OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 193, 10 May 1919, Page 5

OUR BABIES

I'B* HYGEU.I

Published under the auspices of tho Koyal New Zealand Society for tho Health of Women and Children. "It is wiser to put up a fence at tho top of a precipice than \o maintain an ambuianco at the bottom." FEEDING BOTTLES.'

Last week ive concluded by giving an extract from the society's book on the "Ilygcia Feeder," pointing out its advantages. Wo shall now refer to some objections which may be taken to this special form of feeding bottle. OBJECTION TO HYGEIA FEEDER. Extra Expense.—This is really a great disadvantage, • hccauso it is always desirable to replace teats comparatively frequently, on account of the hole becoming too large, or the perishing of the indiarubber. Further, the whole in the teat supplied may not be right in tho first instance. Indeed, there is always a tendency on the part of manufacturers to send out teats of indiarubber '.'breasts" with too large an aperture for the average baby—not that the baby objects; lie is generally glad to get his food lazily and easily without working for it, hut this is not good for liiin.

If the hole la too large in the first instance, this defect naturally becomes worse and worse ivitli every day of use. Motuera have written to me from time to time, asking whether it would not bo possible to liavo teata imported unpunctured. so that they might puncture with a redhot' needle themselves, making one or more holes of .iust the right size for the particular baby. If the mother is reasonably skilful this is really an admirable plan, and unpunctured teats are sometimes imported. , . The extra expense of the artificial "breast" is specially liable to cauße tho mother to continue its use after she has discovered that it ia not suitable—whether from original defect or through having perished. Some babies fake their food better from a. hygeia feeder, especially where they have become habituated to the more common form, and we havo known cases where the newer type lias been given up on this account.. EXTRACT FROM THE SOOIETY'S BOOK. (Continued.)

The "cylindrical" form, with flattened base, and the "boat-shaped" are both good kinds of bottle, but the cylindrical is -preferable. Tho sole advantage of the "boat-shaped" bottle is the power to run water throusrh it, but a brush is needed for perfect scouring, and ivith a brush tho ; "cylindrical" bottle is quite easily cleansed. The disadvantaces of tho "boatshaped" are fourfold—viz.: . Disadvantage I.—Extra expense. Better buy two or tlireo cylindrical feeders than one boat-shaped. . Disadvantace ll.—The presence of indiarubber at both ends involves extra riBl: or scrms, and more work. . Disadvantage in.—The "air-valve is liaable to set blocked, and is not needed in any case, because air finds its way m, 'fast cnoudi between the teat and the neck of the ordinary bottle. _ In the case of tlie latter, tho bubbles which so alarm mothers are entering, not leaving, tuo bottle, and it is rather easier for a. baby to "swallow air" with the boat-shaded feeder than with the simplo type. The way to prevent this is to hold the bottle all the time, which t should be done wliattypo of feeder is used. _ ■Disadvantage IV.-Tho sterilising of an occasional feeding or tho heating to uaacg. Fahr. when liccessary is readily effected in tho case of a bottle which stands upright, but is inconvenient with a bottle lying down.

TEATS. .Tho following -notes on the care of teats aro -taken from the society R book, lnc Feeding and Care of tho Boby. Illustrations in the book show how when the feeder half-full of milk, is hclu uosidcdown the milk adheres to tho teat if tno hole is of the right size for an average healthy baby, how it drops as the hole grows larger, until at length it actually spurts out when the hole has become, so large that tho teat is no longer fit to ust=. The teats should be made of- black lubber, and should be fairly firm, so as not to collapse readily, .faevernl should bt> l;ept in ■ stock, because a tent needs ieplacing directly the hole becomes too force, or when tho rubber shows distinct signs of perishing or becoming too soft. Tho ±-izo' of the hole w very lmpoitant In general it may be laid down that tile best aperture is tho smallest tluough which tho particular buby. can suck Ins feeding in iibout fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, frequent or prolonged scalding, soaking iji water or in solutions of boracic acid or ooda. too much exposure to air, light-. 1 etc., may bring about such rapid changes in the indiarubher that a nipple from which 110 milk drops when first üßed mav allow it to spurt in the course of a mpiith. This is why several. ts .. always to bo kept in stock,, and it also shows how important it is to adopt the best system for their .preservation. If a teat is not perforated, . a hole can be best made by puncturing with a \er> fine red-hot needle.

WHY TEATS PERISH. Tho loadine ca-uaen.of dcterim'ation are: 1 Scaldini! or hoilinir. especially if freaucnt or prolonged. This makes teats very so£t and collapsible., , . 2. ■ Continuous soaking m water or'in solutions of boracio acid. V, tc \ common practico quickly rots teats iw swell up* bccoxne thick, coarse, granular. porous, and inelastic, and tear rapKeeninp exposed In damp air] rlbo too free exposure in any atmosphere> w nrciallv in air currents. Still, diy. moio or lesß conftncd air , of Vl e fl"s' b:l S u f temperature is muoli bettei, but rubber keeps best if hermetically sealed. 4. Kccpinc exposed to stronc liffht. .DaiXnesß is tht> ideal condition.