Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 215, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1911 — NEEDS OF INFANTS DURING HOT WEATHER [ARTICLE]

NEEDS OF INFANTS DURING HOT WEATHER

Care In Dressing and In Food Two All-Impor-tant Considerations. What shall I do to keep my baby from perishing these hot days? This is the important question being asked by hundreds of mothers, especially young mothers, anxious to protect their children from the deadly effect of the heat wave. Few know the proper, way to care for the little ones, many of the mothers, through Ignorance alone, innocently causing death or illness by overdressing Oi overfeeding the babies. The proper way to care for a baby during the hot weather may be summod up in the following: M Pay particular attention to their dressing. Don’t overdress them. Bathe them carefully. Don’t overfeed them.’ Bathing a baby is one of the chief features in keeping the little one cool and healthy. A prominent physician gave the following advice to a NewsDemocrat reporter to convey to this paper’s thousands of readers: “Above all things else a mother should show great intelligence in the bathing of her baby. Especially so in Summer months. Many painful skin diseases are contracted during warm weather because of improper bathing not only of the skin but of the eyes and mouth.

“Most young mothers, and a large number of older ones, make the mistake of using too strong soap. The skin of infants is extremely sensitive at all times. In warm weather it is even more sensitive because of chafing and perspiration. “At this season it is advisable to use bran or salt baths in preference to soap of any kind. When salt is used a teacupful to each two gallons of water has been found to serve the best purpose. When bran is used about two teacupfuls should be placed in a bag of cheesecloth, and this allowed to remain in the water used for the infant’s bath until it resembles a thin porridge. “After the bath a baby should be given a careful rinsing, and mothers should not rub the skin too vigorously when drying. It is advisable to use talcum In all the folds of the skin after a bath —under the arms, about the neck, behind the ears, etc.” “In very young babies the eyes should be cleansed daily with absorbent cotton dipped in a lukewarm solution of salL About one teaspoonful of salt to a cup of water is sufficient. Don’t use any more. In some instances a formation of pus may appear. When this is the case the eyes shoulc be cleaned every hour, and, unless the trouble ceases, a physician should be called in at once. A delay at this time may mean that the baby will lose its sight. “The baby's mputfi can fie cleaned excellently by twisting a piece of absorbent cotton upon a wooden toothpick. In. this manner the folds between the gums, lips and cheeks may be carefully cleansed twioe a day, unless the mouth has become irritated. “If a baby contracts prickly heat the mother should place muslin or linen next to the s>k*n and sponge the entire body frequently with equal parts of apple vinegar and water. Plenty of talcum powder and starch should also be used.”

The next important factor in caring for the baby is its feeding. Above all, mothers should be careful not to overfeed the infant. This causes many complaints, especially during ho' months. A prominent physician who makes a specialty of baby troubles discussing this question said: “The question of infant feeding confines Itself to the first nine months, when every baby should be nursed. The nursing must be -regular during the daytime, and, during the first three months, about every two hours, and the baby should be fed for about twelve to fifteen minutes on each occasion. “The feeding should begin about 6 in the morning and be given every two hours from 6 in the morning until 10 at night, when four-hour intervals are established. HOW TO KEEP BABY HEALTHY AND COOL IN HOT WEATHER Baths regularly and properly, using luke-warm water. Rinse the body well after the bath and then dry carefully. Cover the body with cooling powder. Feed regularly and at stipulated hours. Don’t overfeed. Time each of the feedings. Nurse the baby by all means. Dress lightly yet warmly. Take particular care of the dress so that baby will not get abdominal chills. Keep the clothing clean and light. Lots of fresh air and sunshine. Watch the clothing so that baby doesn’t prespire and chafe the skin. The mother of a nursing baby should tak« lots of exercises, secure plenty of fresh air and eat and drink sparingly of all bitter stuffs. By all means keep the baby’s clothing clean and airy. “From two months to five months the intervals of feeding become two and one-half hours to three hours, and the baby la nuraod from fifteen to eighteen minutes. The same principle Is to be observed in older infants—give as few feedings from 10 at night to 6 In the morning. "From the fifth month to the ninth month the Intervals are practically the same. Frftn the ninth month to the twelfth month bottle milk should be part of the baby’s food and act aa a training for the time when the baby will be weaned. "The bottle milk. In nursing babies, should at first b# given twice a day, and- gradually increased until the baby Is weened. Ordinary speaking nursing shenld .be stopped at the end of* ■tee month#- 1 However daring the hot, weather, the general medical opinion seems to be that the ohaanv to a strlot. -bottle diet Is rfsngeroWk fbr s'

feeding during the hot months on"It is better to oentinue the present tees it is satisfactorily shown that th« baby does not thrive. "After nine months the baby may bt given good, clean, pure bottle milk. The amount of food to be taken each day most be adopted after consultation with a physician. Therefore, it it evident that the change from breast feeding to bottle feeding should not b« undertaken by any mother without good medical advice. “Most of the danger that lurkee in milk feeding is due to the careless manner in which the milk is stored at the homes. Much of the danger from nursing and the illness caused while the baby is nursing is due to too much tea, stimulants of any kind, lack of outdoor recreation, bathing, carelessness in internal hygiene and the proper rest at night. "The preservation of bottle milk is the simplest and cheapest thing if mother would only tike the trouble to learn how. "A common, ordinary soap box, filled with sawdust. In which a tin pail packed with ice Is fitted, makes an excellent refrigerator. Place the bottle of milk in the ice in the centre of the pall and cover the whole box with an old blanket.. This will preserve a ten-pound piece of ice twenty-four to forty-eight hours. "The, box should be kept in a dark place.” The same physician discussing the manner in which a mother should dress her babe during hot weather suggested the following: “Dress the baby lightly, yet so warmly that it will not be affected by a sudden change of temperature, for a chill to the abdomen is a« dangerous as too much heat. If you sit in 8 draught on a hot day you have a cold in the nose and your whole head feels stuffy, xhat means a catarrhal condition. The baby has not nearly your hardihood, and you can imagine the effect on its internal organs when they are chilled on a warm day.”