Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-08-17
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Home Health |.
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By DAVID Il. REEDER. Pb. D.. ND
La Porte, Ind.
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WEAVING THE BABY.

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infant feeding have been designed to
instruct the young mothers in the
care of the baby, as far as feeding is
concerned, from the time of birth up to
the twelfth, or even the eighteenth
month of its life. and, naturally. the
next thing is TO consider that of wean-
ing.
The lessons so far have dealt almost
exclusively with diet, the common dis
eases of infancy have been left for fu-
ture consideration. The principal rea-
son for not treating of the various sick
nesses with which many babies are af-
fiicted is that, if the dietetic rules laid
down are intelllgently followed. there
will be so little trouble in other direc-
lions that instruction is almost super
fuous.
According to the expression of the
most successful mothers and nurses
and l prefer to base my teachings upon
their knowledge rather than textbooks
the time of weaving should be select
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matter what the age may be, it is UNI
wise to YEA a child during hot wealth
er. 1t would be perfectly safe, and even
advisable, to wear a baby at ten months
rather than during the summer time at
- or Is months. although a number OF
things should be considered. Some ba-
bies develop more rapidly than others,
and a hearty. robust child. with several
teeth, and accustomed to eating other
food, is more easily and safely weaned
at ten than a puny, immature child at IS
months.
Most babies who are fairly we'll de-
veloped should be weaned between the
twelfth and eighteenth month. One of
the most certain indications for the
time of weaving is the cutting of the
eight incisor teeth. which should be
completed at or near the end of the
first year, Another very good reason
why a child should not be nursed be-
yond this period is that the mothers
milk deteriorates. and does not supply
proper nutriment.
simultaneously with the appearance
of the incisor teeth the digestive organs
become stronger. and the salivary secre-
lions are more abundant. so that there
is ability to dispose of more substantial
food. | think, however. that milk should
be the principle article of diet for a
child for at least the first three years,
although some mothers argue-and |
am inclined to think, in some cases,
correctly-that the appearance of the
molar teeth is an indication that more
solid food should be given.
One of the most important lessons of
life should then be taught the little
one, and if it is neglected a life time
of suffering may follow; but if the les
o is well learned, good digestion and
health will be the reward. Teach the
baby to chew every morsel of food until
it is thoroughly incorporated with the
saliva. and begin to use a tiny tooth
brush as soon as there are teeth to clean,
and thus preserve them to old age.
By thorough m%astication you will
avoid that greedy clamoring for food,
and the disgusting practice some chill
dren have of making the spoon fairly
fly from the dish to the mouth-so rap
idly that the food is swallowed without
mastication. Gastric irritation follows,
and then diarrhea.
AS a general thing. this is a hard rule
to enforce. especially if children are al
lowed to come to the table and partake
of their meals with elder people; there
fore, II 1t is possible to avoid it, they
should never be permitted to sit at the
table with their elders, unless the moth
er, or nurse. is willing to devote her
time and attention almost wholly
to the child's feeding. until its appe-
tite is appeased. A thorough practice
of this will not only prevent great an
noyance, and disagreeable comments
by guests. but will save many doctors
bills. Some may think l am too exact
ing in this regard, but have seen
many mothers, as they entertain their
friends at dinner, chatting away. I'M
conscious of the actions of their chill
dren. l have heard the little ones re-
peatedly ask for proper articles of food.
and the mother would still talk, talk,
and talk, finally saying, impatiently:
"Baby, keep still"
| cannot refrain from telling of a very
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little girl of six years. usually veky
patient and quiet. She sat very still in
her place, waiting until all the rest were
served, and, after receiving her portion,
asked for the bread. The father and
mother were both called good enter
tainers' and were so busy talking that
they paid no attention. She asked twice,
three times, and then suddenly remem-
bering having heard how the gardener
enforced his demands. she brought her
little fist down sharply on the table
and shouted: Gosh durn it. pass the
bread!"
Could you blame her? No; blame the
careless mother. Either be prepared to
attend to the wants of the children and
see that they eat properly, or feed them
at a separate table.
The ease with which other foods can
be substituted for the mothers milk
varies in as great a degree as do the
compilations and dispositions of differ
ent children. Some little ones take
readily to the contents and use of a
spoon or cup, and the change is made
with scarcely any trouble, and very
quickly, while others rebel against the
innovation. Great care should be ex-
ercised in the selections of food for the
child, and the time and mi in
which it is administered. Sufficient has
been said in previous lectures regarolng
the proper diet. and ] would now only
give a word Of caution and advice con-
corning the minor points of the process
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