The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-27
DRESS REFORM FOR BABIES
COMMON SENSE GARMENTS THAT
GIVE THEN A CHANCE IN LIFE.

Health ana Happy Disposition.
The young matron looked tagged and worn.
As she strolled into q club where tho members
can drop in and rest and whofS those from out
OF town can stay when they como in on a shop
ping expedition, a trio of her friends who had
arranged to lunch with her there looked at her
uneasily. She let herself fall into n big chair
and greeted them all woarily. The three looked
ut one another. Finally tho sweot-faccd motherly |
woman said:
Are you not feeling well, dear
"Oh, yes" she answered. I'm feeling well
enough, but I'm worried sick"
TELL us about it," said the middle-aRod
woman, alphabetically. Sometimes a wo-
mans troubles vanish Us she rccitcs thcm. 1t
took me o long time to learn that. but It Is GER
tainly true"
"The baby is quite well, isn't her asked the
other young woman.
Yes, no seems perfectly well, :" responded the
worried one. "but no 10 causing all Of my
trouble just at present, or rather his clothing Is.
You know he 10 just two months old to-day. and
Is q perfect darling. but l declare to you no
puts in onc.half Of his time crying. The
nurse declares that It Is because Two
bought such fine, uncomfortable toggcry
for him, and may DO 1t IL. for the
doctor says he Is perfectly we'll physically, and
/ am extremely careful about feeding him and
giving him the proper attention. I'm sure his
clothing ought to DO tho best and most comfort
able in the world, for 1 paid 500 for his layette.
You know he Is the first, and 1 was determined
that he should have the very best
II suppose you got beruffied shirts, tucked
and frilled petticoats and dresses fairly bur
dened with laoes and cmbroideries. didn't you,"
asked the motherly one.
"Yes, and they are too sweet for anything"
replied the young mother eagerly. Il wish you
/ could see him in them after he has been dressed
about an hour. It's q task to get him dressed.
for he nearly screams himself into commissions,
and 1t takes him just about an hour to get used
to his clothes after we get them on. l never
allow any one to battle and dress him but my
self. and that's the reason I've reached here so
utterly worn out. 1t completely unnerves me
to get that youngster dressed in the morning."
Poor baby exclaimed tho other young
matron. why, haven't you heard about the
ideal dress for babiesi Didn't you know that
there was dress reform for infants from the
time they come into the world until they are
laid to rest in their collins, old men and women T.
NO" answered the troubled one. II never
heard Of any ideal dress for babies. Tell me
something about 1t. won't youf"
The two elderly women settled back in their
armchairs with u knowing smile at each other,
as much as to say, She'll find a way out Of her
troubles now" for this particular young matron
is noted for her common sense.
There's a little woman In this town" she be-
gan. who devotes the best part of her life TO
making babies comfortable. She says that
babies must have room in every way, shape, and
form to develop into happy children and then
into ideal men and women. and that
proper clothing is one of tho means
toward this perfect development, which
every human being can control. So she
spends her days designing com Portable things
for babies to wear. Her ideas all grew out of a
mother brain and a mother heart. for she has
several children of her own and says that after
years of experience with fretful. irritable babies
them. One friend and another went to her for
Rsttfsns q in,a shs ,f business ins ss Of l RsFsHiSdiss s s2 Sc
reform inyettes for i~nfants.'
Tel her how to dress her baby for hot
N one woman out OF one hundred knows how
to do that. am a great hand for NOTICING
babies, and nearly every one that l see on the
ferryboats, in the cars. in the stores in ,thcil
mothers arms. and even those who are being
in handsome carriages by nursemaids are
dressed Just as they were in zero weather."
dress reform. "Ibe ieve firmly that these long
cashmere coats Of a single thickness are respon
sibie for the deaths OF more infants than ali Of
the i~nfsntile diseases combined. You sec babies
|, out in them when the mercury is playing with
zero, On the scale cal .n ana Sop see s1 o1 h gu, a an .h am1
!, 100. But to get back 70 the proper way O.
, clothing q baby In hot weather:
The hrst garment to put on n baby In Ions
clothes is not the little knitted shirt Of wool ii
!, winter or the linen or cambria one in summer
i. zephyr flannel. silk flannel. or crepeline. which
: is a soft woollen MATERIAL, The baby shirt hal
, this both mothers and babes have Just reason {
I be devotedly grateful. All of us can call tc
, one , yeilin psc'u Itself r sinpo oSt p BLACK OF and 0 Sln,
in the face while Its ,doting mamma struggle
, little princess slip should be high.necEed anc
long-sieeved. unless, 1t Is excessively hot. Owe
this should go a sieeveless slip Of nearly tn
OF all should come a plain. loose nainsook dress
neglected TO say, that baby,,s abdominal ant
anywhere. You know In days gone by long cloth
; ing for infants was very. very long. but mother
8 n nHs o' With s0I her dress kS% a Pefor@ H"' idea ,a'0 f ftGR!
i ment over thirty-six inches long
wo opnst'' Mort. eMsHStly b sishis:" l%s s IL ths % iaom SIfsi
BY. long and tigh, clothing than nythinE lse;
! m eTse t Sssu dss OF feSsSln aos M 1ntsnf th In d ins sa az
form advocate, rs that every garment is put Oh
I. young mother. why. I have to put ever
8 garment on my baby separately. and he yell
5 that / have to make. Sometimes IL Is two hour
Q before I get the little garment tied. ,Yo'
Il KNOW, tnO6e llttlc tapes ar DOlucrbOIDt.
Q my baby is ten months old" resumed tn
s other young matron. and he has to cry for III
first time yet while his toilet is being made
His garments are all put on and taken Oft n
: once, and there isn't a band to bind him any
where; You know people used to think that
4 q child screamed there was great danger Of Il
o rupturlng itself. SO they bound the littl
things up as tight as they could, thinking tina
this was q safeguard. There is absolutely n
a danger of any harm coming to n little one fror
screaming when dressed in this ideal, way. 70
q the lower part OF the lungs is absolutely free.
"Stockinet is the proper thing to use 70
napkins. for It is soft and easily laundercd, an
n is never chilling like linen or cotton, In fact
}: Is really "a safeguard against infantile ailments
d A child dressed In this manner never cries uI
less it y hungry. really sick. or has naturally
"Idon't believe a tiny, little baby could hay
n mean disposition" broke in the young mothe
Indignantly.
v old lady. Some children are born in hat
and the poor little things have. to fight againi
u disagreeable personality all their days.
once knew a woman who was SO bad-tempcre
that she went insane after the birth OF her fri
child and xyaa pnnnnad In an aaylum fnr yaar