The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-02-15
THE HOUSEHOLD.
Care of the Baby.

After the stitches are picked out the
needle-holes remain for long time.
The child who has been allowed to doze
or slumber in the arms habitually, or.
worse still, been walked to sleep once
and again, will, when a month old.
scream vehemently if laid in the crib. If
the distracted mother takes him up at
the end of ten minutes. because she can
bear it no longer. he will vail as loudly
and twice as long the next time she tries
to break him in. His intellect may be
immature as yet. but the animal instinct
is in vigorous exercise. The week old
kitten. when plucked from her mothers
side. protests Ill the same language and
for the same reason.
Have the resolution to make the little
man uncomfortable for, we will say.
half an hour a day. III consideration of
the larger and lasting good that will at
tend upon regular maps. Push system to
absurdity rather then have no system.
Establish and keep stated seasons for
the bath. meals, sleep, exercise in the
outer air, dressing aud undressing. The
desultory baby may grow into happy,
healthy childhood. as one sometimes
sees fruit tree thrive and bear We'll in
soil and exposure that the pomologist
declares ought to kill it.
most successful practitioner among
children, confesses that he meets with
SO many exceptions to the general laws
among his small patients as to drive
him into the constant use of such quail
tying phrases as ON the whole, for
the most part, as rule" etc. 1t is
not prudent. however, for the young
mother to take risks in maxim g her plans.
As rule" is safe line of conduct for
you. The strong probability is that your
babys ldIosyncrasles are of a mild type.
Avoid developing them. He Will cry
loud and not spare your nerves and
heart for two or three evenings, per-
haps for double that number, and then
submit to your will. Make sure he has
no reasonable ground fer complaint,
that he is neither hungry or thirsty;
that his clothing does not bind or irri-
tate him; that his head is not too
high or too low, then temper the light
and hush him to slumber. or leave him
to cry it ont. as may seem best. Some
nervous children succumb to the sooth-
ing tones of the mothers S voice, bat be-
come dangerously excited if left in the
room alone.
Having begun the good work, look
not back. Your time is too valuable to
be squandered by the hour in rocking
the cradle or pacing the floor until
heart sick and leg weary. to humor the
caprice of a Well, strong baby, who
would lie infinitely better off on a level
mattress. his lax limbs stretched at
length, his spine supported i'll an easy,
horizontal position. As l have init
mated. his is different view of the
situation, but youths of his days are
apt to be rash and prejudiced in iudg-
ment.
As to a yet more vital matter, the
regularity of his meals, you can hardly
begin too early with your method, or be
too rigid in its enforcement. 1t seems
more humane. and it is assuredly easier,
for the time. to supply with nourish-
ment the greedy lips that appear to be
continually seeking 1t, than to turn a
deaf ear to importunate whlmperlngs
until the appointed hour for satisfying
the growing animal.
Resolution must tonic common sense
if the mother would hold out against
nerve-tire and natural affection. BY the
time a healthy infant is months old
an interval of two and one half hours
should separate his meals by day. and if
he is good sleeper, twice that time at
night In fact, he should not be awak-
ened for food when his slumber is nat
ural. At four months. what Is termed
n hearty feeder" need not be nourished
oftener than four times III twelve hours
of daylight By then, if you have been
Just to yourself and to him, he will ex-
pect his bath at the regulation season,
sink to sleep contentediy at the proper
time. and not demand to be fed except
when the meal hour arrives. You viii
be not only his mistress but the pro-
prietor Of your own time, able to work,
visit and rest with q mind at leisure
from the querulous exactions of a
spoiled baby.