River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-10-29
Infants Clothing.

ASHTON mas LOO long DceH pcFlulIttd
to have absolute sway over the layettc,
and it is more than time that some rad
zeal change should be made in this re-
spect-
In the first place, the cotton binder
should be wholly abolished Binders
are a relic of the ancient custom of
swaddling infants, which arose from a
sort ofsuperstipion thatinfants required
to be artifcially pressed into a pro-
per shape, like bear cubs, which, ac-
oording to similar myth, want dick
ing" Binders, by constructing the
chest and abdomen, hinder the work
of lungs, heart, stomach and liver.
They very frequently produce pigeon
breasts, and the injuries which they 10
to the internal organs only too often
give rise to life-enduring evils. To
avoid these evils, besides giving up the
linen roller, the flannel one should be
greatly reduced Cut a strip of flannel
long enough to 90 twice round the in
FAINT. Make one end of this narrower
than the other, so that it can pass
through a slit in the breadth of the
other end. 1t will then fit quite smooth
~ round the baby, and should be tied
at one side in front with ribbons sewn
on the ends. The edges of the flannel
should be left raw; at the wider end it
should measure two and half inches;
at the narrower, one inch and half.
Sew a tiny button on to the outside of
the binder above each hip.
The next great object to attain is to
have an equal warmth over every part
OF the body, and TO obtain the necessary
warmth %ilh the least possible weight.
We must therefore 10 away with the
ordinary cotton or linen shirt which
only covers the middle part of the
body, and substitute for il garment
with long sleeves. fitting closely round
the throat, and reaching to the feet, or
a little below them. This should be
made of fine flannel or merino, like
that used for gentlemen vests; calico,
silk, ana linen are all bad, as they are
heavy without being warm, and check
perspiration, leaving the skin wet, in
stead Of keeping it Dry by absorbing
the skin eXhaiatiOns, as wooden materi-
ais do.
The great length and FITNESS Of or
binary baby clothes IS also very iniuri-
Gus; as tho child lies in the nurse $
arms the whole weight ofthis comes on
the legs and feet, crampiug their move
ment>, and even reforming the feet by
dragging on them. The clothes, there
fore, should be made short from the
very first, and the legs kept warm by
knitted wooden stockings. made to fit
loosely about the feet and legs. and
long enough 10 fasten on the hips to
the buttons on the modified binder,
which will pass through the meshes Of
the stocking. The diaper WiH
protect the child underneath; it
should be put 90 10 pass over the binder
and stockings at the sides, and fasten
in front with nursery pin.
The diaper can generally be left off
at about six months, and then the
stockings should be shortened, and
supplemented BY little flannel
drawers. Over the vest described Just
now, another, made in the same wax,
but without sleeves, should be worn in
cold weather. The next thing is the
robe, which for winter We should make
Of a pretty tNilled hapnel or other
wooden material that will wash, 1t
should have sleeves to the wrist, and
50 that it may fit closely 10 Che throat
it is best to make it fulcd in to lit
to shoulder piece or yoke Like the
other garment, the robe should only
reach the feet, or couple of inches be-
low them.
None Of the clothes should be gath
cred at the waist. but what little weight
there is should hang from the shout
ders.
Infants 30 not require caps indoors,
where the temperature is generally
rather high, but when carried from
room to room the square of flannel
which forms part of every layettc
should be wrapped round them and
over the head. Nervous eXcitabilitY,
and with it the liability TO commissions,
is much increased if babies heads are
Kept too hot. The absence of hair from
tbs little heads may be taken as an in
dication that nature has provided Tor
their being kept cool.
Night-gowns should be made Of fan
mel. and be worn over the vest. They
also should have long sleeves, 50 that
there need be no fear az the child TAX
ing cold when it kicks off the bedclothes.
Bedclothes should be light rs possible,
and on the principle that the move
ments of the body and limbs ought
never 10 be impeded, they should not
be tightly tucked in.
In concluding this article we ought
TO mention that there are two very good
reasons why all garments worn bl
young children should be white. The
first is that many colors are produced
by the agency Of poisonous dyes which
can only be detected by experts. The
other is that as white shows the dirt
very quickly, white clothes are changed
much more frequently than those which
are cUlored.