OUR BABIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 7

OUR BABIES

18/ Ilrau/l Published under the auspices of tho fioyal New Zealand Society for tho Health of Women and Children. "It la wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." FIVE FEEDINGS ONLY IN THE 24 HOUIiS FltOM BIRTH. A few works ago we gave a list of the resolutions re' infant feeding and the teaching of pediatrics which were passed unanimously at a conference of experts held; at the instance of the Local Government Hoard, in London last, February. Last week we drew special attention to of the dealing with the feeding of infants, and we quoted some Engliah and American experiences.. This v.-eck we shall illustrate the. points by some New Zealand examples, but first of all wo shall repeat resolutions in order to impreps upon our readers the latestauthoritative pronouncement on the matter. KESOLCTIONS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. That, with very few exceptions, nursing only every lour hours from birth is best for mother and child, thoughiu a few-cases more, frequent feeding may be. desirable. Tnat, in general, there should be an interval of seven or eight hours between tho last feeding at night and the first feeding in me morning. It must be obvious that if a baby thrives better when there are longer intervals between it 3 feedings, the benefit to the mother must be very great indeed. First of all, she has more leisure. Feeding every threo lioura menus that the mother lias an interval of about two and a half hours only from tiles end of tidying up after .one feeding until the beginning ot preparation for tho. next. Four-hourly feedings give an interval of at least three and a half hours—really quite a long tune. Again, - uuinterrr.pted sleep during the night is a great boon to tho mother. It tends to save her from much-nervous strain, and to keep her millt supply good and sufficient.. . A thriving baby ja. usually happy and I contented,• it siecpß well, and is a constant source ai joy and. pleasure not only to tho mother, but to th 6' whole family; a jiesvish, ailing infant,' on tho other hand, seeps the household in a state of great d'seomfort and anxiety. A FEW NEW ZEALAND EXPEDIENCES. "Faniily I. The first two children in this .family were fed three-hourly from birth, with.no night-feeding. They grew well, and were strong, healthy children, but during the early months they had. from four to six movements of. tho bowels ' daiiy, and they suffered a great deal with wind., showing that they were overfed. The third child, was fed only five times •in the 2'r hours'from; birth, and lie did exceedingly well, his mother saying, he was tliu -flower of- tho flock. . ■When there was ya .fourth .arrival it also was, fed; only five times, in.tho 24 hours from- birlh. It gave no trouble, at all. and throve well, and is a fine, sturdy child. . ' i All the children slept out of doors from birth, and they were given, all the essentials for health in full measure. Tho . babies gave so little trouble that, on one occasion,' a friend, who visited their nurso frequently, declared that fie did ,not believe there was a baby in the house. She •said there was a baby in the home where '•he was employed, and it gave them very little peace and quiet. In this, family till .the children were breast-fed for nino months. The Jlrst two, who were, fed six times ■ in tho 24 hours, did welt; but the next two, ted only five times, did even better, and, of course, the mother hiid ninth more rest and leisure, and therefore better health. Family 11. in this family both the children havo been fed four-hourly from birth, and only five times in tho 24 hours. They have given very little trouble, ha,vo thriven well, and are bright, happy, intelligent children. "Both were breast-fed for over nine months, and the milk 'supply was superabundant till the end of the nursing, period. I TESTIMONY- FBOM. NUBSES. ' ■ , Caso I. A few month's ago we mi!t a maternity nurse 1)1 a private family—the baby was about 10 days old. The mother told us hor nurso was a real treasurethat she looked after the other children, j taw that they i chaugetl their shoes and stockings when it was wet, and, altogether relieved her of many domeatio worries which might have tended ,to retard her progress. , ' •.Tho nurso looltej as if she, belonged to the old school, and one somehow expected her to look upon .such innovations as regularity of feeding und four-hourly interval*'"as fads,'' • Imagine our surprise • when this,'nui'ie, showing ub the bonnie, : ] healthy, baby with great pride, - told' .us ii had been "fed only five times in the 24 hours from birth. She said her, last six cases, liad all been on (our-hourly intervals, and that 'hey were'.tho best babies she had tended in a long experience. Case 11. Tho. following is an extract from a nurse's letter:— "Mrs.,-—- told me "Some time ago that you would like to know how the babies get. on under the four-hourly feeding with no night feeding! alsj if this system tends to decrease the mother's milk supply. . "1 am pleased to tell jou that I . have tried it now several times with great siicaias. I shall tell you of one ease in the uackbloelcs. The mother has six children under seven years of age. She does all her own work. I have nursed hor three times. Two of tho babies-' were brought up on three-hourly feedings rind no night. feeding; the lost one, a boy, has been on four-hourly since birth, and has always slept in his basket soven to eight hours at night. < The-mother had enough milk for two babies. Baby is uow three months old. I stayed with the mother for six'weeks, and'have had two letters since my'return'. • In the first the mother «iiys: 'Baby is still doing well on his four hours, and it seems to give pie such'it, ■ lot.-of time to do my work; he still sleeps all -right, and there is plenty of milk.' ..The second letter was equally satisfnc-,: tory." I