_The mouth._ The baby’s mouth should be cleaned once a day by the use of a swab, made by twisting a bit of absorbent cotton on a wooden toothpick, wet in a two per cent solution of boric acid. After each feeding a teaspoonful of warm, sterile water may be given to wash the milk down. The old method of cleansing the mouth with a piece of gauze twisted over the finger frequently injured the delicate tissues. Except in emergency the finger should not be put inside the baby’s mouth. _The scalp._ For the first few weeks the baby’s scalp should be washed at the time of the bath. If yellow scales form, rub warm olive oil or vaseline into the scalp at night, and in the morning wash it with warm water and pure castile soap, rinsing thoroughly. If the scales do not come off, repeat the operation as many times as necessary. Do not use a comb to remove the scales, as this will irritate the scalp and render the condition worse. _The nails._ The baby’s nails should be cleaned with a toothpick over which has been twisted a little absorbent cotton. The nails should be carefully cut with small scissors in order to prevent him from scratching himself. _The body._ It is best to wash the baby’s entire body with warm water and soap before placing him in the tub. The bath in the tub is for rinsing off the soap and for exercise. He should be turned over so that his chest will rest on the mother’s forearm while his feet touch the bottom of the tub. Teach the baby to like the bath, and he will not be frightened. He should not stay in the water more than two or three minutes, and when lifted out should be wrapped in a soft, warm bath towel. He should be dried quickly by gently patting the skin with soft towels, not by wiping. Take special care to dry all the folds and creases; rub these with sweet oil or lanolin, or powder them carefully. Powder, if used, should be lightly dusted on the neck, behind the ears, under the arms and knees, in the groin, and on the buttocks. Rub off all superfluous powder; if it gets wet and hardens, it will irritate the skin. _Dressing._ The baby should always be dressed while lying on his back or on a bed or pillow. Pin the flannel band at the side with small safety pins; then put on the shirt and be careful that the draw string at the neck is not tied too tightly. Next put on the diaper snugly. The gertrude is placed inside the slip and both are put on at the same time. These two garments should be drawn on over the baby’s feet. If the weather is cool, the baby should be wrapped in a flannel blanket. _Bran bath._ If the baby’s skin is sensitive or if he has heat rash, a bran bath will prove beneficial. Prepare this by putting bran into a cheesecloth bag six inches square, and soaking this in the bath until the water is milky. Do not use soap with the bran bath, nor with an ordinary bath when the baby’s skin is sensitive. CHAPTER VIII THE BABY’S CLOTHING