Better babies and their careRichardson, Anna Steese
Science
Better babies and their care
Richardson, Anna Steese
Infants -- Care; Infants -- Health and hygiene
A very good routine which will establish the baby in regular habits is
this: First bottle at six o’clock in the morning, after which baby is
quite content to lie in his crib, drowsy and cozy, or amusing himself
with fists as his only toys. After the mother has dressed and had her
breakfast in comfort she gives the baby his bath; and at nine o’clock
feeds him again. Then, if the day is pleasant, she tucks him into his
carriage or outdoor crib and lets him have his morning nap outdoors.
This gives her time to do her morning work, and, if the baby is fed
partly or wholly on the bottle, to prepare the modified milk for the
day’s use. At twelve comes another feeding while mother is having her
luncheon. Baby sleeps again while mother dresses; and then both go out
for an airing. At three comes the fourth bottle for the day, after
which baby has his real recreation while lying on the bed, or on a
comfortable on the floor in warm weather. Just before he has his six
o’clock bottle he is made comfortable for the night; and he is not
taken out of bed again until morning except to be changed and fed.
Sometimes it is almost as hard for the mother to maintain a routine as
it is for the child, but it is certainly a worth while investment of
time and energy to train the child to live up to this régime.
Good looks and attractiveness in a child depend a great deal upon his
way of eating. He should be taught to eat slowly from the time that his
little teeth break into solid food. Carefully masticated food is an aid
to digestion. When food is half chewed, or the child is permitted to
bolt his food, indigestion is sure to follow, the child looks anemic or
sallow, and he even has unsightly eruptions, pimples, etc., while still
very young.
Fresh air is a great beautifier. When the child cannot be taken
outdoors because of the severity of the weather, the ventilation in the
nursery should be perfect; and at least once during the day the baby
should be dressed in all his outdoor raiment and allowed to stay out of
the draught in a room where the windows are wide open.
Little habits of cleanliness in the care of the nails, the teeth, and
the hair not only make the child attractive to those around it, but
yield big returns in comfort for the child himself.
It is good discipline to see that the child picks up his clothes as
they are taken off; and his toys should be placed in the closet when he
is through playing with them. When such things are made a privilege and
not a penalty, when the child is taught that an orderly closet means a
special pat and kiss from mother, putting away his toys will really
mean a great deal to him.
Teasing is the worst possible interference with discipline. Never allow
your baby to be teased by adults or other children. Some children
become highly nervous under teasing, others turn sullen and resentful.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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