The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1915-07-23
KEEPING BABY WELL
DIRECTIONS FOR CARE OF LITTLE
ONE, IN SUMNER.
Some General RuIes That Every
Mother Will Do Well to Follow
Right Food and Suitable Cloth
Ing Are Most important.


Right Food and Suitable Cloth
Ing Are Most important.
prepared for this paper by the Chfldren's
Bureau. U. g. Department of LaborD
It Is 80 much easier to keep baby
well than It is to make him well after
he has become Ill that the wise moth
er will do all she can to prevent his
illness. Summer diarrhea. which Is
ont of the chief Affections OF baby life
may often be prevented by proper
care, and for this there are few gen.
eral rules that every mother should
know and strive to follow.
The first and most important is that
the baby should have the proper food,
at regular intervals, and plenty Of
cool drinking water between meals.
This food should be breast milk for
the first nine months, or If that is i'm
possible, cows' milk, diluted to suit
the baby's age and condition.
Besides having the right food the
baby needs to be kept cool and clean
by plenty of baths and by the light
est possible clothing. He also needs
a constant supply of fresh air, night
and day, and a large allowance OF
sleep.
Do not be afraid to let the baby go
almost naked during the hot hours OF
a summer day. If he is we'll and
strong he need wear nothing but his
diaper, and, possibly, one other gar
ment. This may be for young baby
a sleeveless knitted band which leaves
the arms and legs uncovered. and for
an older baby an apron or dress. All
these garments should be cotton. A
very young and delicate baby may
need a part wool band or shirt, but
wool is, in general, too warm and too
irritating to be worn in summer. or
course the mother will protect the
baby from a chill by dressing him
fully when the day cools or when a
storm or wind arisese
Do not infict starched garments
upon the baby in summer. Babies are
sometimes much worried by the
scratching of knitted socks on their
feet in summer and also by the irrita-
tion caused by starched muslin caps
on their heads Starched ruff1es
about the neckband of a baby's slip
may chafe the flesh until a serious
skin disease results.
Every healthy baby should have q
full tub bath every day in summer
and in addition one or more sponge
baths on the hottest days. For the
tub bath for a young baby the water
should be just comfortably warm to
the mothers elbow-neither hot nor
cold. 1t may be cooler for baby a
year old, but not cold enough to chill
or frighten him. Use a bland soap
like CASTLE, as harsh soap Is pretty
sure to make the baby's skin sore.
Be sure the soap is completely rinsed
off and the skin thoroughly dried, by
patting, not rubbing it. After 1t is
dry little pure talcum power should
be busted in the cracks and folds Of
the skin, in the groin, and under the
arms. Use no soap in the sponge bath.
A little baby should be carefully held
in the tub. The mother should put
her own left hand under the baby's
left arm In such a way that the baby's
head and neck are supported by her
forearm.
Prickly heat is the result of too
warm clothing, or of the hot weather.
1t is fine red rash which appears on
the back and shoulders and comes
and goes with the hot and cool wealth
er. Battle the baby frequently, but
use no soap. Either bran, soda or
starch bath may be tried
Bran Eath.-Make little bag OF
cheesecloth and put cupful Of or
binary bran in 1t and sew 1t or tie
it up. Let this bag soak in the bath,
squeezing it until the water is milky
Starch Rath.-Use a cupful Of or
binary cooked laundry starch to gal
lon of water If the laundry starch
has had anything like salt, lard, oil,
bluing, etc, added to 1t, 1t must not
be used for this purpose.
Soda Bath.-Dissolve a tablespoon
full of ordinary baking soda in lit
tie water and add 1t to four quarts
of water.
After bathing the baby pat the skin
dry with soft clean towel, but do
not rub It, Then dust the Redeemed
places with a powder composed Of
three parts of cornstarch and one of
boric sifted together.
Keep the baby out of doors as much
IL 1ryho 1fcf q
air is hotter than that indoors. A
screened porch is equivalent to an
additional room On it the baby, as
well as the other members of the fam
lily, may practically live by day, and
in many cases by night as well. Here
he will be protected from his great
enemy, the fly, that carries disease
germs about. 1t also makes safe
place to leave the baby while the
mother is busy indoors.
A play pen on the clean grass under
a shady tree will afford the baby many
an hour of happiness and relieve the
mother of worry as to his safety. A
blanket or rug, or carpet of newspa-
pers may be spread on the grass in
the bottom Of the pen so that the baby
will not find stones and sticks to put
into his mouth.
Indoors the coolest room should be
chosen for the baby. Do not be
afraid of fresh air. This is the only
kind the baby should know anything
about Open all the windows at night
Nirht air is inst aa pood as dav air
and perhaps better, because it may
have been cooled and cleansed by the
dew.