The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-21
About the Care of Babies.

If motherhood means anything 1t should
include the duties of relationship dating
from the conception of the child to the
close Of the life of either mother or child.
Yet the average mother concerns herself,
if not wholly, then chiefly, with ministra-
ton to the merely physical needs of baby
hood.
From the time the child leaves her arms
the bond of relationship ceases to develop,
and with the growing years the child is
more and more isolated from mental or
spiritual association with the mother
The inability of the mother to realize
her grownup son as anything but her
baby" her "little boy" has its senti-
mental and poetic side, and it is put to
frequent literary use. But that mothers
do actually fail so completely to keep in
touch and in intelligent and adequate ma
ternal relationship to the child, as it de-
velops from babyhood into manhood, is
fact to be deplorcd, not applauded.
Even during babyhood the period met
with some degree of efficiency by the aver
age mother, the standard of good mother
hood seems based totally upon considera-
ton of the physical needs only of the child.
A consuming passion of Alaternal ten
derness, an inordinate vanity and pro-
found ignorance or disregard of hygienic
principles is the equipment of the usual
mother in her attempt to direct the begin
ming of her childs life.
a never failing flow of affection and u
jealous watchfulness, n hysterical anxiety
and generally unbalanced emotional con-
dition create the mental atmosphere in
which the childs nature develops.
Baby mustn't be allowed to cry min
ute if any conceivable gymnastics can stop
him. That is accepted as "a canon of nurs-
cry government from the beginning. The
rule elastically providing that if gymnas
tics fail food may accomplish the soothing
| effect, or, when the happy infant has at
tanned IA month or so of discretion, allow
ing him his own way, whatever it is, must
be resorted to, the high and mighty man
date being that "the darlin mustn't ky,
| no indeedy.''
All this is wrong, an outrage to the
child's physical and mental and moral
well being and fearful reflection upon
the intelligence of the parents.
From the time the child is out of the
Doctors and the monthly nurses" hands
| let it alone as much as possible.
Wrap it loosely in light flannel. Don't
let it pcrspire, and don't let it get chilled,
and don't overfccd it, 1t should do little
more than eat and sleep for at least ten
days. 1t shouldn't be handled or koochied
or pulled about or chucked OF made &c
mile fo' its granny" 1t should be let
alone Handle it as little as possible. II
really isn't thoroughly alive yet, and nc
matter what gasping waggements the
combined assaults of all its relatives may
induce it does not "know its papa, ;" ant
1t doesn't want to-
If he cries, something is the matter witt
him. To swoop upon him and yell in his
ears that he wants e muvver- ruvver, so Z
did, and to skirt dance him around the
chandelier and yell at him will only max,
more the matter with him.
| OF course he may stop crying, but Il
will be because he is scared to death or Il
so confused that he forgets which end h,
of his discomfort is probably not removed
but only fearfully augmented.
The well ordered baby, who is being lie
alone and not overfed cries for some per
fectly simple reason. Maybe he want
turning over, perhaps his clothes hav,
grown tight while his last meal digests
maybe he is thirsty and wants little wa
ter possibly it's pin. Probably his di
de-lumpsies- them what you like, i
you only attend to them-want changing
If he is properly treated baby, ten to ont
1t is one of these troubles that produces tn,
cry; it isn't collie, because he hasn't beer
overfed or banged about after eating; i
isn't because he wanted to dit up anC
havver lite womp wiz muvver" becaus
he didn't 1t isn't because he fought h
muvver had done often left 'im," becaus
he doesn't care IA bit whether she has o
not. 1t probably isn't because he is "jus
as mad as he toud be, though it is likel,
enough to be that after you have waved
him about in the air awhile and screamed
gibberish mt him.
1t may be nice and pretty to sit for hour
with the child in your arms, watching i
while it sleeps, but it isn't good for tn
child--or for you either. He will sleel
much more wholesomely on nice blanke
covered hard bed, and while you may maxi
"a charming "mother and child" pictur
hanging over him you will be asphyxiat
I ing him ut the same time by breathing il
his face.
And that is what is happening when al
the relatives on both sides of the hous
hang over his poor little puckerated fac
and say, "WazZer bessid little lammic
bidder lower rantie, so he diddie." So h
dontic, poor thing. The only wonder i
you don't kill him before he is pair o
weeks old. And l have no doubt he Otter
wishes you would and put him out of hi
misery. New York Advertiser.