New-York tribune., 1901-09-20
6,
REGARDLNG FAT R4RLES.

TT seems impossible for a baby to be too fat
suit the taste of the majority; heavy legs and
doughy faces call forth expressions of rapturous
admiration" says Martha NJ. Russell. in Mother
hood 1T is not usually considered a delight to
the eyes TO a whose fat lies IN
rolls from crown heel. Why should a baby be
So judged? Not that the charm of infancy's =
quisite curves is disputed questioned. but
fat any more desirable for infant than for an
adult? Why should a mother be any more proud
say that her six months old baby weighs thirty
pounds than that the father weighs two hundred
and thirty?
The accepted average weight for a baby at birth
is seven pounds. and an increase of pound or Il
pound and a half month will be sufficient keep
it looking plump and contented.
"As long the child is entirely helpless about
moving himself. those who take OF him may
we'll be thankful If he does make phenomenal
gains The fat baby is liable to suffer from
chafng and kindred Ills and his power of resisting
acute disease seems to be lessened
THE quality well the quantity OF the flesh
is to be considered. The babies who make very
rapid gains are likely to have soft. spongy flesh
that has little suggestion of muscular development
But what be done about It? OF course
much allowance must be made for individual ten
dencles. but the diet is the determining factor
1t is unusual to a breast fed baby whose
weight increases faster than the average. The only
exceptions to this rule that / remember TO have
seen are those who received frequent feeding
9ecsiy 9ariEaa at night SO that they might have been
power will assimilate very large amount OF food
and store it ir the shape of fat but the question
arises as to whether his muscular development
does not suffer too much to make large accumu-
Iaton of fat desirable. The baby who is nursed
regularly IN the daytime and encouraged to sleep
at night VIII rarely become too heavy. The foods
which most nearly approach the human milk in
giving the nourlShment necessary. without adding
excessively to the weight, those made with
cows milk as basis. The careful modification of
the milk under the direction of the physician who
has studied the individual child and his needs
gives the best results. Many of the proprietary
foods which are prepared with fresh milk furnish
an excellent food, and it usually appears for
midable to the mother to prepare food according
TO the rule the box than to combine top milk,
milk and water in prescribed proportions. The fat
test ba bies generally those who have been fed
on condensed milk. They usually lose rapidly for
week or two when put on a diet containing less
sugar but as the fat disappears the muscles
pear the baby discovers that he can move and
begins to take delight in waving his hands and
feet in the air-just for the fun of it-and before
long he discovers that II he pushes with his feet
and hands together, he can turn over; and then
he begins to enjoy the delight of finding favorite
position Hospital babies, who are left very much
their devices. learn turn over and roll
about by the time they five or six months old
Lest baby be unjustly of being thin,
ii is well to bear in mind that he has little
for his legs during the first months of his life,
and much muscular development is not to be
pected, though what flesh there is should be firm
har1