The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-06-16
THE CARE OF THE BABY

HE S<ANE oF TIE BABY
By l.. A. Riser, M. D., in charge
Department of Rural Sanitation ard
County Health oWrk, S. C. Board { +
Health:
This article is written for the moth
ers and fathers, and>for the boys and
|girls, too, for the latter are often the
ones who have a great deal of the
care of their small sisters and broth
ers, and it is very necessary that they
know something of how to keep the
baby well and happy. A we'll baby
IS always happy baby and most of
the sickness of, babies is entirely un-
necessary for it is too often due to
improper care e,improper food and inn
proper clothing.
The baby is very sensitive to heat
and cold. In our hot summer wealth
er, We very often keep the baby too
hot. As.the hot days come on we
should think not of how much heat
we can keep in, but how much we can
let out, and we let out this heat by
light thin clothes. Bad colds come
on more often after the baby has
been made too hot than after it has
cotton too cold.
During Baby Week, which was re-
Gently observed by one of our Coun-
ty Health Departments, the doctor in
charge wrote me of a baby which was
brought to the Clinic clad in three
heavy flannel shirts made long so
they could fold back and thus double
the amount of wrappings, over this
was put the infants dress and then
it was wrapped in a heavy woolen
shawl. This was in May in one of
our Southern counties. Every baby
should have battle once a DAY. II
should be put in a. tub of water,
neither too hot nor too cold, only the
head being kept out of the water.
Let the baby have plenty of frsh
air, keep all the doors and windows
open and be sure they are screened
to keep out flies and mosquitoes. 1t
seldom gets too cold in South Caro-
lima to take the baby out in the fresh
air-wrap it up and keep strong sun
light out Of its eyes.
Baby should have plenty of sleep
and should not be disturbed. Let
the baby sleep by itself. Everybody
is entitled to two things. his own
Cooth brush and his own bed. If you
haven't a small crib, take a clothes
basket. This makes a dandy bed and
you have no idea how baby will en-
joy it until you try it. Please don't
give the baby pacifier or
soothing syrup. know you are sore
ly tempted at times. The baby is not
toy-don't handle it like one be
gentle with it.
The best food in tle WORLD for a
baby is mothers milk. Sometime
artificial feeding is abosiuteiy iiuces-
sary. Great care is needed in hot
weather WHEN baby is bottle fed.
Ten bottle fed babies die to every one
breast fed baby. If cows mill. is fed
it should be pasteurized. PasteriZ-
ers can be had for few dollars, but
if you can't get one milk may be
pasturized by putting the proper
number of feelings for twenty-fou1
hours each in sepsrate bottle put
some absorbent cotton in the bottles
for shoppers. Then put them in warm
water in deep covered vessel, bring
it to the boiling point, then take of
the fire and let the bottles remain in
the water thirty minutes. This is
better than boiling. After three
months of age orange juice should be
given to bottle fed babies, table.
spoonful or more may be taken once
a day.
Don't forget to give the baby wat.
er. Boil the water and then cool it.
Babies suffer for a drink in hot
weatherj just as grown folks do.
If you have a cough or cold keeI
away from the baby. and even if you
are well, don't kiss the baby on the
mouth. Contagious disease is otter
given the baby in this way. If the
baby gets sick send for the doctor
don't put if off.