PART II MOTHERHOOD (Part 11)

and health of the skin when the added comfort of the child is considered, its value must be admitted. Added to. this, the same reasons that are given for frequent bathing in the case of a grown person obtain when applied to the baby. It is a question of keeping the skin in healthy condition, and this can- be done only by cleanliness. Especial care should be taken to guard against draughts. The room should be warm and of even Bath Under the Blanket temperature, and sunny as well, if that is a possi- bility. There is little danger in the exposure of a Guard . baby's body if the surrounding air is warm, though dfaJTghts in for tne first few days the bath should be given under bathing the blanket, and for several weeks the baby should not be long uncovered. It must be remembered that his mode of living has been radically changed by his HABITS 287 birth, and the shock of the adjustment must be tem- pered as far as may be. When the first tub-bath is given the shock to the nervous system caused by the plunge into water is How to made much less if the child is put into the water with baby in a clean diaper wrapped loosely about him. It can hls tub easily be removed from the body and allowed to lie in the bottom of the tub, where it will not interfere in the least with the bath. Attention to nose, eyes, and mouth should be sys- tematically g^iven, even if there seems to be no Attention J ° ' to nose, especial apparent need. The boric solution strength- eyes, and ens the eyes, and makes them less liable to inflam- mou mation when the. child catches cold. Washing the mouth is more rather than less important as the child gets older, for the preservation of the teeth depends on cleanliness. If it is possible the baby should take his naps in a quiet, darkened room. We can not be sure what Naps impressions are being made on the sensitive nervous ^a"^^ organization, nor how much consciousness of the darkened room and noise of talking and of the presence of numbers of alone persons in the room exists, but we do know that there must be more complete relaxation when these conditions are not present, and that beyond this the habit of going off quite alone at nap-time is a valu- able one to establish. At first life is a series of naps, with incidental wakings for food, but later there will be, of course, longer periods of wakefulness and fewer hours in the daytime to be spent in the quiet of the nursery. THE OUTING A baby should have regular out-of-door exercise after the first four or five weeks. In winter the 288 MOTHERHOOD Hours to choose Dress for the outing Substitute for the outing Summer outdoor life Summer in the city and parks outing should be made in the middle of the day, either just before or just after noon. In the sum- mer early morning and late afternoon are the safest times. In winter the baby should be thoroughly warm before he is taken out, and should have plenty of thick wraps. Especial care should be taken to have his hands and feet warm, for it is by exposure of the extremities that colds are contracted. If the weather is too severe or stormy to risk the out-of-door exercise, an indoor substitute may be used. Dress the baby warmly, put him in his carriage or on the bed, and open all the windows of the room where he is sitting. Draughts must be avoided, but plenty of air must be admitted, and the danger of catching cold is no greater than it is out of doors. In the summer children should be kept in during the middle of the day. In the morning the air is fresh and will be good for them. In the country it is often possible to keep the child out for the entire day, but in the large cities the pavements and un- shaded streets become so hot that it is not only unpleasant but not safe to leave children out through the heat of the day. If a park or playground is accessible never keep the children in the streets. Let them spend their outing under the best possible conditions. The fresh air, the lack of dust, the restfulness of green grass, and the shade of trees are important factors which make for health, and the mother will be repaid two- fold for the little extra exertion of dressing and taking the journey, long or short, both by added serenity of temper and by comfort of body. Go home before the sun is too hot, and give the baby his HABITS 289 bat'h, after which he ought to sleep through the mid- day hours. Do not make the mistake of keeping too many clothes on him. If he is kept from draughts he may The baby's dress very lightly in the hottest days. The abdomen in hot should be protected by either the flannel or knitted tolVn band, since the dread disease of the summer months is cholera infantum. If the band is worn the regular shirt may be discarded in the hottest weather. Changes in temperature must be observed, however, and the necessary addition in coverings must be promptly made. The flannel nightgown gives place to the cotton slip, and even the flannel skirt1 may be shed for a few hours in the day when the weather is oppressive. Late in the afternoon or early in the evening, if it is possible to get another breath of clean air that has blown through the trees or from the water, in- stead of along dirty city streets, the night will be more restful because of it. The prejudice against night air has been pretty thoroughly overcome as knowledge of the principles Nisht r • 1 , • • 1 r i , r , , • , air is the of right living and of the needs of our bodies has only air at increased, but there are still many persons who are breathe inclined to shield the baby from the fancied ills of night dampness and to oppress him with the serious danger of exhausted air. He must not be given used-up air to breathe. Even more than those of grown-up persons must his lungs be supplied with oxygen to feed the blood. It is always the direct draught that is dangerous. The crib can be thoroughly protected and the baby How t0 can be kept warm even more easily than a grown baby from person. It is a very good plan to have little straight raug ts curtains of stout muslin made to fit around the head i3 Vol. 3 290 MOTHERHOOD of the crib, and to tie on the bars with tapes. A piece about eight inches in width may also be stretched across the top at the head, shielding the baby's eyes and more effectively protecting him from draughts of air. This is the simple life that best suits a baby's The needs. The routine of it soon makes it the easiest simple life - , , , , , . . . , . the best f rom the mother s standpoint, and if it is persisted in all the details become matters of habit, and their accomplishment less and less of an effort.