The Monett times., 1922-06-09
WEAVING THE BABY
DR.. F. F. Woodruff

menr Oh this article appeafed3 last
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The ideal time to wean the baby is
at the end of the first year. Many
mothers find it necessary to wean at
about the eighth or ninth month; but
this is only another evidence of our
unnatural habits of living. If there
is scarcity Of milk before the baby is
year old, it is best to give the bottle
after each nursing with enough modi7
fled milk to make up the shortage.
Such plan is very much better than
weaving the baby entirely when the
mothers milk becomes insufficient.
Babies nursed for a year are appre-
ciably stronger than those weaned
earlier. 1t is not necessary to wean
the baby permanently on account of
temporary illness of the mother; if
the breasts are properly cared for the
milk will return. During the mothers
illness the breasts should be carefully
pumped occasionally; and when the
mother has recovered, the baby should
be put back to the breast regularly.
In the majority of cases the milk will
return within a few days. Should
weaving time come in the hot weather
it is better to nurse few weeks long
er and not wean until the fall. Fall
is the best time for weaving. How
ever, it is safer to wean in July or
August than in the spring.
Weaning should be gradual. Re-
place one breast feeding with bottle
feeding for time, then two feelings,
and so on until the baby has been en-
!! tirely weaned from the breast. An
other good plan is to give few
ounces of modified milk from the bot
tie along with the nursing, gradually
! increasing the amount, and reducing
/ the time of the breast feeding. Care
/ should be- taken at this time not to
overfeed. If too much is given from
the bottle first, there may be suffi-
cient breast milk to overfeed the
stomach and thereby cause indiges-
ton. Twenty minutes should be suf-
ficient time for the average baby to
nurse.
Be careful that feeding from the
bottle is not too rapid. Should the
milk drip from the bottle when in
verted, the hole in the nipple is too
large. Too rapid flow of milk from
| the bottle will cause indigestion. For
this reason it is not advisable to give
milk from a cup too early. Taking
milk into the stomach rapidly will
form large curds and retard digestion.
When the proper time arrives to dis
continue the use of the bottle, say
about eighteen months, the child may
refuse the cup for a few feelings,
but with little patience and persist
ence the difficulty can be overcome.
The Second Year.
During the second year there is a
tendency to become careless in the
feeding of the child. 1t is not yet
time for the baby to be put up to the
table and allowed all the dietary
privileges of the family. Give all the
whole milk desired three times day,
and (between twelve and nineteen
months) add some ground fruit or
vegetables to each feeding. The fol-
lowing may be used: Spinach, boiled
carrots, lettuce, celery, pears, sweet
apples, peaches, rasins, figs or dates.
A good plan is to give all the fruit or
vegetables desired; then follow with
the bottle. Starchy foods are to be
limited somewhat until the third year.
Zweibach or soda crackers to. cut the
teeth on are permissible, and the ad-
dition of cereals, and little barley or
oat meal Cruel to the milk.
Barley Cruel: Pearl baTley-11 II
level tablespoonfuls, boil for five min
utes and drain off the water. Then
add one quart of water to the barley
and allow to simmer slowly until
there is only pint. Strain.
To make oatmeal Cruel, take four
tablespoonfuls of steel-cut cats and
stir into pint of boiling water.
Cover and allow to simmer for three
hours, adding water from time to
time to maintain the quantity to one
pint. Make fresh each day. Barley
Cruel is not so constructing as rice
water, and not so laxative as oatmeal
gruel 49,
| During the latter part of the second
year, when the teeth are through, the
heavier vegetables, cereals and some
nut meats may be added to the feed
ings. 1t is best to feed these at the
noon meal. Either well cooked cereal
and milk or combination of ground
English walnuts or pecans with zwei-
back may be added to some of the
mashed green vegetables (except to-
| M atnaSl StarcheS and acids giVen