The Mother and Her ChildSadler, William S. (William Samuel)
Science
The Mother and Her Child
Sadler, William S. (William Samuel)
Child care; Infants -- Care; Infants -- Health and hygiene; Pregnancy
Those of my mother readers who have electric lights in their home,
will find the photophore to be a source of great comfort and
convenience; for this simple contrivance is usually able to banish
colic in a few moments. The photophore is simply radiant heat--heat
plus light (See Fig. 3)--and as this heat is applied to legs and
buttocks of the crying child the diaper is warmed, the abdomen
relaxes, gas is expelled, intestinal contractions relieved, and the
baby is soon fast asleep.
Occasionally with the aid of the photophore, and even without it, the
warm two-ounce enema containing a level teaspoon of baking soda and a
level teaspoon of salt to a pint of water when allowed to flow into
the bowel, will soon bring down both gas and feces to the great relief
of the baby. Warm water to drink is also very helpful. Putting the
feet in very warm water is also quieting to the crying colicky babe.
It is often necessary in cases of repeated and persistent colic, to
give a full dose of castor oil to clear out the bowel tract. Do not
jolt or bounce the baby, do not carry him about, and don't walk the
floor with him.
Heat him up inside and outside, warm his clothing and his bedding, and
thus bring about relief without sowing seeds for future trouble--the
sorrow of a spoiled child.
One very quiet little baby was one day brought to the dispensary whose
mother said: "Doctor, I didn't bring him 'cause he's sick, but 'cause
he looks so pale; he's as quiet as a mouse; he never cries any more
since I got to giving him medicine." On examination of the baby and on
inquiring about the medicine, we found that the baby was dead drunk
all the time. Some "neighbor friend" had told the tired out mother,
"Give him a teaspoon of whiskey at each feeding and that'll fix him
all right." If a few more states go dry maybe it will not be so easy
for the ignorant mother to dope and drug her helpless baby.
And neither is paregoric to be administered wholesale for colic. It
contains an opiate, and should not be given without definite orders
from a physician. And so as a parting word on "Why Babies Cry," we ask
each mother to run over the following summary of the chapter, and thus
seek to find out why her baby cries.
BABY CRIES BECAUSE:
He is hungry.
He is thirsty.
He has been given a dirty bottle.
His mother has failed properly to cleanse the nipples.
His food is not prepared right.
His food is too cold.
His bowels are constipated.
His band is too tight.
His clothes are wrinkled.
His diaper is wet.
He is too hot.
He wants fresh air.
He is too cold.
He is in pain.
He is very sick.
His throat is sore.
His ear aches.
He has been rocked, carried, or bounced.
He has been given a pacifier.
He has had too much excitement.
His mother has eaten the wrong food.
CHAPTER XV
THE NURSING MOTHER AND HER BABE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account