Women's World MOTHER CRAFT by Keritahu By Mothercraft we simply mean the science of good mothering, or in other words, the intelligent and skilled care of infants and young children. The subject is of vital importance from a national point of view, because unless young women come to marriage and motherhood equipped with a knowledge of the essential needs of their families, they cannot be expected to rear healthy and happy children. A knowledge of mothercraft does not come by instinct—it must be learnt like any other “craft”—and no girl or boy should regard their education as completed unless they have learnt something of the management of a home, and of the principles of child care. The expectant mother: A mother's responsibility to her baby begins long before it is born, and therefore directly she knows she is going to have a baby, she should consult her doctor, who will supervise her health during pregnancy, or she should consult the public health nurse and attend an ante-natal clinic. The object of this medical and nursing supervision, which is commonly known as ante-natal care, is to safeguard the health of the mother, in order to promote a normal confinement, and to ensure that the baby will be in good physical condition when born. As the coming baby is nourished by his mother's blood, and is dependent on her for all he requires for growth and development, it is essential that particular attention be paid during pregnancy to many details which will influence the mother's health and that of her baby. The most important of these are as follows:— Hygiene: Fresh air is a great purifier and cleanser, and if ventilation and cleanliness are atended to, health is safeguarded. Keep your house surroundings and your rooms scupulously clean and free from rubbish, which harbours dirt and makes cleaning difficult. The bed and the bedding must be fresh and sweet, and blankets and covering ought to be washed regularly. It is also advisable to wash the cover of the mattress, have the stuffing put out in the sun, and the mattress remade. The expectant mother must have plenty of cool fresh air day and night. Not only should the rooms be kept freely ventilated by having the windows wide open, but a current of air should be maintained across the bedroom by means of an open window and a chimney or a door, but the mother should keep out of draughts. It is a very bad habit in some homes to have