The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-07-07
FOR NOTHERS AND NURSES.
THF Rest KIND OF FOOD FOR TIE NEW
BABY. AND THE BABY HABIT.

BNBl AND HE BABl = HABIT.
The best food for any new-b baby
is the food provided 10y nature, and
the mothers milk will probably be
most fitting fol lis need. Assuming
that the mother is in good condition.
the child should be early put to tue
breast, and during the first six weeks
there should be an interval of at least
two hours from the time when he
leaves his mother until he is handed
back tc her again for renewed nourish-
| mcnt, and he should be made to take
the two beasts alternately. At night
is is very important that the mother
should sleep, and, therefore, the little
one should be habituated to be fed at
bedtime: and after it is three months
old, by coaNing on the part of the
nurse. should be induced to remain
away from the breast until five o'clock
the next morning. Until the child is
three months old. il needs one meal
during the night.
No one acquires habits more rcadi-
y than a wee baby, and, in my eN-
pcriencc. the nurses who are most sue
ccssful are those who have the most
patience with children committed to
their care. OF course, it is great
deal easier, when child cries, to say:
'.IIere, take the baby. and give him
some milk but the result, uniformly,
I IS to disturb the stomach, and sets up
a dyspepsia from which the child rare
y RECEIVERS until late in life. The wise
nurse or observant mother will soon
| be able to tell when the child cries
from hunger, or only from ill-temper
| or uneasiness. Some one has said; "If
the baby wakes up and seems pleased
with the sight Of his mother, clutches
| his little hands, heXes his limbs, he is
hungry; but if he remains passive, he
does not require the breart. If he
cries peevishly. has hot skin, moves
| his limbs about and is troubled with
Indigestion, milk will only hurt him.
1t requires then the courage of the
nurses convictions and the wise love
| of the mother to enable her to resist
the appeal of the baby" \ little hot
water, in which may he dissolved a
little sugar of milk, will sometimes
start the wind rolling from off the
stomach. and the manipulation of the
abdomen and toasting the toes at the
fire may prevent an attack of the col
| c
Next to the mothers milk, of course,
wct-nursc Is most desirable; but if
| that is not attainable, then the little
person has to be trusted to being fed
on bottle, and | would wish most
earnestly to recommend 4 bottle with
no corners; it should be round at the
bottom, 50 that the sponge or brush
used for cleaning may reach every
part. The milk should be poured in
from the top, and the ordinary black
rubber nipple adjusted; the child should
be held in the arms in the ordinary
position lor nursing, and encouraged
to take its meal quietly and slowly.
The mother or nurse should give fully
as much time to feeding the child from
the bottle rs she would if it were taken
| in her arms to be fed in natures S
way. The bottles that are ordinarily
used, are trusted to the care of mex
pcrienced nursery maids, are the
source of great deal Of illness among
children, and it makes my heart ache
when see upon our avenues daintil.v
dressed babies in their carriage with a
nipple of a nursing bottle in their
mouths. half the time the bottle con-
tanning cold food or, what is worse,
! the vi,iatcd air which comes from the
debris of the last meal. No baby
should be allowed II 90 to bed with
his bottle. still less should he take
his walks abroad while taking his
| food
1t seems to me that after "onSidcra-
ton of the points before suggested, |
hardly need emphasize the necessity
for regularity in feeding, and | would
encourage every mother to give her
child something to go to sleep with
pet doll or Il toy he likes, or even a
rattlr-s 50 Il little one may have the
comfort of association, and not expect
food every time he wakes up in the
night In Chicago there is 4 ply
who carries in his pockets 4 rubber
nipple fastened firmly on a cork, and,
while he is extremely earnest in his
advice to mothers in regard to rcgu
larity in feeding, he is very apt to
present one of the 'cold comforts" as
he calls them, thus encouraging train
ing the little child to persistent suck