OUR BABIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 79, 26 November 1912, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

(By Hygeia.)

Published under the auspices of the Society for the Health of Women and Children. “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to main tain an ambulance at the bottom.” WHAT BABIES MIGHT BE. About a month ago, chancing to call at a doctor’s house, I was much struck by the perfect, all-round health and fitness of his little two-year-old bab; girl, in whom seemed to centre every thing that one could conceive of strong rosy, radiant, joyous infancy—the kind of much-loved, unspoiled child, who fills a home with its natural, hap py, winning ways. I felt it would b' a privilege to know just how the littl girl had been reared, and the father was kind enough to write me out tin short and simple annals of her life which will bo fond subjoined. I found myself in a wide, opened windows household, fresh air being no! merely a prevailing feature, but stuf fy, used-up, muggy air an unknowj quantity. The house was situated 01 a very breezy, exposed hillside; just the place where most people would tel; you that it was impossible to keep tin windows open. However, a nobh fish, such as a trout, loves pure, cool rippling streams and scorns pollute’ ponds—indeed cannot live in such Moreover, the doctor had had a ven large practical experience of the al most miraculous healing of con.sump fives in open-air sanatoria, so he had no manner of doubt as to what was du f to the baby—indeed to every membe of his family, but first and forernosi to “her majesty the baby.” Florence Nightingale said half a century ago, in a little pamphlet addressed to the mothers of England;— In the early months of life a littl* plain water was given from a bottle consequently, there was not the slight est difficulty in giving milk from the bottle when the time came for it Orange juice was at first put into r cup and fed with a spoon, but baby o I her own accord quickly started taking juice from the cup direct. There war thus no difficulty in giving milk from a. cup later. She never made tin slightest objection to changes of foo’ 7 or to methods of giving it. She war twice upset by bad milk (some of nr patients wore upset by same milk), otherwise there has never been tin slightest trace of flatulence or indigestion. No food or drink has ever been al lowed between meal®, excepting water and orange juice. Raw apples have been regularly given since they wen first begun, when baby was 12 month; of age. She has also had bananas.

[Comment by “Hygeia.”—The doctor says he does not agree with Professor Holt’s opinion that bananas are necessarily unsafe for babiefe. I shall deal with this question later. Further, no mention appears in the record of the use of oatcake, but probably this has formed part of the little girl’s dietary, in any case she certainly has well formed mouth and jaws and sound good teeth.] SWEETS. —No sugar lias been allowed excepting at rare intervals. Occasionally an “acid drop” has been given as a treat; always much enjoyed, but a second one rarely even asked for.

TEETH.—Appeared in, usual order about usual time. She had eight or ten when a year old. Never any trouble with teeth, and, excepting the first, they were seldom noticed until' they were well through the gum. Cleaning begun - soon after teeth appeared. Brush used after 17 or 18 months. Now makes an attempt to use the brush herself!

WElGHT.—lncreased steadily, always something above tho average for age. Always plump and firm, but never had the rolls of fat on legs and arms soon in many babies, especially the patent food babies! PURE COOL AIR. Baby will suffer from a close room when you don’t feel that it is close. If baby sleeps even for a few hours, much more if it is for nights and nights in foul air, baby will, without any doubt whatever, be puny and sickly, and most likely have illnesses, and not get well through them. Baby will feel the want of fresh air even more than you.

Before the baby could talk, she would welcome the wind, throwing her little head up to the breeze, and sniffing it in with obvious delight, when an ordinary adult, would be inclined to turn aside in fretful irritation; one of her earliest spoken expressions of joy was “Lovely wind.” However, many other factors go to the building of a royal and perfect baby, especially proper food, proper feeding methods, proper exercise, regularity, etc. Fortunately none of these was lacking; the lucky infant not only revelled in pure, cool air, but she was also breast-fed, and thus had plenty of natural exercise for tongue, mouth, jaws, and embryo teeth. Fur- , ther, she was early trained, how to chew properly—indeed, had made such progress in mastication by the time she waa a year old, that she was then promoted to the “Raw Apple Standard” ; and before she had reached two years of ago was allowed three raw apples a. day—on© at the close of each meal. Long before this she had accepted full mastication as a rule of life for everyone, including her father, and if ever he ventured to hurry, she would round on him with an imperious little “Chew, . daddy, chew!”

HER MAJESTY’S. RECORD. FOOD.—Breast-fed entirely up to nearly seventh month, and partially up to eighth month. Then on humanised milk. This was gradually modified until by 14th mourn; then plain milk with a little water added was used, undiluted milk being given from about 17th month. Bones were given to munch from sixth month onwards. Orange juice was given as soon as humanised milk was begun, and was always relished, no matter how sour it was. About end of ninth month barley jelly and oat jelly were begun; also crusts. At about 12 months bread and butter was given (a good deal of butter has always been given since it was first born), and some raw apple after. From five to 15 months five feeds a day, from 15 to 18 months four, and since then only three meals—viz., at 7.30 a.m., 12.30 p.m„ and 5.30 p.m. MEALS.—Oat jelly was gradually replaced by well-boiled and stiff porridge, given with salt. At first the porridge was strained, but very, soon given unstrained. After 15 months, egg, potato and gravy, baked apple, and soup were gradually added to diet. At very rare intervals a little minced chicken was given. No other meat was given until two years old, and now only a little once or twice a week. CLOTHING. —Binder removed as soon as cord separated, and never used afterwards. No constriction allowed about chest or abdomen. Two rules observed—sufficient clothing for warmth without overburdening child; perfect freedom of movement of chest, abdomen, and limbs. FRESH Alß.—Since she was about three weeks old has always, slept close to open window, no screen used. At first slept in open work basket on a stand, no trimmings of any kind to basket, and child raised well up in it. Out of doors practically all day, and face always freely exposed to air or wind. SLEEP.—Never kept us awake at night. Never a crying baby. Being healthy, probably had nothing to cry about! Always sleeps with mouth well closed. Comment by Hygeia. It seems almost an impertinence to make any critical comment on the above record but I feel sure that the doctor would agree with me in the suggestion that, instead of mincing the chicken or meat, it would be* better to give these in the form of a little left on the bones for the child to gnaw and chew. As for his commendation of bananas for babies, I am not quite sure. I should prefer other fruit, but perhaps I am prejudiced because a little girl of my own was made very ill indeed by eating a whole banana when she was four years old. However, I will deal with the question of the fruits most suitable for children in a future column.