The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1915-08-13
KEEPING BABY WELL
ESPECIAL ATTENTION NEcEe-
sARY DURING HOT WEATHER.
Many Ills May Be Avoided by Watch
fuiness on the Part Of the Moth
er-Government Expert Gives
Advice Worth Needing.

Prepared by the Children's Bureau. j.
S. Department Of Labor)
Summer complaint" or diarrhea, Is
one of the most dreaded ills which
may befall the baby.
It is the principal symptom Of va
rious forms of indigestion, some Of
them mild and some very serious. But
any undue looseness Of the baby's
bowels should put the mother on guard
against illness.
At the appearance of diarrhea. the
city mother should take her baby to q
good doctor. II she has no doctor. she
should go to the nearest infant welfare
station, where a competent physician
will advise her as to the care Of the
baby. and the nurses in attendance
will help her carry out his directions.
In the country, where 1t is very DIFF
ficult to get the advice Of a doctor.
the mother has harder problem. Be-
cause she is out of the range Of infant
welfare stations, hospitals. and. often.
Of physicians as well, 1t Is most i'm
portant to prevent every attack Of ILL.,
ness possible. by careful attention to
the baby's food and general care.
A pamphlet which may be Of help to
the country mother Is Infant Care"
sent free to anyone mailing q request
to the chief Of the children's bureau.
U. g. department Of labor, Washing
ton, D. C. This pamphlet contains
simple directions for the care and
feeding Of the baby, and suggests
some ways Of dealing with various
emergencies.
The healthy baby usually has one or
two bowel movements a day. II this
number Is increased to four or more
1t il time to take measures against
sickness.
It is well to remember. however.
that the bowel movements of a baby
fed entirely at the breast are normally
more frequent than those Of a bottle
fed baby. and that a slight increase in
the number OF movements Is not so
serious a matter to a baby at the
breast as to one artificially fed. A
baby fed at the breast does not usu-
ally have diarrhea, and when such a
baby shows signs OF digestive disturb
ance, It is usually because he Is over
fed, either he Is nursed too often, or
at irregular intervals, or is allowed
to nurse too long at one time. When
he does have diarrhea, the time be-
tween musings should be increased
to four hours. and the time at the
breast reduced to i've or ten minutes
II the bowels continue loose. the
breast should be withdrawn entirely
for several feelings. II necessary, Civ
ing the baby instead cool drinking wa
ter at frequent intervals. In this case
the mother should pump her breasts al
the regular nursing times. both to
keep them from drying up. and to pre-.
vent their caking.
Bottle-fed babies are the most fire.
quent sufferers from summer diarrhea
and this fact furnishes another strong
argument in favor of breast feeding
Diarrhea in a bottle-fed baby is also
best treated by reducing the amount
of food. The bottle should be omitted
for 8, ~ or "a hours. according tt
the severity Of the attack. and in place
of the milk should be given as much
boiled and cooled water as the BABY
will take.
Food should not be withheld To-
vice Of doctor. When the bottle II
resumed, the food should be mucl
weaker than before: water should b,
substituted for at least half the mill
previously given. The milk should b.
SKINNED. and the sugar omitted.
The return to the former feedinl
should be made gradually by adding
little more milk each day and begin
ming to add sugar. The more sever
the attack has been. the more slowl
should changes be made.
II the baby is on mixed" feeding
that is, partly breast and partly boz
tie fed. the bottle feelings should
omitted If diarrhea appears, and tn
breast given once in four or five hour
with nothing but drinking water b
tween meals.
Diarrhea Is much more frequent 1
July and August than in the coole
months Of the year, which fact ha
earned for it the name of "summe
complaint" Accordingly the mothe
should use every means in her powe
during the hot weather to keep tn
baby cool. In the heat of the day tn
baby should wear only diaper, wit
possibly one other thin garment
Frequent cool spongings and at leas
one full tub bath each day. plenty {
sleep. and a constant supply Of fres
air will help to protect the baby frol
the excessive heat. and keep him wei