The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-12-10
Little Talks on Babyology
BY steese Richardson Director Of the Better Babies
Bureau Of the Womans Home Companion
CLEANLINESS FOR THE BABY.

FOR THE BABY.
operation starts with baby laid COM
fortably on warm blanket, spread on
mothers knee. First the face and
head are washed with clean gauze and
dried If there Is tendency to scruff
or scales on the head, rub the head
every night with sweet oil, vaseline or
cold cream, wash off gently in the
morning and after drying, apply witch
hazel or alcohol and water in equal I
parts. Never use fine tooth COMB
to remove these scales. When there is
II tendency to persistent growth OF
scales or milk crust, it may be neces-
sary to stop washing the head and
cleanse it only with oil or cold cream.
Next, the eyes, nose, ears, and gen.
itals are washed with piece of alb |
ssorbent cotton, wet with solution OF
boracic acid and water. teaspoonful
! of the acid to pint of warm water.
This absorbent Gotten is then burned
or thrown away, never used again.
! Now baby Is thoroughly soaped,
and laid in the tub, its head firmly
supported so that the water does not
run into the eyes or ears. A fresh
piece of absorbent cotton is used to
rinse off the soap, the baby is lifted
from the water, dried q,,ickly with
an old soft towel and powdered. The
drying should be done by patting not
by hard rubbing, and the creases be
dried before the talcum powder is APP
piled.
You will notice that | have not
spoken of washing out the baby's
mouth. Doctors seem to agree that
the practice is apt to cause thrush
and other affections of the mucus
membrane. 1t is extremely easy to
tear the delicate lining of the mouth,
and nature has provided cleansing
element in the saliva which gathers in
the baby's mouth
The healthy baby will soon learn
, to enjoy bath properly given and
show eagerness for It, The delicate
, taby should be bathed under direction
of a physician. He may order a
, sponge bath only, or an oil rub. Chill
!. dren suffering with any form of skin
disease should not be bathed unless
q ring-worm are both aggravated by
$ soap and water bathing.
But the healthy baby should have
his morning bath between his G
: and o'clock feeding. 1t sends him
off drowsy to his morning nap. When
. the baby is year old, the hour OF
!, bathing may be changed to $50 ir
: preparation for his nights sleep II
! this way the child's entire being de
: mands BATH the sensation of clean
: illness, and when he is able to batf
:, himself he will do it as mechanical,
;, and regularly as he removes his cloth
!, ing to retire.
: Many mothers ask whether bah.
: should have a cold sponge after TIL
:, warm bath. The word "baby" Is elias
= tic. A child under two years is no
strong enough for the application o
cold water After two years, sturd
y child can be gradually accustomed t
!, cold shower or douche, by reducin
the temperature of the rinse water
trif1e each night, until 1t is the ten
tap But always the warm bat
should be given first for cleansing th
tn pores. The cold water serves merel
IN to stimulate circulation and ward 0
IL colds
De The most important habits of cleal
re liness are inculcated in a child by til
lis mothers own care Of the baby
es, diapers. If the baby is kept dry ar
ne clean from birth, he will fret when /
ST, is wet and soiled. And from frettir
lr- over discomfort from uncleanliness
he will grow into habits of cleanliness
ed He will learn regularity and selfco
ito troll.
rn The careless, untidy mother has I
is right to expect nature to provide h
les with fine, healthy child. He may
n.y. well proportional and healthy wht
VS. he comes into the world, but he W
ne soon lose strength and health If he
OF not kept clean. Badly rinsed clothil
ub causes eruptions, for the remains
we soap, sal soda and I've irritate Il
to baby's tender skin. Carelessly was
ub, ed diapers cause chatting and neryo
OH affections. Eczema germs will find
ed Judgment in infiamed creases tn
IN ought to be dimpled, pink folds
IN healthy skin. A dirty or scaly sea
b. itches, and itching keeps the ba
rn awake. making him nervous and fr
'ss, full.
sly. know mothers who spend hou
for sewing Oh lace and embroidering ii
ell. frocks, yet who hurry through t
ter process of bathing This is a era
rst injustice to the child.
the copyright, 1918, by the Woman
nat Home Companion.)
ON s..
lire