The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-07-06
(Prepared by the Children's Bureau
u. S Department of Labor
The Second Summer

4 widespread and deeprooted be
lief prevails among mothers that the
second summer" is an especially per
olous time for the baby, and conse-
Quently, one to be greatly feared.
The facts, however, do not support
this belief. Official figures show that
about five times as many babies die
in the first year of life as in the sec
| ond, and that nearly two-thirds of
| the babies who die in the first year
of life, die in the first three months.
These figures show conclusively,
therefore, that the great loss of in
fant life takes place among very young
babies, and that if a baby has survived
this early period, his chance of living
to grow up is greatly increased.
The reason the Second summer"
has acquired this partly undeseryed re-
putation for danger, lies very largely
in the fact that babies are often made
sick because mothers make many mis-
takes in feeding a baby after he is
weaned and before his digestion is
able to deal with ordinary family
meals.
The fear of the second summer re-
suits also from the fact that the baby
is getting his teeth at this time. Al
though the teething process some
times is unjustly blamed for causing
illness, babies are, no doubt, often up
set by the pain of teething and do,
therefore, suffer more readily from
mistakes in feeding.
A third reason why the second
summer makes babies sick, applies
equally to the first summer, that is,
the excessive heat affects them badly,
both directly and indirectly. Heat Of
ten spoils the milk and makes it un-
fit for the baby's use. But even a prop.
erly fed baby may be made sick when
the weather is very hot.
A long continued spell of extreme
ages, and the greatest care is needed |
to avoid every other cause of illness |
at this time and to prevent every pos
sible means an attack of summer
diarrhea.
The greatest safeguard which the |
mother can throw about her baby in
the second summer, is to see that he |
has proper food, at regular intervals, |
in suitable quantities, and to keep him
cool. A baby who is about or 10 |
months at the beginning of summer,
should, if possible, continue at the
breast until September, because even
be enough to keep his digestion in
good order and in case he becomes |
i'll, to save his life. The breast milk
should be supplemented with two or
three bottles of cows milk properly |
prepared, as directed in a former ar
ticle in this series
In addition, some other food may be |
given, but it must always be remem-
bered that care in feeding the baby at |
this age is as important as in early |
infancy. Changes in the diet in sum
mer should be made very cautiously.
Only one new article of food should |
be added at time. 1t should be given
at first in very small quantities, and
its effect on the baby carefully watch
ed meanwhile.
If the baby vomits,. belches gas, or
shows looseness of the bowels. the
food should be greately lessened in
quantity, or taken away altogether un-
til the disturbance subsidies
For a baby from months to one
year of age, the following food is
Strained orange or
prune juice may be given once day
after the baby is eight or nine months
Jlu, uHleSS HIS. DONtlS nave Il leHueuCy !
10 looseness; it should be given mid
way between teedings; for instance,
t he is fed every four hours, the juice
S given two hours after a bottle feed
ng or nursing. 1t is best to begin
With small amounts, say, two or three
easpoonfuls, and to increase slowly
ill one to three tablespoonfuls are
given daily.
AT nine months he may be given
beef juice, beef tea, or plain mutton
,r chicken broth once a day.
At ten months he may have one to
Two tablespoonfuls OF cereal once a
lay. Cream of wheat or farina may
be used. either of which should be
cooked for at least three-quarters of
IN hour. in a double boiler
At ten month he may have a small
piece of toast or zWieback or a ernst