Wichita eagle., 1889-09-05
BOTTLE FED BABIES.
A Few Practical Hints for the Welfare OF
the Eutr,rss Rulers of Orr Nation.

A Few Practical Hints for the Welfare Of
the Future Rulers Of Our Nation.
People pity the baby that is deprived of his
natural food, but seldom extend that pity to
the mother of the baby No matter how ex-
perienced she may be in caring for children,
mother feels very helpless with her first
bottle baby. Unless nursing baby Is really
i'll the mother does not fret about its health.
He has his natural nourishment; Of course he
is doing well.
How different it is with baby brought UP
by hand, as they say. How few mothers
have patience and perseverance enough to
|, stick to one kind of food and give it a fair
trial. If baby does not grow faster really
than he sho0ld, his food is changed and
changed until the poor little stomach gives
out entirely.
There are SO many simple remedies to cor
rect acidiry Of the stomach and regulate the
bowels that any change in the food should be
the last thing reeorted to. If baby must be
fed, the most natural. substitute for mothers
milk is cows yuilk Those who live outside of
cities are the most fortunate, for they can get
good milk A baby should at first have the
food weak. Women like to measure things by
spoopfuls, although men hate to hear them
talk about spoonfuls Of milk
As this is essentially advice for women l will
say, give new born baby ten spoonfuls of
water to five Of milk, add a LITTLE pinch Of
salt, a little sugar, say an even teaspoonful,
and make it blood warm. Use warm water
In mixing, OF heat cold water on an alcohol
lamp. Do not make it hot; it only needs the
chill taken off, Some people think hot bot
tie is as much comfort TO baby as hot cup
of tea is to older people. Food too hot or too
cold is particularly hurtful to the digestive
organs of a baby. Ii is better to have the
food little cool than too hot, and yet some
mothers heat it so much that you cannot hold
your hand OF the bottle.
Give the above proportion for two months,
then add another spoonful of milk or take off
one of water, as you please. The proportion
ten TO five viii just make quarter Of pint,
and will be enough for one feeding if the
baby is fed every hour and half if awake.
A pint Of milk will be enough for the day
and night.
When good cows milk is not obtainable
condensed milk should be used There are
many highly recomAendsd prepared foods
for infants, but cows milk or condensed milk
should have a fair trial for at least thres
months before resorting to anything else.
The proportion for condensed milk is one tea
spoonful Of milk to one cup and half OF
water, or perhaps even two cups or pint OF
water, although that would be quite weak.
The quantity of milk should be increased
slowly as long as the child digests it.
Babies should be fed every two hours until
or months old, then every three hours, as
they take more food at a time, and they
should be weaned from the bottle at 9 or 10
months, just the same as a nursing baby.
A word or two about cleaning bottles may
not be amiss here.
have neves used tube bottle, preferring
the plain bottle and black rubber nipple.
Have two three nipples in use and keep
them in cup Of cold water when not in use.
Change the water two or three times day,
for it gets offensive, even with q little soda
in it, Every morning turn the nipples inside
out, hard thing TO do, and scrub them we'll
with a tooth brush, soap and water. Nothing
will clean the bottles better than warm water
and few drops OF household ammonia Put
q cork in the bottle, give good shaking and
the bottle will be as clean and bright as pos
sible. Be sure to wash it out thoroughly with
clean water. No matter how sour and dirty
the bottle may be, few mnuUes' work will
make it clean again Keep three bottles on
hand, and when not IN use keep them filled
with cold water. Have little five cent tin
funnel to pour the milk from the cup to the
bottle and it will save labor and carpets
wonderfully. Keeping water in the bottles
is much more convenient than having them
lying in a basin of water, as some do. May
these few hints help some anxious mother and
make some little one more comfortable, and l
viii be well repaid for my work.-A Mother
in New York Sun.