OUR BABIES.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 400, 6 April 1937, Page 2

OUR BABIES.

(By “Hygeia.”) Published under the auspices of the Royal N w Zealand Society tor the Health of Women and Children. (Flunked Society). <"lt is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” BEFORE BABY COMES. (Contlnu 11.) In our preceding t »1k we spoke of the necessity for ft. th air day and night. The rooms nr.itt be kept freely ventilated by harm? the window's open wide all the time, and a current of air be maintained by means of an open window and chimney if possible or by .opening opposite windows and a door. There should be protection from draughts by a screen if neces s,ary. As much time as possible should be spent out of doors, and the afternoon rest taken in a reclining petition in the open air and sunlight.

The daily diet should consist of a sufficient quantk | of plain, wholesome, and nutritious food, which must be well chewed. Overeating or eating between meals should be avoided. It Is. not desirable to eat more food than at any other time. Formerly the expectan: riother was told that she must eat enough for two but such old fashioned rounsel no longer prevails. "Ra her should the mother try to eat just that quanti y her body needs. ” Indigos ion, sluggishness, and flabbinewi are brought oh by excess of food. The general fault :s overeating aid taking too little exercise. A tuijible dltt includes wholemeal brad (not too fresh), milk, butter, cheese, eggs, fish, cook d cereals, i.nd plenty 6t fruit and vegetables, especially green veg.tables, and a stn_U quar/ ity ~j>f meat. Meat should be taken only once a day, and highly u asoned ami spicedi foods must be avoided. Mineral B«lts. V.ge ables, fruit, nfiil grains are rich in miareral salts. which aee essenfial for the tooth and bone foirm atipn of .the unborn child. In fruits and vegetables ’■'be mineral salts are found imn.ediaruly under the skin, so that the potato boiled or baked in its jacket or the apple cooked In its skin is of higher f >od vaiu then when peeled and cooled in th' usual household manner. Vegetables should be lightly cooked, and tie water in which they hare been boil d should be used in making soupv- and gravy. Never add bicarbonate o-' soda wiser cooking vege ables. Dr .Cyril Pink says: “No doubt the ideal diet io pregnancy it one which includes no' meat whatever. However, sudden changes aro always to be avoided if possible, f<r when the digestive mechaniem is accus omed to dealing with a certain type of food it is >a Untie whil before it learns to exract the necessary nourishment froe: a different type. For -his rea son jt is best to give up meat eating gradually. If you have ben in the habi of eating it twice a day, then start by taking it once only instead. Then he size of your helpings can be cut dor.li, and you ctn introduce meatless days and grain lly increase iheir frequency. If these who have been in the hrblt of eating a eood deal of meat limit hems Ives to one moderate helping a day hey artmost unlikely to cone to any him a The need for caution increas.es as pr. gnancy advances, and ja, wise mother will take no liberties wi.h her diet in the last two months." Vitamins. In Science and Invention (August, 1931) we read: "Everybody has heard about vitamins, those mystsrious things in food which nobody can see, tmell, or taste. But unless v.'e get a proper quantity of them w'a are liable to be te ble and have various dissaset, and may even die. There ar" at 1< ast six and each one of them has special work to do No on of the vitamins seems to be able to take up completely the work of any of the others. Some others are susp eted, but not ye proved (says the utfior of an article on ‘What Vitamins Are and How to Get Enough of The n’ in the American Weekly, N w York) Differen vitamins exist in different foods so eath«r one food may

leav-- the diet still short of another vi atniu. If a person dislikes and cannot eat any of the main vitamin loods it is often possible ito get the n cessary supply by eating large amounts of son;" other food containing smaller quan ity of the vitamin thus left out.” To -oisufficiency of vitamin:and mineral sails; the daily diet dioukl include: Fruit, sii.i; as orang's, apples, raisin.-. firs. <lai.-. etc., treeh or “lie d, cooked or raw. 1 ' -.1. made from he whole grain iJ'-ti -.s rolled oats unpolished rice, or barley. M.lk: At least a pint a day. This ay b used as a beverage or in the making of cocoa, custards, etc. But icrmilk is also beneficial. Vegetables: Especially- green vegetables.—spinach, cabbage, lettuce, celery, silver beet. A mall quantity of meat, fish, and an egg. Take meat but once a day. Butter, olive oil, or peanut butter ■n small quantities. It is well not to eat -too -much of any one thing at one meal. Food should be served daintily, meals should be taken in comfort, and after the -midday meal the mother ought to rest for an hour at least. The suggested dietary is ijaken from the booklet “Suggestions to Expectant Moihers,” published by the New Zealand Department of Health for the use of expectant mo hers. This pamphlet has been distributed free of cost per medium of the antenatal clinics through the Dominion, and on application to the Department of Health, Wellington. If a special diet is necessary the expectant -mother must consult her doctor.