Evening star., 1937-09-25
WhenBuying
Items for
Nursery
Wise to Purchase
Essentials With
The Layette.
BY NARCISSA SULLIVAN.

AAS A/A WV
BY NARCISSA SULLIVAN.
THE equipment Of the nursery is a
very important part of the prep
aration for the arrival of the new baby.
While no one would overlook anything
so vital as crib, often small, but
important, things are forgotten, and
at the last moment before the mother
and baby come home from the hospital
the new father is sent downtown to
complete the list Of purchases. Be-
Wildered, he buys the most expensive
and least practical article in the
store. Thoughtful planning is the
only way to avoid this sort Of situa-
ton.
Following is list Of nursery essen
tials. These articles can be purchased
in many grades and price ranges, and
need not be expensive to be sturdy
and serviceable. In buying baby's
member that it Is poor economy to
compromise with quality. Forego Ella
borate articles If your budget dictates
it, but bear in mind that lively,
squirmy baby is going to give his
possessions hard wear.
The crib that you buy should be
sturdy and well constructed with the
uprights near enough together to pre-
vent any accidents. The mattress
should be firm, but soft enough to
yield to the baby's body. While a tiny
crib or bassinet is cunning and
cheaper to buy at first, they are un-
comfortable and unsafe after two or
three months.
Bed clothes should include sheets,
absorbent cotton pads, rubber sheet
ing and blankets.
A screen should be available to
place around the crib to ward off
drafts.
The chair in which the mother plans
to sit while feeding the baby should
be low and comfortable.
A table on which to dress and
change the baby is great help 1t
should have smooth, washable top
or be covered with oilcloth. A soft
pad should be put under the baby.
The carriage should be large enough
to be comfortable for the baby, but
light and easy to handle. The COL
lapsible canvas kind are particularly
satisfactory.
The baby's scales should be tested
before they are put to use.
A tray or cabinet should be set
aside in which to keep such sup
plies as:
Oil
Powder.
Boric acid.
Absorbent cotton.
Soap.
Safety pins.
Towels and wash cloths.
The tub which you buy for your
baby should be easy for you to handle
and easy to clean. The collapsible
rubber type, which has cover which
can be folded down to dress the baby
on. is especially convenient, but the
enameled ones are less expensive.
The equipment for the preparation
Of the babys formula should not be
bought until the formula is decided
upon, as different mixtures require
different equipment and you might
find yourself saddled with things YOU
don't need. but when they are assem-
bled they should be kept in the nursery
exclusively for the baby's use. The
Children's Bureau publication, Infant
Care" which is a very useful hand
book for mothers, lists the following
as necessities. This list would be help
full in checking over your purchases:
Nursing bottles holding ounces. It
Is cheaper to buy them by the dozen.
At least there should be two or three
more than the number of feelings in
"a hours, as they will be used for
water also.
Nipples. Freshly boiled nipple for
each feeding and for each bottle of
water
Two small. wide-mouthed, covered
glass jars such as Mason Jars or may
onnaise jars Zone for boiled nipples
and one for used ones).
Teaspoon to take boiled nipples from
jar Ito be kept in jar with boiled
nipples.
Rubber caps, rubber corks. or Waxed
paper to cover nursing bottles. Rubber
caps are the most satisfactory covers
Bottle brush.
Bottle rack for holding bottles when
boiling and filling them and for keep
ing them in the ice box. If this cam
not be had. pail or pan may be used
for keeping bottles in the ice box.
Measuring glass holding 8 or Is
ounces, marked off in half ounces. for
measuring milk and water sometimes
called graduate).
Pitcher to hold milk mixture after
boiling.
Tablespoon and teaspoon for meas
uring sugar. Accurate measuring
spoons may be purchased very cheaply
and are best.
Knife for leyeling spoonfuls of su-
gar.
Fork for removing cap from milk
bottle.
Two-quart saucepan for boiling
milk.
Saucepan for boiling water (the
teakettle may he used instead.
Strainer to strain milk mixture if
scum forms
Covered flat-bottomed kettle or pail.
large enough to hold bottle rack and
utensils to be boiled
Long-handled spoon for removing
utensils from sterilizing kettle and for
stirring milk mixture.
The Old Gardener Says: