Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-06
BABY AND BABY,s NURSE.

BABY AND BART'S NURSE.
How closely soever woman may ind shut
against her certain avenues Of human endeay-
or, she has been left in undlsputed possession
OF one field for the display OF her energies. In
one department of skin IL hath not pleased the
lords Of creation TO compete with the weaker
sex As a nurse, and more particularly the
nurse of young infants, woman may act without
let or hiDderance. Compassion or necessity
may, indeed, tempt some tender hearted man
to assume temporarily the functions Of nurse,
but let a woman approach, and how cheerfully,
how gracefully, will the post OF duty be re-
Of course.
1t is questionable whether any avocation so
speedily becomes its own reward As that OF
nursing young infant. That nurse must be
indeed bereft OF every feeling of sentiment who
does not feel little nearer heaven while con-
templating the innocence of her young charge,
whose very helplessness makes so strong al APP
peal to the tenderness of her nature Love
seems spontaneously to spring up in the heart
OF nurse towards her nursing, and have
heard humble old negro woman declare that
she could never again undertake the office, be-
cause 1t was too painful to her TO give up her
babies, as she was compelled to do in changing
her employers. How instructive is the prompt
ing to cherish whatever lie younger aud weaker
than ourselves is strikingly demonstrated in
the case of children themselves. In a large
family with slender means IL is beautiful to see
with what operehearted rejoicing a new baby
Is welcomed. How protectingly and ad mlringly
do the little band hover around the youngest
and tenderest of them all. Blythe way, such
the other day in my friends family, when, upon
occasion of nurse having unwarily turned her
back, little Sadie, three years old, was found
stuhng her baby sisters mouth with her own
dinner, consisting of chicken and rice, wedging
IT in with large silver fork. ~ H'tmp0rte.
The prompting love was all the same. With
what an air OF conscious superiority ana be-
nightly Jennie, who can Just totter alone,
looks down upon " little sissie'' in arms.
And who shall say how mighty are the deeds
TO spring from these budding germs of beuevo-
lence? Let them swell those buds OF brotherly
kindness, shielded by the fostering care of pa
rental watChtulness! In the atter-struggle TO
come with the seltishness of the world memories
OF the disinterested affection poured forth to
bless our childhood will invest us with a piano.
ply of faith in the charities of our race strong
enough to Withstand many an onset of tempta.
ton urging not TO believe in any good
The attractiveness of the theme has beguiIed
US into generaities, when We meant to confne
ourselves to few specific directions for the
treatment OF new born babies.
The very first charge to give nurse is to re-
member that small though the little creatures
are, they still must breathe. Do not cover the
baby's face as is yet the manner of some nurses.
Accustom child from the first to inhale fresh
air, taking the precaution to protect the top and
back of the head, so as TO be shielded from ex-
posture to 0raughts of air. So simple direction
may seem trivial, but the following occurrence,
happenin under the writer's own observation,
proves that IL may not be wholly super6uous.
Two uncommonly intelligent ladies, calling
upon the mother OF an infant two weeks old, eX-
pressed a wish to see the child. The mother.
being called away, left them, and when she re-
turned to the bedside found that the ladies had
drawn the blankets so closely that in a few
more minutes there would have been no further
need for care, the little creature was well nigh
smothereG.
Careful tenderness is the next requisite for
nurse to possess. Gentleness may be cultivated
The mere rough handling of a baby's feeble
frame may cause discomfort amounting to pain.
BE gentle in touch, if you would nurse success
fully. Have you never seen a CRYING child
sOOthed and hushed by a mere transfer from the
arms OF one person to those of another more gem
tie and mOthCrly?
Remember to keep the baby warm. Collie
that scourge of the first month of habyhood,
may be in great measure warded OFF by simply
observing to maintain the baby's body at proper
temperature. Especially guard the fcct from
cold. baby kept always dry and warm will
seldom be troubled with collie.
Washing and dressing baby is tie important
event OF the day TO a Young mother, and no tri-
fling duty tits to perform. Let the nurse choose
an hour when she may uninteIruptedly 90
thr3ugh htr TASK, place where her charge
shall not be exposed 10 cold. Use tepd water.
20 as TO occasion no shock to the child, and sub
merge the whole body soon a. the navel is
perfectly healed. Let the process be as rapid
as Is consistent with thoroughn5ss, and rub well
with a soft towel until reaction Is produced.
Every piece of clothing, after being well aired
and warmed, should be arranged in its proper
order and hung near by, so as to be put on
without delay or running about from place TO
place with the naked child in ones arms las is
often done 10 procure essentials that should all
nave DSeH PROVIDED beforehand. DID z clean
linen rag in water before proceeding TO do the
rest of the washing, and wipe OF thrOu ghly the
coating of curdled milk adhering to the tongue
gums, and roof OF the mouth! By daily atten-
ton TO this direction all danger Of thrush is re-
moved.
Secure the clothes firmly. but by inserting
two fingers between the flannel band and childs
body, as you are pInning II on, make sure of not
fastening it too tightly. Use few pins as pos
sble, but let the few that are indispensable be
large they are less apt to slip and stick i'll the
child.
DO not feed baby every time II cries. but
aim TO have regular hours for giving it nouriSh-
ment. Three hours is a good interval to allow
between the meals, but be certain tn at the sup
ply is adequate to the infants wants at those
times. Underfed children will he fretful; over
fed children will be sickly. No directions, how
ever explicit, can supply the lack of constant,
watchfTlness on the part OF a
nurse. Mother-love fortunately does not often
need a reminder, yet even such love can not al
ways take the place of experience. She then
is not wise mother who does not gladly avail
herself of hints meant to aid her in the dis
charge of her important if lOwly task of striving
in the first days of infancy to lay those founda-
tons of vigorous, robust health that the best
mere earthly blessing that can be bequeathed
to man-Hc5per's BdSar.