OUR BABIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1940, Page 8

OUR BABIES

Published under the auspices of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom." WHAT TO DO FOR TEETHING BABY. The majority of babies, properly fed, properly cared for and handled, show no marked symptoms of indisposition and require no treatment. However, it is equally true that many babies show slight signs of nervous irritation and lowered resistance, and for these a few commonsense precautions will prevent the possibility of any serious trouble or complications. Remember that lack of appetite is usually Nature’s warning. It means that the ability to deal with food is lowered. If the warning is regarded, all will be well! if it is disregarded, a serious digestive upset may be caused. Never force food on the child, but see that extra drinks of water and diluted fruit and vegetable juices are given between meals. Even a few sips of water taken frequently may be a great comfort arid help to the baby, especially if he is a little feverish.

Take extra care just at this time that baby does not lie on the outside of his bed in wet nappies, does not get lifted straight from sleep in a warm bed to cold linoleum, and so on. If baby has a cold in his head or a cough it may be advisable to keep him off the floor for a few days. In any case be specially careful about draughts and chills. At the same time do not coddle him, and give him the greatest possible amount of fresh air and sunlight. If baby wants to chew and suck the gums provide him with a clean bone, ring, or peg to bite on. It may comfort him for you to rub the gums occasionally with a perfectly clean finger.

Shun teething powders and soothing syrups of all kinds. Do not allow anyone to persuade you to give your baby patent medicines. They contain drugs, and the practice is utterly wrong and may be dangerous. The various devices for making teething easy (“teething bands” and necklaces and so forth) are quite useless in themselves —simply charms acting on the natural superstitiousness and credulity of many people. So we come back to the simple incontrovertible fact that prevention is better than cure, and that the way to prevent teething troubles is to make and keep the baby healthy and well. The baby who from the start is properly fed and cared for and is regular in all habits has more than an even chance of going through the teething with no upset whatever. Indeed the probability is that the first little teeth will be discovered by accident, already through and ready for use. Any upset if present is likely to be of the slightest, and commonsense treatment will prevent any serious complications. But if the baby is ill at teething time get advice and prompt treatment. Do not think “it’s just his teeth.”