OUR BABIES.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 457, 15 June 1937, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

By "HYGEIA.” Published under the auspices of Ithe < Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Ithe Women and Children (Plunket Society.) “IL is wiser tq put up a feucq a|t the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.” SLEEP AND PEST. K mutt be stressed that rest is as equally essemtial as exercise, and far more likely to be inadequate. Many Children suffer, unknown to their parents or guardians, from :hro.iic fatigue. This is a condition which predteposes to Ithe adoption of wrong positions, with consequent postural deformities. Early bedtime, regu_ larly enforced, and a short daytime rest, alsJ regularly enforced work wonders in improving muscle, tone, colour, appetite, and general posture. All these things bring about marked: improve,, ment in mental alertness and temper. - Romanes has said, “Recreation is partial sleep, and sleep is universal recreation (re_crealtion).” The new ’> born baby normally sleeps nine■.ten the of its time, and at six months two-thirds of its (time. Baby should :.be trained to sleep at the same time . every day and all night. Baby should tie trained from the beginning to have no night feeding. This ensures an night’s rest to the mother, and establishes baby in his pro- ■ per rhythm from the start, saving -him from the period of irritability, disturbed rest, and slackening of growth incidental to the breaking of a bad habit a few months later. Why break in on the night’s rest —why Impart any tendency to insomnia at the start of life? Happy is the baby who sleeps' all night from the dawn ■>t existence, who never loses tuis priceless gift—never becomes the victim of insomnia. It is well to continue the morning

rest until the child is five or six yea-i’E old, especially during summer, when, children wake early. Even if the child d>oes not sleep, the habit of resiting is of great value. A short rest or sleep restores a child wonderfully, and ‘the result is that there is no crossness or fatigue at ithe end of the day. In forming good habits of. rest* and sleep, regularity is essential. Do not pick baby up when he cries a>t flight. However, the mother should make sure that baby is quite dry, and he is not suffering from wind, and is quite snug and comfortable. ]).. is possible ito change baby’s napkin without waking him. The baby should be trained as soon as possible to sleep during the hours when the mdther is busiest with her household duities; he Will then take a long sleep during the morning, stay awake for an hour or two, and take a long nap in the early afliernoon. As baby grows older he should not be ready to go to sleep after the evening meal (5.30-6 p.m.) A late afternoon sleep also interferes w l h the early afternoon outing. It would be a great advantage to ithe entire household, apart from the health and benefit accruing to the child, if young mothers would contrive to have the baby and younger children asleep in bed before the fa her arrives home for the evening meal. N.8,--Never play with and excite a baby just before bedtime. While natural mothering -and moderate handlings is beneficial, injudicious or excessive stimulation is highty injurious.

Professor Holt, of Columbia University, Chief Physician Babies’ Hospital, says: “What are the principal causey of excessive nervousness in infants and young children? What can be done to prevent this? The most important cause is 'the delicate structure of the brain at this time and its rapid growth.' It grows as much during the first year as during all the rest of life. This (delicate structure H'ined w.V.h rapid growth) requires quiet and peaceful surroundings. Infants who are naturally nervous should be left much lalone—should

see but few people and should bo played with judiciously. , . . . What harm can be done by playing with young children? They are made nervous and irritable, sleep badly, suffer from indigestion, and in many other respects.” Stimulation and Consequent Lack Of Sleep. Dr. Cotton, of Chicago, Professor 3f Children’s Diseases, referring to a practice as pernicious, as fit is com_ mon, viz., the. custom of regarding baby as a plaything, an animated toy for the (entertainmen|t of the family as well as a large circle, of admiring friends says: “Children <are fond of babies, and never tire of stimuli ing .their funny performances. The same is tunately |true of parents and friends. From a purely economic point of view such amusement is exceedingly expensive, and the morbidity is constantly increaseidi for the amusemenl of the elders. Nervous and mental wrecks too frequently owe the origin of their disorders to want of repose in early infancy due to injudicious stimulation. l“Paren-ts should never lose sight of the fact thalt infinite harm k done by ignoring the delicate and highly

sensitive organisation of infancy; that theirs is the most sacred trust and privilege in the world —to mould the body and? shape the destiny of a new human being—intended for a century of healfth and happiness here and eternity after. Half the irritability and lack of moral control which spoil adult life originate in the first year of existence The seeds of feebleness and instability sown in infancy bear bitter fruit wards.” —Sir Truby King, in “Feeding and Care of Baby.” “One of the most important forms of education is to got ingrained into the child’s consciousness that ‘early to bed-’ and a long night’s rest is one of ithe essentials of good bodily and mental growth and fitness. The dif_ Acuities in the way of securing a longnight’s rest miay be very great in some households, bult healthy children can form the habit of sleeping

through mil ch disturbance and noise, thougt It should b 3 borqe in mind that sleep in quiet surroundings is more beneficial. There should, how_ ever, be no need to speak in subdued whispers or to 6 1 tiptoe through th? house. . .” “Many parents are in the habit of taking Itheir children, even very young babies, out with them in the evening to shop Or to the movies or to visT. friends, thus making a regular early bedtime an impossibility. While in many families there is no one co leave the baby with if the mother and father both go out, and it is a deprivation if one must stay fit home, the b’a-by’s welfare should be the first consideration. If baby is taken out in the evening, Ais habit of going to bed at 6 o’clock is broker into; he usually loses some part ol the unbroken sleep of 10 to 12 hours he needs, as he may not sleep on in the morning to make up what he has lost the nigh|t before. His eyes and ears are ever stimpuated by the light and w’orse. Furthermore, he is likely to have been kept for an hour or more in a close, hot dimosphere, and may have been exposed 1 to some contagious disease.”—“The Growing Body,” by J. Renfrew White, Ch.M “A child should never sleep in the same bed either with pir?nts.' or nurse. This rule is absolute.”