OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2669, 15 January 1916, Page 14

OUR BABIES

fßi Hygiia.i i | Published under tho auspices of tlio I Royal New Zealand Health Society for the [ Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at tho bottom." CONSTIPATION IN BREAST-FED BABIES (Continued). >r L i\ st , ,\ veelc - in to "Anxious Mother s question with regard to tho .prevention of constipation in breast-fed babies, we dealt with the influence of tho mother's health on the baby's condition. As this is of 6uch paramount importance we give tho following summary of what was said last week:— Summary of Essentials for Nursine Mother. (| (1) Begularity.—lieineinber the adage, A constipated mother means a constipated baby"; therefore establish regularity. (See page 9. "I'ecding and Cave of Baby.) Diet.—Tho nursing mother needs a simple, nutritious diet, including fmit, Vegetables, plenty of huid, and no alcohol. Three meals a day and no food between is best. Fluid should be taken after the more eolid part of the incal has been oaten. The food ought to bo varied, and should be thoroughly masticated and enjoyed. ' , (3) Bathing, Exercise, and Waterdrinking.—Cold bathing or spongiug, followed by brisk friction, rapid dressing, and 20 minutes' really active'exercise, is most beneficial. Sip a tumbler of wator while dressing. : (4) Medicinal Laxatives.—Pui-gatives should be avoided. (See page 9, "Feeding and Care of Baby.") (5) Fresh Air, Exercise, and liest.— The nursing mother should sleep with wide-opon windows. A current of Dure fresh air should ilow through tho T>edroom day and night. A daily walk of at least two miles should be taken, and the mother should rest out-of-doors as much as possible. The special physical exercises pictured on page 82 exert a very beneficial influence over the health of the nursing mother.

(G) Avoid causes of worry and excitement. In addition to attention to the mother's health and habits, what can bo done for a breast-fed baby who is constipated? Don't let 10 o'clock in. tho morning pass without getting the bowels to move if thero has not been a motion in the previous 24 hours. Mothers often say:' "My baby's bowels will not move at a certain hour." Jfako them move. | Babies aro creatures of habit, and regular habits acquired in infancy are essential for health later in life. Professor Chaplin 6ays: "A constipated infant shouldi bo constantly observed and treated until the condition is relieved, as most of tho chronic casss in later life have their beginning in early life." I'urther, a constipated child should always bo regarded as on tho verge of diarrhoea; bebies readily pass from one extreme to the other. Attend carefully to all the essentials for health given under the heading "What Every Baby Needs, Whether Well or 111," on pages 1 and 2 of the society's book. , The instructions from "Feeding and Care of Baby," given below, aro easily followed. As many of the measures as possible should bo used at the same time, so that regularity may be established quickly.

EXTRACTS FROM THE SOCIETY'S ■ BOOK.. "It is of the utmost importance to ensure regularity of ' tlie bowels. Try to get them to move at the same time every , <lay j ust after the morning ami afternoon feedings. If training be begun early, regularity can usually be brought about by the second month. At ilrst it may be necessary to use some local stimulation, such as that produced by tickling the anus."—Holt. If the abovo mild external, stimulation fails, the mother may try passing the tip of a "soft rubber catheter," size XII, into tlie bowel, or the soft rubber nozzle of a small "bulb-enema," specially dmUo for babies, may be used in the same way. Such an enema should hold only an ounce. If a motion is not brought about by the mere presence of the nozzle, a little water may be injected," say, from a teaspoonful to an ounce, according to what proves necessary. The water should be made slightly saline by adding' common salt in the proportion of a bare level teaspoonful to tlie j)int of boiled water, • and it should be injected with the chill just off—say, at 70deg. 1?., not warm. Sucn a fluid tones tip the bowel, but (unlike 6oapy water) is not irritating and does not cause any tendency to catarrh of the bowel. Soap, whether given Dy enema or used in the form of "soap-stick," always cause more or less prolonged irritation of tlie mucous membrane, often leads to slime in the motions and rednes's of the orifice, and may cause lnucn pain, straining, and even prolapse of the bowel. These results will not be surprising to anyone who reflects on the smarting caused by a little soapy water getting into the eyes. However, if used only occasionally, no harm need be dono by the use of a "soap-stick." The main point? to bear in mind are: (1) Select a mild super-fatted soap, which can ba obtained from any chemist; (2) carefully cut and scrape the soap to the. form of a conical cartridge or torpedo, a little more tnan an inch long and about as thick as a leadpencil; (3) soften the surface of the soap with warm water before inserting. A soap-stick made and used as described is much less irritating than the popular glycerine suppository, and is therefore preferable; but a very small enema of mild saline fluid is better than either. Largo enemas are liable to distend the bowel «nd cause further lack of tone and sluggishness. They should, therefore, oe avoided—indeed, the mother should not allow herself to drift into the habit of introducing anything into tlie bowels, if they can get to move otherwise; she should spare no painß to bring about normal' tone and vigour of the iwhole system and proper activity of the bowels by natural means as soon as possible. AVhere constipation does not yield to simple hygienic measures there should be no delay in consulting a doctor.

PERSISTENT CONSTIPATION. Persisent constipation is more serious, and is generally due to lack of attention to ensuring at least one regular action of tho bowels at the same time every day, to baby not having enough outing, and to the bedroom not being sufficiently ventilated. < Nothing tends to erifeeblement more than coddling in warm, stuffy rooms (see pages 61-70, "Feeding anil Care of Baby"). Bear in mind that ergry baby needs, in addition, to open-air and sunlight, plenty. of exercise. (See "Exercise," page 82.) Kubbing the abdomen has a great effect in stimulating the muscles, etc., and thus tends to cause the bowels to work. Begin at the right groin, move tbo hand up to the ribs, ihen across just above the navel, to tDo opposite side, then around to the left groin, using a circular motion. Stroke the abdomen very gently at first with a warmed hand, using warm oil; 'then employ a firmer, deeper pressure as tho child becomes used to it. Do this massage just before the times when tho bowels are to bo moved. It may be continued for five minute, and followed by further measures to induce a motion (see above). N.B.—All purgatives are injurious. .Persistent constipation is a serious afl'ev tion, needing careful treatment under medical supervision,

DEFECTIVE BOWEL EVACUATION. Professor lyerky, of New York, 6trongly emphasises the fact that even thouj:*i there be a daily passage, if the jnoiiona are dry, come away in pieces of hard balls, or in a firm, formed stato with dry surfaces, it is practically certain that faecal matter is being improperly retained in the intestine. At any lime in baby - 'hood or childhood this may causo grave symptoms of poisoning, the child being seized suddenly with persistent vomiting, prostration, diarrhoea, and fever. If this should occur, let the child ..have cold Jjoiled water to drink, and give an enema of a quarter of iv pint of warm water (Iktween DOdeg. and lOOdeg. I\). If a nurse is present <110 should irrigate copiously with Hernial saline solution, gradually reducing the temperature of the fluid to as low as 70deg. I l '. If there is high fever a doctor should bo called in immediately. There would bo no rials of grave, siuldw smsrmciea such Ǥ .tlw abo.va U

mothers would pay due attention to the essentials of hygiene. If baby bo overfed there is at first a tendency to constipation. As time goes oil, however, the changed and fermenting contents of Hie intestines give riso to ivind and colic, with a tendency to diarrhoea. The nursing mother must therefore ho careful not to overfeed her baby. If baby begins to "put up" food, the "mother should Teduce the time for which ho is allowed (o nurse, or else slio should lengthen the intervals between the feedings. EiNE.UA. If a baby is troubled with constipation, a Email tonic enema of ioz. to loz. of "normal saline" (a level teaspoonful of common salt to a pint of boiled water) may be given by means of a tiny softnozzled bulb-enema pending the securing of natural motions. (See page 02.) Much harm is done by the habit of giving ordinary enemas to babies. It ie ([uito a common thing to find mothers giving a daily injection of from 2oz. to a quarter of a pint or more of soap and water. This is highly injurious, causing as it does both distention and irritation and rendering the bowel more and more sluggish.