Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1949-08-19


or third week of life, cod liver
oil or some other source of Vita
min D should be added to his
daily diet. Vitamin D. is needed
for growth and particularly for
the proper development of bones
and teeth. Your doctor will tell
you what preparation to use and
how much to give the baby. At
the same time that you start
giving the Vitamin D prepara-
ton, the baby should also get
orange juice, starting with a
teaspoonful and working UP to
half cupful at about two
months of age. Your physician
has bulletins on the care and
feeding of infants and feeding
charts.
Don't be in hurry to wean
the baby. Too-early weaving
may make him cross and discon-
tented. Ask your doctors ad-
vice about weaving when the
baby is about six months old.
When you do start to wean him,
make it gradual process. Re-
member, the greatest pleasure in
the baby's life is nursing. You
can scarcely blame him for COM
planning if you snatch that pleas
ure away from him all at once.
Use a formula prescribed Dy
your doctor for one or two feed
ings a day to begin the weaving
process, and hold the baby in
your arms while feeding him
from the bottle, just as you did
while nursing him. That will
get him accustomed to the bottle
gradually, and he won't mind it
SO much. And, by the way, it's
better if possible to start wean-
ing the baby in cool weather.
When you make or buy clothes
for your baby, there are several
points you should consider. Does
the clothing wash and iron
easily? Is it easy to put on and
take off,? Is it comfortable?
And is it safe? And while we're
on the subject of safety, may
remind you that an article of
with a draw-string in
the neck is NOT safe for a baby.
Dress him in a way that will
supply needed warmth in cold
weather and keep him from be-
ing too hot in warm weather.
The young baby spends most of
his time sleeping. At birth his
temperature control mechanism
is not fully developed. Conse-
he needs TO be kept in
temperature of 20 to rs de-
grees during the first few weeks
Of life.
That doesn't mean that a baby
can't get too warm. Many people I
make the mistake of piling on
.oo many clothes and then won
iering why the babies complain.
IN hot weather q young baby
needs only a diaper, unless he's
being dressed up for company.
And please, go easy on the
waterproof pantiesl They are
lot and uncomfortable, and
mould be used only for brief
'eriods of time, when the baby
'oes calling. When catching dis
ases are known to be around in
our com m unity, the baby ;
hould not 60 visiting, nor
hould visitors be allowed to !
ave close contact or handle
i'm.
And that brings up the very ,
important subject of protecting {
our baby against disease. Here S
re some fundamental rules that I
Mould be known and practiced i
y everyone who has anything !
do with babies. Always wash h
our hands with soap and water G
etore you handle him. Keep
i'm away from people who have r
olds or other evidences of ILL q
es. Boil all the water and q
nix that he drinks, and be sure q
lat both milk and water come s
ON sources that are safe. Keep r
les, mosquitoes, and other in E
'cts away from him. And take Il
le baby to the doctor for a n
leckup regularly once a month Il
lring the first year of life. u
Every mother remembers her r.
aby's birthday. It's a good idea a
celebrate on or near that day d
lch month during the baby's a
rst year, by a trip to the doc fl
RS office. This may seem like
unnecessary number of visits. S.
pecially if your baby is blessed a
lth good health. May / remind n
~ once again that the first fe
ar of a baby's life is the most h
lzardous period. A change al
om good health to serious ill "a
SIS may occur very suddenly hi
that early age. Don't assume fl
at your baby can afford to a,
ip a visit to the doctor. And d,
MT hesitate to call the doctor in
he shows any unusual symp- W
ms. 81
Your doctor will no doubt ad- 70
'e you to have your baby pro- W
ted against Whooping cough tn
rY earlV in life Whooo;r nS