Zealander to admiring friends and relatives had been one of the chief joys of th e holiday, but this fact the proud father has never admitted.”

We have printed the above excellent little article with th e kind permission of the writer and the Otago Daily Times (in which it appeared some time ago), feeling sure it will be both interesting and useful to many mothers all over New Zealand.

We may mention that the making of humanised milk may be further improved and simplified and luggage lightened by using “Karilac” instead of sample sugar of milk, because with this no lime water is needed. Karilac consists principally of sugar of milk, but is specially prepared by the Society for use in making humanised milk by the addition of a ome refined dextrose and gelatine. It may be obtained from all Plunket rooms, and in some places from chemists and grocers also.

Naturally any mother planning to travel with a baby would consult the Plunket nurse before leaving as to the exact recipe to use and any changes pending in thc diet. However, we may make the following suggestion in general for the making up of concentrated mixtures such as the writer of the article used.

Let us take an average mixture of 30oz. of humanised milk as an example. The recipe for this is as follows: — Fresh milk, 13 ounces; Karilac, 2 level tablespoonsful; water, 17 ounces. To make this up in concentrated form: Boil the milk, dissolve the Karilac in 2oz. of boiling wafer, and add this to the boiled milk. You then have 15oz. of food —exactly half the full amount, but all that is lacking is water. Consequently, all you hav e to do in order to make the food normal strength is to add an equal quantity of boiled water. For instance, if baby has 6oz. at a feeding, take 30z. of th e concentrated food and 3oz. of boiled water and there you have the correct mixture.

Recipes for smaller or greater amounts can be mad c up in thi a way, always dissolving the sugar in just enough water to make the mixture exactly double strength. Some forin of extra fat is, of course, an absolutely essentia} part of the baby’s diet, and with the above 30oz. mixture six level teaspoonsful of Kariol (or Plunket emulsion) would be required. This is given separately by spoon at each feeding. Therefore a screw-top jar of emulsion and one or two spoons w’ould need to be added to the equipment. Needless to say, it is most important to cool the boiled milk mixture thoroughly and quickly. If at any time it is impossible to cool if properly on account of haste or hot weather, place the boiling mixture in a thermos flask and keep it hot, adding cold boiled water instead of hot, a a required, at feeding time. Milk is only safe if kept very cold or very hot. The thermos is useful when th c former is impossible.

He (teaching her to drive): 4 ‘ln case of emergency, the first thing you want to do is to put on the brake.” She: “Why, I thought it came with the car. ’*