New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-08-21
CARE OF THE BABY IN
SUMMER,
The Second Summer.

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A widespread and deep-rooteo
belief prevails among mothers
that the "second summer is ar
especially perilous time for the
baby, and consequently, one to be
greatly feared.
The facts, however, do not sup.
port this belief. Official figures
show that about five times as
many babies dies in the first year
Of life as in the second, 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
infant life takes places among
very young babies, and that if a
baby has survived this early per-
iod his chance of living to grow
up is greatly increased.
The reason the sec ond sum
mer" has acquired this partly
undeserved reputation for danger
lies very largely in the fact that
babies are often made sick be-
cause mothers make many mis-.
takes in feeding a baby after he
is weaned and before his diges.
ton is able to deal with ordinary
family meals.
The fear of the second summer
results also from the fact that
the baby is getting his teeth at
this time. Although the teething
process some times is unjustly
blamed for causing illness, babies
are. no doubt, often upset by the
pain of teething and do, there
fore. 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 Indirect
ly. Heat often spoils the milk and
makes it unfit for the baby's use.
But even a properly-fed baby may
be made sick when the weather
is very hot.
A long continued spell of ex-
IRENE heat is very hard on babies
of all ages, and the greatest care
is needed to avoid every other
possible means an attack of sum-
mer 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 9 or 10
months at the beginning of 5 lm-
mer should, if possible, continue
at the breast until September, be-
cause even two or three breast
feelings day may be enough to
keep his digestion in good order;
and. in case he becomes ill, 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 article in this series.
In addition, some other food
may be given, but it must always
be remembered that care in feed
ing the baby at this age is as i'm
portant as in early infancy.
Changes in the diet in summer
should be made very cautiously.
Only one new article of food
should be added at a time. It
should be given at first in very
small quantities. and it's effect on
the baby carefully watched mean
while.
If the baby vomits, belches gas,
or shows looseness of the bowels.
the food should be greatly les
sened in quantity or taken away
altogether until the disturbance
subsidies.
For a baby from 8 months to
one year of age, the following
food is recommended: Strained
orange or prune juice may be Civ
en- once a day after the baby is
eight or nine months old, unless
his bowels have a tendency to
looseness; it should be given mid