The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-01-15

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/ If the day is inelement. rainy, blnss
4 terry, at least open the nursery window
and dressing the baby, cap aad all, as
for his daily ride, let him breathe the
air for half an hour or more In win
ter, the daily ride should be given
during the sunniest time of the day.
In summer. choose the cooler hours.
early morning and just before bed
time.
When should my baby begin to sit
up?"
How soon should / let my baby
/ walk?''
| These questions are frequently asked
OF physicians at Better Babies Con-
tests. They form part of that import
ant factor in bahy's up-bringing. ex-
eNise.
The normal, healthy baby, properly
clad, given legitimate freedom will
choose its own form of exercise and
/ gain strength through God-given in
! stinct. The parent who retards its &C.
tivities or stimulates them makes a
grave mistake.
For a few weeks after its birth, the
only exercise baby has or needs is
crying. Crying in moderation is good,
healthy exercise. At two months, il
/ he is still sturdy, he should begin to
have what might be termed play per-
iods. All his clothing except the belly
band or shirt should be removed. Then
with the temperature of the room at
| 40 degrees F. he is laid on bed pro-
tected from draught, and permitted to
kick and roll as his fancy dictates.
When he is tired. he will stop. Babies
know better than grown-ups how to
conserve their energies.
At four months, the healthy baby
holds up his head and shows ten
dency to sit up with SUPPORT At six
months he does sit up with a pillow
at his back. AT nine months he should
be able to sit alone on the floor, with
no pillow supporting his back and
about this time, he will make occa-
sional efforts to creep.
This is critical time in baby's
career He is so cunning, SO enticing,
that parents and relatives are very apt
to urge him on faster than Nature de-
crees. AS soon as he begins to creep.
adult hands offer to help him stand
erect He IL overpersuaded to take
the funny, lettering steps before the
bones and muscles are strong enough
TO support his growing body. This
may result in bow-legs. knock-knees,
flat feet, pigeon-toeing, all sorts of de-
fects in gait that are sad crosses to
I bear in later years.
Encourage, but do not urge your
baby to activity during these months
of rapid development. Let Nature d.
rect his progress. She knows the con-
dition of his bones and muscles better
than you do. When he discovers that
his feet were made to walk on, he will
drag himself to an upright position by
chair or stool. If he is walking at
twelve months, he is developing rap
idly enough and taking sufficient exer-
else. If very heavy, and he does not
walk until fourteen months. do not
worry Nature is watching and guard
Ing him. But If he is not walking at
eighteen months, his condition should
be examined by physician. He may
find backward mental symptoms.
One thing which often retards a
baby's walking is heavy, bunglesome
diapers. AT one year, baby's habits
should be such that diapers can be
lad aside for drawers and rompers
which facilitate walking.
Another factor of daily life which
interferes with babys DEVELOPMENT is
the pressure of duties on the average
mother. She has so many other
things to do that she cannot superin-
tend her baby's exercise, So long as
he is safe from danger and amused
and quiet, she does not realize that he
is suffering from lack of exercise. /
have seen babies strapped in carriages
and high chairs for long stretches of
time, without any change of position.
without any opportunity to use their
muscles, simply because they were
amused and quiet, not disturbing "Mo.
Their" An occasional change of TOYS
cracker or sweet even a "pacifera
are offered in lieu of what the child
needs, exercise Of It's cramped mus
cles, This sort of child does not learn
TO creep or walk as it should because
it Is given no opportunity.
Many women ask me whether the,,
babies should be exercised" If this
means system of rubbing, working
OF muscles, artificial exercise and
stimulation for the normal baby !
should say most emphatically NO"
Calisthenics of any sort should not be
forced on young child, and MANY a
well-meaning father with physical cul-
ture fads has developed a normal.
healthy child into nervous. pallid
baby by attempting TO give it exer-
cises designed for sluggish adult sys
TENS Even good thing like physi-
cal culture can be misapplied.
II a baby is listless. puny and back
! ward, consult physician, do not APP
ply your own particular methods of